What type of wood flooring do you have – Refinish or not

Wood flooring for the interior

Wood flooring by definition is any wood based product, such as timber, and designed for use as a flooring. It can be used either as structural or aesthetic, or both. Wood flooring can be considered as one of the most beautiful material to be used in the interior. They are economical, environmental friendly and maintenance is no that tedious. The beauty of this material is timeless and blends well with any other decor.

In terms of cost, wood is more affordable as compared to stones, tiles and other hard materials. You may likewise consider as environmental friendly since it is from trees and they are examples of renewable form of resources. You can replace trees as soon as they are consumed and they grow twice as fast as they are harvested. Unlike the other materials, wood is biodegradable and recyclable. These are the reasons why many homeowners prefer wood due to its quality and its being environmental friendly.

Different types of wood flooring

There are different types of wood flooring that are used by designers and homeowners. The choice is yours, depending on your preference and requirements. Here are some of the types of wood flooring that can be used in your home interior:

1. Solid type

      1.1. hardwood flooring – this is made from planks from a single piece of timber. They were originally used for structural        purposes. Solid wood floors have thicker wear surface and can be sanded and finished in contrast with the engineered          wood floor.

      1.2. Solid wood manufacturing – this is milled form a single piece of timber and either kiln or air dried before being               sawed. The timber then is cut in different dimensions depending on the requirements of the designer or the homeowner       or both. The wood then is packed either finished or unfinished to be finished on site or in the factory. The moisture                 content of the wood is controlled so that it does not warp during the transport and storage.  

      1.3. Rotary-peel – the process of preparing this type of wood tend to have a plywood appearance. The process involves           boiling the wood as a treatment and after which it is peeled by a blade to create a veneer. The veneer is then pressed flat       with high pressure.

      1.4. Sliced-peel – the treatment process is the same as that of the rotary peel, except for the peeling process. The log is           sliced straight through.

      1.5. Dry solid-sawn – the hardwood logs are kept at low humidity level and dried slowly to remove the moisture from the       wood. The log is then sawed in the same manner as for the solid hardwood planks.  

2. Engineered – wood flooring of this type is composed of two or more layers of wood in the form of plank. This is the most common type of wood flooring globally. They can be nailed or stapled to a wood subfloor or can be glued to the concrete subfloor. Because of these, this is ideal for basement installations.

Finishing of the wood flooring

Wood flooring can be finished in two ways: sheen and surface finishes. In choosing the type of finish that you require basically depends on you. You should be able to consider your own lifestyle and preference in maintaining the wood flooring.

1. Sheen – this refers to the glossiness of the wood flooring. There are different levels when it comes to glossiness. Wood flooring sheen can be semi-gloss, satin sheen, matte sheen.

2. Surface finishes – this type of finish is durable, water resistant and can only require minimal maintenance. The material used on the surface is retained and can form a film on the surface. The types of surface finish are the following:

       2.1. water-based finishes

       2.2. oil-based finishes

       2.3. moisture-cured finishes

       2.4. conversion varnish finishes

       2.5. wax finishes

       2.6. UV cured finishes

       2.7. natural oil finishes

Some homeowners ask questions regarding their wood flooring if they have to replace them or simply refinish them. Actually it depends on the homeowner. There are different factors that you need to consider as the homeowner, such as the condition or the age of the wood flooring and more importantly the budget that you have. Practical wise, it is better to refinish rather than replace the wood flooring. Why? Because cost is actually higher if you replace them. However, if the wood flooring is really old and refinishing is useless, then it is time to replace the wood flooring.

Refinishing wood flooring is simply cleaning the floor and applying the cleaner to the recommended proportion. What you need is to buy the materials and tools needed and of course time to do the refinishing.