Installing wood flooring

But upgrading to hardwood floors is expensive, even if you do it yourself. And the final cost is usually much more than the square-foot price that’s advertised. If you’ve tried to calculate how much wood floors will cost based on the ads in the paper, you’re in for a shock.

Of course, prices vary by region, but if you take a few things into account, you should be able to make an educated guess about how much it will cost to upgrade to wood flooring. Once you have an idea, you’ll know whether it’s worth your time to start shopping or not.

Bear in mind that, unlike carpeting, wood floors will last for generations if properly cared for. So you’ll be amortizing the investment over many years. And many flooring companies offer interest-free financing for 12 months and other payment options. They realize that wood flooring is a big purchase that many customers may want help with.

The square-foot price of the wood is just the start. In addition to that, there are other supplies and labor, which will vary based on how the floor is installed.

Wood flooring supply costs.

If you’re lucky enough to have a wood sub floor, you won’t need anything more but some felt paper and some nails or staples. If you’re having your floor installed, these will usually be included in the price of labor. If you’re doing it yourself, figure around $50 for a box of 7,000 staples and ten cents per square foot for the felt paper.

The cost of renting a stapler or nail gun is usually pretty reasonable.

Those without a wood sub floor will incur some additional expense, especially if the floor is to be floated. An underlayment, which can run from 25 cents to $1.50 per square foot will be needed to cushion and insulate the new flooring.

Wood flooring installation

If you have concrete floors, you’ll probably want to use engineered wood flooring that can be glued down. The cost of glue runs from 50 cents to $1.00 per square foot. To be on the safe side, add $1.00 to the price of the wood. Gluing wood flooring often takes longer than nailing it down, so your labor costs may be higher too.

Moisture protection, which is often needed with concrete floors, can add another $1 to $2 per square foot to the cost.

In addition to the floor boards, you’ll need to buy some trim to finish off the floor. If you want quarter-round molding in the same wood and finish as the flooring, this can run as much as $5 a lineal foot. Because there’s waste, it takes more than you think. Your flooring company can help you calculate how much you’ll need.

Wood flooring labor costs.

The cost to install your floor can vary a lot depending on where you live, who installs the floor, and how difficult or easy your specific situation is. If you’re having a full-service dealer install your wood flooring, figure between $2 – $4 a square foot.

The price should include having the wood delivered to your home and stacked, removing the existing flooring, prepping the sub floor, installing the flooring, installing all the trim, cleaning up, and hauling away all the debris. Most installers will move your furniture out and back in once as part of the installation process.

All in, a good-quality, pre-finished wood floor will probably cost between $8 and $12 per square foot, or about $1,200 – $1,800 for a 12’ x 12’ room installed. Bamboo or laminate wood flooring will cost less. Premium hardwoods like cherry will cost more.

Before making a commitment, make sure everything is spelled out in writing so there are no unpleasant surprises.

Reducing the cost of wood flooring.

Buying the wood and getting it to your home yourself will bring down the price, and paying cash will sometimes save you another 2 or 3%. Using inexpensive pine molding and adhesive or staples from your local home store will bring the cost down even more. And installing it on your own will probably get the price to about $6 or $7 a square foot, depending on the flooring, where you live, and the competition in your area.

Learn how to install wood flooring here.

Installing wood flooring Image Flickr: j2davis2005
Wood flooring installation Image Flickr: Steve & Jan Cornwell

American cherry is sought after for its warm, rich color, which ranges from pinkish brown to deep red. As a fruit tree, it’s a member of the rose family, and it grows all over the United States and Canada. In colonial America, cherry was used for fine furniture, inlays, and paneling. Today, it’s a very popular choice for kitchen cabinets, and Shaker-style furniture.

One of the best things about American cherry is the way the color deepens with age. Over the years, it develops a gorgeous patina that polishes beautifully. It has a fine, straight grain.

With a hardness of 950 on the Janka hardness scale, American cherry is softer than many of the most popular woods used for flooring. Red oak, for example, has a hardness of 1290. Consequently, it’s a poor choice for high-traffic areas, commercial settings, or homes with dogs. It’s often used as an accent wood around the edges of a floor where there’s less wear and tear.

It’s also more expensive than other wood flooring options, so before you buy American cherry, make sure it’s an appropriate choice for your room.

Due to its reddish color, Jatoba is often called Brazilian cherry. It grows mostly in Brazil, Chile, the West Indies, and parts of Mexico. The principle difference between Jatoba and American cherry is the hardness. Jatoba measures 2350 on the Janka scale — more than 80% harder than red oak.

