Prefinished Hardwood Flooring – Understanding the Basic Varieties

Pressing time and increasing demand for hardwood flooring has led to innovation in this industry leading to the invention of "prefinished hardwood flooring". In essence, this mode of manufacture produces ready-to-use merchandise based on consumers’ provided choices. As the lines suggest, prefinished hardwood floors are fairly easy to deal with, and can be managed even in the absence of a professional. One can just lay down the planks in position and snap them into place, and flooring is done.

This industry provides many types of hardwood floors for the consumers to choose from. Based on the wood type consumers have the following options:

• Cherry wood flooring – has a pleasant reddish-brown tint which deepens with exposure to light and ageing. Cherry wood responds well to sanding and staining, delivering a smooth finish. It is fairly stable in dimensional terms, especially after kiln-drying.
• Oak hardwood flooring – has a prominent grain pattern that stands out when stained in lighter colors. Darker stained oak floors give less contrast but sturdy feel. Oak wood is naturally hard, and the most preferred kind of wood in flooring. Comes in variety of Red Oak and White Oak.
• Walnut hardwood flooring – has a unique chocolaty color which makes it a popular choice among consumers. American Walnut hardwood is relatively soft; harder varieties of walnut wood are available on order.
• Maple hardwood flooring – has a creamy appearance in lighter wood shades. This wood is a better performer in prefinished mode of usage.
• Hickory hardwood flooring – Hickory is one of the hardest available woods for flooring. It comes with natural color variations and unusual grain patterns, which earns it popularity.

Based on construction method, following options are available to the consumers:

• inch solid hardwood flooring – it is ¾ inch in thickness and a very common type of plank used in flooring. Solid hardwood floors have a tendency to expand in moisture, which is why it is advised to leave some crawl space and get it waterproofed. Use for basement flooring is cautioned against, given the expansion characteristics of solid hardwood planks.
• 5/6 inch flooring – thinner version of ¾ inch solid hardwood plank. It can be glued to bases.
• Engineered hardwood flooring – The basic idea of engineering hardwoods is to reduce vulnerability to moisture and warping. It is more cost-effective and environment friendly. Not all engineering hardwoods can be refinished and sanded. It can be used for flooring in basements with basic waterproofing measures.
• Locking hardwood – It is an upgraded version of engineered hardwood. It consists of a system of grooves-and-tongues which can be snapped into place to achieve a snug, locked fit. This hardwood type is an epitome for do-it-yourself hardwood floors.
• Another type of hardwood flooring is reclaimed hardwood flooring, which, as the name suggests, does not use freshly cut wood. By reclaiming abandoned wood and refining it to construction standards, this kind of wooden flooring gives the construction a historic, antique feel.

Hardwood flooring is always a better choice over other kinds of flooring options in the facts that they have longer life, are easy to clean and prove to be more beautiful. A "down-to-earth" aura is imparted to the space having wooden floors. In this particular industry, wooden planks that have been prefinished for direct use by consumers are a more efficient, time saving choice.

If you are planning to get hardwood flooring for your home, be sure to look at the internet for options. Visit Superior-Hardwoods.com to know more.

About The Author

Natasha Green is an interior décor and construction expert and recommends Superior-Hardwoods.com as the best place to get all the help and support you need to create the hardwood flooring of your choice. Her articles are a great source of information and advice for anyone looking to create exquisite floors in their property.

If you are looking for best quality material for hard wood floors, Superior Hardwoods of Montanais the company you can trust upon.