Review the benefits of installing engineered hardwood flooring

When you first decide that you would like discount hardwood flooring or would like to change the design in a certain room in your home, the first step is to decide which type of wood and finish you want. All the wood floor styles mentioned here require a lot of nails so it is recommended that you rent a nail gun and compressor before installation.

There are 5 different styles of flooring that are commonly used in the home construction or remodeling business.

The first one is strip flooring, which comes in pieces measuring approximately 2 1\4 inches in width.

Second, is random width boards these come in widths of 3, 5 and 8 inches. Used in different rows to create a pattern.

Third is engineered wood floors, which is solid wood, glued on top of a piece of plywood for strength it is also referred to as a floating floor. This type should not be confused with laminate wood flooring.

Fourth, are 3-inch wood planks, nailed in a uniform pattern that gives the floor a nice looking flow or pattern. Last is tongue and groove flooring, which has a groove on one edge and what is called a tongue on the opposite side. These fit into each other for a tight fit.

How to choose from the different wood species used in the home

The best way to choose what type of flooring you want to use is to go by how it will look after it is finished and how you want the color to turn out. There are only two types; softwood which comes from evergreens and hardwoods, which are from trees that lose their leaves. Oak comes in two colors red and white. It is easy to finish and can be stained from light to dark. Pine, hemlock and fir are soft and tend to dent quite easily in high traffic areas, but have a nice country look and feel.

It is recommended that you use an area rug on the high traffic path area.

Next is maple and birch wood, which is whitish to light brown in color and has a very tight grain. Normally this wood flooring is only finished with a clear stain because it is so smooth. Ash is whiter than oak and is difficult to finish so it should be done by a professional. Walnut and cherry woods are for the luxurious high-end wood floors. They are very expensive but also are the most beautiful of all wood flooring with their rich color and grains.

Last is bamboo, which is really not a wood at all but a grass. It is normally available as an engineered plank.

Transition strips needed for installing wood plank floors

Whenever you install wood flooring it is always connects to a vinyl floor or runs into a carpeted area. This is when you need a transition strip. There are 6 different types you might need, 1. a reducer strip used for going from a thick floor to a thinner section and where the floor ends at a doorway.

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Threshold pieces are used for meeting at doorways. Loose spline strips are used where you come to an end and have to groove pieces butting up against each other (basically what you are doing is making one into a tongue piece. Square nosing is made for when the board meets carpeting. T molding is a transition piece between floors of different heights.

Last is stair nosing, which by its name is used when installing your wood up to the top landing of stairs for a nice finishing strip.