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Hardwood Tips
 
Buying a hardwood floor is an important decision and a significant investment.  It's very important to have as much information as possible before making a decision.  It's important to know your needs and preferences in terms of design, wood species, durability, technologies and maintenance, and all the other advantages of a hardwood floor.
 
The three types of hardwood flooring are...
 
*Unfinished Solid Hardwood
  This wood is in the form of nonvarnished rough boards.  These floors are easy to install, nailed to the subfloor, but finishing the surface is more complicated and has to be done on site.  This will require a highly skilled professional to sand and stain the floor.  Then three or four coats of polyurethane applied after the staining.  Because of the dust and fumes from the polyurethane, residents will need to find someplace to stay while their floors are being finished, which can take up to three to five days.
 
*Prefinished Solid Hardwood
  These ready-to-install wood boards are already sanded, stained and finished with multiple coats of polyurethane and an aluminum oxide protective finish.  Prefinished solid hardwood is quick and easy to install and, best of all, residents don't have to leave home during installation.
 
*Prefinished Engineered Hardwood
  These are boards made up of a hardwood surface (wear layer) glued on a plywood base.  This hardwood is perfect for homes with variable humidity levels.  An engineered floor is more stable than a solid wood floor.  Finding a good quality engineered floor is key!  Here's how you know.. Look at the thickness of the wear layer (should be at least 5/32" thick), the number of plies that the plywood is made of (at least 5 ply), the surface cutting procedure used (should be dry sawn), and the precision of the cut.  High quality manufacturing has a tongue and groove that join perfectly on all four sides.
 
And then you have the...
 
*Laminate "floating" floor
  This flooring is made up of laminated planks that look like wood and are finished with a plastic melamine coating.  Most of the time laminate is not fastened to the subfloor, thus the name "floating floor".
 
Always, always...
 
Lay down a few boards and assemble them.  The tongues and grooves should fit together perfectly.  Run your hand over the surface to make sure it's even.  Irregular spacing between boards leaves room for dirt and grime.
 
Finishes
 
The quality of finish is always determined by the quality of polyurethane and the application procedure.  You can tell if a product has a good factory finish if the stain reaches the bottom of the joint to ensure a uniform color and if polyurethane is applied in the joints  so they don't absorb dirt and water.   The joints would quickly darken without a layer a polyurethane.
 
Lighter woods are more likely to change color or turn yellow from the effect of the sun's rays.  Try finding lighter woods that mix a UV treatment  directly into their polyurethane finish.
 
An antimicrobial agent can be added to the finish for a more hygienic environment and a floor that is easier to clean.
 
Warranty
 
Prefinished floors are much more wear resistant than a floor that has polyurethane applied after installation.  If your going to have professionals finish your floor, remember that only the application is guarunteed.  The polyurethane finish applied in factories are dried under ultra-violet light and are quarunteed for 15, 25 or 30 years.  If you follow the maintenance procedures below, they will last far beyond their warranty.
 
Maintenance
 
Water, soap and sand are your floors worst enemies.  No wet mops or commercial soaps should ever  be used.  All you need is a damp cloth, or any care products recommended by the manufacturer, and to vacuum regularly.