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Important hardwood flooring facts for homeowners

 
There’s no doubt hardwood floors add a timeless elegance that’s hard to truly replicate. The stunning appearance isn’t the only thing you’ll fall in love with, however. It’s also highly durable, easy to maintain, and has an extremely long lifespan, as far as most floor coverings are concerned. It makes an excellent addition to any space where elegance and sophistication are called for, and there are few decor schemes that it doesn’t match. Finding out more about this floor covering could lead you to a brand new floor to love.

Reliable Floor Coverings has been in business for more than 70 years and has formed a reputation with our customers. We are known for providing high-quality flooring materials and excellent service, as well as a staff that is friendly, knowledgeable, and ready to assist you from the moment you walk into our Edmonds, WA showroom. From there, we proudly serve the areas of Edmonds, Everett, Shoreline, Lynnwood, and Bothell, and we’d love it if you were our next valued customer. Just stop in anytime for a flooring experience like no other. We look forward to serving you soon.
 

Hardwood basics for you

 
Choosing a wood species is a great starting place for any homeowner serious about hardwood flooring. Choose from the likes of Oak, Cherry, Mahogany, Hickory, and many more. Some woods are harder than others, with a higher Janka rating, and these are perfect for heavily trafficked spaces in your home. Woods that aren’t as hard can be used in spaces of a more private nature, such as bedrooms and studies.

A great finish isn’t just a matter of style; it can also work to relieve your flooring of some of the major signs of wear and tear. It can hide scuffs, scratches, stains, watermarks, and more, and can actually lengthen the already long lifespan of these floors. When that wear does finally start to show, you can schedule an appointment to have them refinished. This strips away years of abuse and leaves your floors looking like new again.

It is very important to remember that solid hardwood floors can never be installed below grade. The temperature changes, humidity, and moisture can do irreparable damage and leave you with floors that will need to be replaced almost immediately. To avoid this, simply speak with your flooring specialist about scheduling a professional installation and everything that entails. You certainly won’t regret it, and the service will pay for itself in a short amount of time.
 
 
 
 
 
 

Wood floors come in 3 basic types of construction

 
3/4″ solid wood floors
  • unfinished, or pre-finished flooring
  • installed over wood subfloors
  • use on, or above ground level
  • nail, or staple down

This is where a piece of hardwood is cut into ¾” inch thick planks and is installed and finished all together on site, or sometimes comes prefinished for easy hardwood floor installation. Solid hardwood flooring is not recommended for installation over concrete slabs, this floor covering is best installed above ground. If you decided to use solid hardwood flooring, you will also need to decide which type of finish will work best, and there are a variety of hardwood finishes to choose from.

Engineered floors
  • unfinished, or pre-finished flooring
  • installed over dry concrete slabs, or wood subfloors
  • use above, on or below ground level
  • glue-down, staple, or float

This is where wood plies are glued and laminated together to form a wood plank. Engineered floors can range from ¼” to more than ½” and can be installed pretty much everywhere in a home or business, even over concrete floors.

Longstrip, engineered floors
  • unfinished, or pre-finished flooring
  • installed over dry concrete slabs, or wood subfloors
  • use above, on or below ground level
  • glue-down, staple, or float

This type of engineered flooring comes with a longer and wider plank. This allows the top layer of longstrip engineered floors to show about 3 rows or thin hardwood strips.
 
 
 
 
 
Gorgeous hardwood flooring in Everett, WA from Reliable Floor Coverings
 
 
 

Let us help choose what floors are right for you

 
There are many different types of hardwood to choose from. Hardwood flooring specialists can help you determine which type of flooring (exotic woods or bamboo floors) would suit your floor situation. Feel free to call us, or visit our showroom to speak to a professional.
 
 
 
 
 

Reimagine your home

 
with our hardwood flooring gallery