This makes Jatoba a better choice for wood flooring in rooms that will receive an average amount of traffic. Like American cherry, it will darken over time, especially if it’s exposed to direct sunlight. The finish that’s used will also affect this process.

Because of it extraordinary hardness, Jatoba is difficult to work with, so it’s a poor choice for do-it-yourselfers. Unless you’re a seasoned woodworker, you’ll likely get better results if you hire a professional to install jatoba wood flooring.

If you can afford it and plan to use it in a room that receives little traffic, real cherry wood will produce a look that’s unsurpassed in its elegance and sophistication. If you want the appearance of cherry with greater durability and affordability, choose jatoba.

Read about walnut wood flooring here.

Most of the reclaimed boards that are used in wood flooring today are over 100 years old and were originally used in barns, farmhouses, and other construction in American northeast and midwest.  Typically, timber flooring planks are wider than most of today’s flooring.  In fact, widths of 10″, 12” and even wider are common.

Around the turn of the 20th century, builders weren’t often choosing lumber for its appearance.  So not much first grade or clear wood was used for flooring. As a result, these old boards have lots of imperfections like knots , cracks, and uneven or coarse grains.  This is all part of what makes timber floors one of a kind.  No two boards are alike.

Because wood is a sustainable product and reclaimed wood is recycled from a previous use, timber flooring is also ecologically responsible.

The most common reclaimed woods are red and white oak — still the most popular woods for flooring today.  Oak is hard, even grained, and works well in almost any situation.  Because it’s readily available, it also has the advantage of being more affordable than some other species.

Not all reclaimed flooring is hardwood.  In fact, softwoods like eastern white pine, hemlock, and Douglas fir make beautiful wood floors, those are less durable than hardwoods.  The color ranges from light to dark brown, and older boards have a rich patina.  These make especially popular timber floors for kitchens and family rooms.

Although it’s technically a softwood, heart pine is almost as soft as oak. In fact, it’s the hardest softwood.  There are usually lots of knots and coarse grain.  And the pale, golden color sets off furniture and area rugs.  It was originally used in docks and warehouses, so it’s quite rustic and creates an informal, casual room.

One of the most widely planted share trees after the Civil War, the American elm is pale with a tight, straight grain.  Most of the trees were wiped out by Dutch Elm Disease, so supply of Elm is limited.  But it makes a less rustic timber floor than most other reclaimed woods.

If you can find it, old chestnut is one of the most desirable reclaimed wood for timber flooring.  A fungal blight in the early 20th century wiped out American chestnut, so the supply is scarce.  Not only is chestnut extremely durable, it has a rich, dark color that only comes with age.

Several small lumber and flooring companies sell timber flooring.  If you can’t see the actual boards before you purchase them, be prepared for the color and texture to be different from the samples in the showroom.

Read more about antique oak flooring here.

Wood flooring is easy to care for, and it holds its value over the years.  In fact, real estate agents say that homes with wood floors sell faster and sell for more.

It’s made from a renewable resource — in fact, some wood flooring is recycled from old ships and barns.  And it’s better for people with allergies than carpeting.

There are hundreds of kinds of wood available.   Most come in three grades:

1) Clear or First Grade.  This wood has no visible defects, such as knots, and no variations in color.

2) Select or Second Grade.  May have a few imperfections like some dark grains or knots, and some other minor variations.

3) Rustic or Third Grade.  Inconsistent.  Variations in color and grain, and lots of knots and other imperfections.

The most popular domestic hardwoods.

It may surprise you to know that the term hardwood doesn’t really have anything to do with the hardness of the wood.  In fact, one of the softest woods around, balsa, is a hardwood.  And yew, which is pretty hard, is actually a softwood.

Softwood comes from coniferous trees (those that bear cones).  And hardwood comes from broad-leafed, angiosperm trees.

Domestic hardwoods used for wood flooring are:

Red Oak.  With its strong open grain, neutral color, and solid durability, red oak is a great choice for many different environments.  The color blends well with lighter and darker woods — it looks great with mahogany furniture.  And it works well in casual or sophisticated settings.  More than 50% of all hardwood floors are red oak.

White Oak.  The tighter, less pronounced grain of white oak is extremely straight.  And it’s lovely enough for formal rooms.  The lighter color fades a little less than red oak, and it creates a light, airy room.

Maple.  Harder than oak, maple is extremely scratch and dent resistant.   That’s why it’s the first pick for bowling alleys, basketball courts, and Fender guitar necks.  The tight, even grain is lovely.  And First Grade Maple, which comes only from sapwood, has a beautiful, pale color.  It will make any room seem larger.

