How tough are the hardwood floors in your home?
How tough are the hardwood floors in your home? You and your family are going to be running and dancing across those floors for years to come. You’ll also have your pets to think about, too. That’s why you need to find the best hardwood floors possible, especially when they are placed in the busiest areas of your home.
Is It Tough Enough?
Asking the question of whether your floors are tough enough should guide your decision making. After all, it could be well past time to replace the floors you’ve had for fifteen years. That proves the floors you had were tough enough. You can follow the Janka Hardness Scale to help you choose the best hardwood floors. Coming in on the low end of the scale at 70 is balsa wood, which you might remember using to build model planes when you were young. At the other end of the scale, measuring 5,060 is Australian buloke wood. In general, you’ll want to choose a type of wood that scores 1,200 or above on the scale. However, the higher you go in the scale, the higher the prices go as well. We suggest maple, hickory, red oak, ash, and white oak.
How the Boards Are Sawn
The next step in choosing the toughest possible hardwood floors is to consider how they are sawn. This sounds insignificant at first, but it is more important than you would think. Quartersawn boards and plain sawn boards are the ones you will come across most often. Quartersawn boards are straighter and are better at resisting the effects of warping and moisture damage. You can also choose rift sawn floorboards, but this choice is also more expensive than its counterparts.
Finishing School
One last factor you have to think about when it comes to hardwood floors is how they are finished. Finishing, staining, and sealing wooden floors all help increase their durability. Unfinished wood looks good, but it won’t last as long, and ultimately, you want your floors to stay how they are when you first install them. That way, you won’t need to think about replacing them again any time soon!
Ready for a Beautiful Hardwood Floor? You Can Trust John K Eareckson & Co.!
When you work with John K Eareckson & Co., Flooring, we will ensure your hardwood floors undergo a stress-free acclimation process and that they sparkle for years to come; from a seamless and beautiful installation to years of maintenance, John K Eareckson & Co. Flooring has the expertise to care for your home’s hardwood floors. For a consultation and more information visit us online or give us a call at 410-788-4200. You can also look for us on Facebook, Google+, Twitter, YouTube, and Flickr.