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How long should I leave the flooring in my home before installation? |
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What is the difference between solid hardwoods, engineered and laminate flooring? |
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We just finished installing wood in our home and have noticed the flooring under the rugs is much lighter then the rest of the floor. What should we do? |
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I am finishing a basement, can I install solid wood flooring? What are my options? |
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We have a large dog and two kids. Are there any products known to stand up in this situation? |
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How long should I leave the flooring in my home before installation? |
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Allow new flooring to acclimate in the room where it is to be installed. In normal situations, flooring should sit for at least 3-7 days (the longer the better). Excessive moisture from new home construction and other factors can cause flooring to move after installation, so it is best to have a professional opinion if you are unsure of the situation. |
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| 2) |
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What is the difference between solid hardwoods, engineered and laminate flooring? |
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Solid hardwood is manufactured from one piece of lumber and comes as either un- finished or pre-finished. Solid flooring is favoured for its robust feel, warmth and ability to be refinished again and again. Engineered flooring is essentially plywood with a veneer or high-quality hardwood on the face (usually an eighth of an inch thick). Engineered hardwood is most often used over radiant heat and below grade because of its amazing dimensional stability. Laminate flooring is not wood at all. It is a photograph laminated onto a base of MDF (medium density fibreboard). |
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We just finished installing wood in our home and have noticed the flooring under the rugs is much lighter then the rest of the floor. What should we do? |
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Wood tans (oxidizes) in the sunlight just like people do. For your floor to get an all-over tan, simply rotate your furniture and rugs to expose all of the wood to the light. Keep in mind that any light patches will fade to match the rest of your floor, even if there is a big colour difference. |
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I am finishing a basement, can I install solid wood flooring? What are my options? |
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Any flooring installation over concrete (including basements) should not be done using solid wood. In this situation, we always recommend engineered flooring, which works wonderfully over cement, and because it is engineered (solid wood surface with a plywood core) and made form real wood, the feel and look can be identical to traditional solid floors. |
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We have a large dog and two kids. Are there any products known to stand up in this situation? |
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The question really should be not is a wood floor practical with a family, but what kind of a look do I want? Wood floors offer both the tailored, sophisticated look found in urban condos, and the charming warmth found from family life. If you are concerned about getting maximum durability out of a wood floor, it is best to start with a very hard wood, or ensure your wood flooring product has a ‘tough' finish. There are many dense species that grow in eastern Canada; like Maple and Hickory. In addition, many of the South American woods like Jatoba and Tigerwood are even harder and look beautiful too. The other half of a durable floor is the finish. Check to make sure the flooring is produced in Canada or Europe, as the finishes on wood floors made in China can scratch and mark more easily than their Canadian or European counterparts. |