Black Walnut. If you want a dark floor with a lovely, curly grain, walnut is a good option.  It’s not as hard as oak, so it will scratch more easily.  Consequently, it isn’t a great choice if you have a dog over 50 pounds.  But it can help to create a very dramatic room.  Speaking of dogs, if your blonde dog sheds, the hair will be visible on Black Walnut.

Ash.  Similar in appearance to oak, ash is attractive and durable.  So much so that it’s the first choice for Louisville Sluggers.  The color ranges from white to brown.  And the bold grain is sometimes wavy.

Beech.  Very close to oak in hardness, beech has a straight, closed grain and a smooth finish.  The sapwood is very pale and the heartwood is a reddish brown.

American Cherry.  One of the most beautiful domestic hardwoods, American Cherry takes on a rich glow when finished properly.  The color, which ranges from pale to a warm, reddish brown, creates a rich, sophisticated look that says quality.

Any of these woods will give you beautiful wood floors that will enhance the appearance and value of your home, and last for generations.

]]> http://woodflooringguide.net/the-best-domestic-hardwoods-for-wood-flooring/feed/ 0 http://woodflooringguide.net/three-types-of-wood-flooring-and-how-to-choose-between-them/ http://woodflooringguide.net/three-types-of-wood-flooring-and-how-to-choose-between-them/#comments Mon, 09 Nov 2009 22:46:40 +0000 John Beck http://woodflooringguide.net/?p=3 Few home improvement projects improve the appearance and value of your home as much as wood flooring.  Hardwood floors make any space — from a formal living room to a country kitchen — look better.  And wood flooring is an investment that provides lasting benefits.  A good-quality, well maintained wood floor will last a lifetime.

Because wood flooring is easy to care for and doesn’t show dirt or stain like carpeting, it’s a good choice for families with children and pets.

When you first start shopping for wood flooring, you may be overwhelmed by the choices.  But there are basically just three types of wood floors.  The type that’s best for you will depend on a number of factors, including where the floor will be installed and how much traffic it will get.

Solid wood flooring.

As the name implies, solid wood flooring is made from pieces of wood that are between 1/4″ and 1″ thick.  As a rule, the tongue-and-groove boards fit together and are installed by nailing them to a sub floor of 3/4″ plywood.  For this reason, solid wood floors can’t usually be used over concrete slabs.

Building a sub floor to use over concrete essentially doubles the cost of using solid wood.  So if you have a concrete floor, you’re better off with an engineered wood floor.

Because solid wood expands and contracts with variations in moisture and temperature, it’s also unsuitable for areas where those conditions fluctuate dramatically.

You can choose from a wide assortment of solid woods, stains, and finishes.  Or you can buy your flooring unfinished and having it finished after it’s installed.  This is ideal if you’re trying to match a pre-existing floor.  But it’s a messy process and not everyone will be want to put up with the noise and dust.

Because there is usually 1/4″ or more of wood above the tongue and groove, solid wood floors can be sanded down and refinished.  If you have lots of traffic or large dogs, solid wood flooring are a great choice.

Engineered wood flooring.

This kind of flooring is made of several layers — or plys — that are laminated together.  Usually a base, a core, and a veneer.  The top layer or veneer varies in thickness.  But for the best wear, it should be at least 3/16th of an inch thick.

Veneers of 1/8″ or less are usually rotary peeled.  Thicker veneers are sawed and look more like solid wood.  Veneers of 5/16th can usually be sanded.

The grain on the plys in engineered wood run in different directions, which makes the flooring more stable.  Engineered wood flooring won’t warp, and because it can be glued, stapled or floated, it can be used almost anywhere.

Most engineered floors come prefinished with 3 – 10 layers of urethane.  But a huge selection of finishes is available.  If your sub floor is a concrete slab, engineered wood will cost you about half as much as solid wood.

Acrylic-impregnated wood flooring.

Better known by the brand name Pergo, acrylic-impregnated wood floors are extremely durable.  In fact, they’re 300% harder than natural wood.  Liquid acrylic, stain, and fire retardants are injected into the wood and then it’s cured.

Because impregnated wood is water resistant, it’s often used in kitchens and bathrooms.  And because the color goes all the way through, it’s ideal in commercial setting like restaurants, where there’s lots of traffic and wear.  In fact, scratches are barely detectable.

Many people don’t like the look of acrylic-impregnated wood floors, but they are the best choice if you want the appearance of wood but need a more durable floor.