Natural and Sustainable

Hardwood floors, once a fundamental detail in every home, largely fell out of favor with builders by the 1950s and ’60s when plywood and carpet became standard. Today more homeowners are refinishing their old hardwood floors, upgrading to custom wood floors, or building new homes with flooring that has been thoughtfully selected to suit each room’s look and use. In addtion to classic solid hardwood, engineered floors offer another high-quality option. Featering a top layer of real hardwood backed with layered plywood that increases the floor’s sustainablity and preformance, engineered floors are ideal for climates with extreme temperature changes as well. With wood floors, nothing brings warmth and natural beauty to a room like a hardwood floor. Hard wood flooring such as solid wood, is typically 5/16″ to 3/4″ thick, and should be installed over a wood subfloor. Many brands have factory applied scratch-and wear-resistant finished to help protect the wood. If damages, hardwood can be refinished up to three times.

With engineered hardwood floors, they can be installed over concrete subfloors, which are more common in modern homes. It expands and contracts less than traditional hardwood, and is a good choice for rooms below ground level. Look for product with a 1/10″ to 1/6″ layer of hardwood.

With laminate flooring (which is what is in my home) is wood adhered to a medium-or high density fiberboard base and topped with a thick protective coating. It gives the appearance of hardwood at lower pricing. Consider installing laminate in a home with high traffic areas. It is simple to install and maintain, and offers design options that mimic the look of many different species.

Be sure to remember when shopping for a wood floor, start with the overall look you want. Then think about where the floor will be and how much weat you expect it to take. Some wood species are harder than others, or better at hiding dings and dents. Oak is still the most common for floors-it is hard, take stain well, and it’s open grain makes scratches less apparent. Hickory, birch, and walnut also hold up well in high-traffic areas.

To add an additional flare and give floors an authenic aged look, to hardwood, try using antique reproduction nails, which replicate hand-forged nails for the 18th century. And don’t forget to use doormates to protect your floors from wear and tear of ground-in dirt. Doormats that help remove grit from shoes before is can be tracked in the house are a must for any home.

*Natural and Sustainable Living Tip: Take the bus or train whenever you can and whenever possible. The carbon emissions saved during every trip you don’t drive is a great relief to mother earth.