hardwood floor – Distressed Hardwood Flooring
Distressed Hardwood Flooring
There are two main types of distressed hardwood floors: hand-scraped and machine-scraped. Before today’s modern sanding methods, floors were scraped by hand on-site to make the floors flat and even. Today, hand scraping is done to add texture and uniqueness—the wood will often be thrashed with chains, bolts and blocks in order to simulate the character and romance of a very old floor. Machine-scraped floors are more affordable and offer a similar look, but you can often see a repeated pattern across the surface.
Here are a few things to consider when selecting distressed wood flooring:
Alternating widths
You can choose to include two or three different board widths in a room so that the wood planks aren’t so monotonous. This creates a dramatic look that adds interest to the space.
Colour choices
Distressed hardwood floors range in color, from whites to grays and from lighter earth tones to dark browns and blacks. Dark tones offer an exotic look and tend to accentuate the scraping more than natural-colored wood. Gray colors work well with stainless steel in a kitchen, and whitewashed naturals suit a contemporary style.
Holiday Home
Second residences dedicated to leisure can accommodate the low maintenance, relaxed feel of distressed wood. It is especially popular in beach homes in the Southeast and mountain homes.
Loft living
Loft-style properties are a great fit for distressed oors in natural wood tones, creating architectural harmony with their exposed ductwork, block walls and wood beams.
Increased value
The combination of distressing and color washing can enhance the bottom-line value of a new or remodeled home.
Though they look like they’d give you a splinter, distressed hardwood floors are just as foot-friendly as their smooth counterparts. This type of flooring is growing in popularity due to its vintage and rustic custom looks, which add a raw texture and richness to any abode.
By: Sachin Desai
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While it is highly recommended that homeowners seek professional guidance when installing hardwood floors, hardwood floor installation that not always an option. Some people find that doing it themselves is a cost-effective way to upgrade their homes. Others think it’s difficult to find a contractor that offers quality hardwood flooring.
While there are affordable professional installation options available, and pursuing those options is sometimes the only way you can receive a full warranty, some people still insist upon the DIY methods. Even if that’s not the case for you, learning about the various types of installation methods will assist you in choosing the proper one for you, and in choosing the right contractor to do it!
There are various types of flooring installation methods and those methods depend on the type of floor you purchase.
If you are going to be installing an engineered hardwood floor over concrete, you should first install a plywood subfloor and attach it to the slab of concrete. The subfloor is fastened using nails or concrete screws. This creates a moisture barrier and allows the floor to properly adhere.
A floating floor can also be used, where floor boards overlap each other so the subfloor and floor will stay put. It is not recommended that you glue a hardwood floor directly to concrete ad the potential is far too great for creaking and for planks to come undone. The only time a glue-down is recommended is when it’s done by a highly-skilled wood flooring professional.
Aside from the gluedown method, you can staple or nail a hardwood floor. Because nails and staples need a proper “bite”, a proper subfloor for this is a must! To nail in a hardwoor floor, you need the proper tools, such as a pneumatic nailer. No bloody thumbs with those! Pneumatic nailers, just like staplers, require very little effort or force to launch the adhesive into the floor. Just note that sometimes nails can seal the floor too tight which isn’t always the best thing. Since wood contracts and expands with climate and atmospheric pressure, it needs breath ability.
Whether you are considering doing this yourself or hiring a contractor to install your floor, expect the project to take 10-12 hours. Be weary of any contractor who says they can get it done faster – it could signify sloppy work. With hardwood floors, it’s best to take your time and make sure the wood floor installation is done correctly.
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