Before You Install Hardwood Floors…  

FRONT FLEX ROOM


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Presenting the Hearthside. Ready for immediate occupancy. A great example of the fine homes built by Eastbrook Homes in Ashford Manor. Upon entering you are greeted with a soaring 2-story great room. Open to the great room is the island kitchen with breakfast area. There is also a parlor/formal dining area with easy access from the kitchen or front door. This kitchen has granite counter tops, stainless steel dishwasher, microwave, stove/oven and refrigerator. Kitchen, breakfast and foyer feature beautiful bamboo hardwood floors. The first floor master suite is generous in size with a large walk-in closet and private 5-pc bath. There are 3 additional bedrooms, loft and full bath on the 2nd level. The lower level is finished with a 5th bedroom, full bath, and family room with gas fireplace and daylight windows. Topping it all off is a 3 car finished garage with opener. Great features coupled with a 5 star Energy Rating! Qualified as Green Built Michigan

Article by Christopher Smith

Often hardwood floors are mistakenly laid straight onto concrete foundations or on a floor that is lower than the ground. This is always an issue because of excess moisture, which results in unsightly spaces in boards when they dry out. An example of this is if you heat your home in winter, the hardwood floors will dry out, and then in summer the humidity will cause them to expand and go out of shape. The way to prevent this is to allow for seasonal changes and don’t install them anywhere damp.

For these types of floors, nail down installations tend to work best and regular care, maintenance, and refinishing can prolong the life of your floors. Typical hardwood floor material includes: ash, maple, red oak, and white oak.

Hardwood floors are usually divided into one of three categories being plank flooring, strip flooring and parquet flooring. Parquet style hardwood floors are also known as parquetry, and this is when the smaller pieces of timber are arranged in a geometrical fashion. The timber used can be all the same or different to create a more colorful effect. Hardwood floors that are laid in the strip flooring style are between 5/16 and ¾ of an inch thick and 1 ½ to 2 ¼ inches wide. Strip flooring is common in the bamboo hardwood floors that are popular today. The third style of flooring is the plank, and each board is anywhere from three to eight inches in width. This is a more traditional, heritage style flooring, but is also still a popular choice today.

If you would like a truly unique floor, consider hand-scraped hardwood floors. The crafting of these floors is considered by practitioners to be an art form. These floors work fabulously whether you are going for an ultra modern look or a rustic look so they should work in almost any décor. One word of caution, if you wish you to have hand-scraped hardwood floors in your home you should be prepared to pay a pretty penny for them. There are however machine made floors that have the look of hand scraping. These floors offer the look of hand-scraped floors at a more budget friendly price. Either way you will have a very nice floor in your home.

You should check with the manufacturer of your hardwood floors for specific cleaning and care instructions, as not all hardwood floors are created equal. You can use your vacuum over your hardwood floors regularly to help loosen and remove dust, dirt, grit, debris, and any small stones that may risk the finish of your floors.

Buying specially designed skid protectors for your furniture is also important, and if you do have a spill, it is best to wipe it up straight away so you don’t damage the finish on the hardwood floors.

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