Although it is possible to install a hardwood floor yourself, this is a task that is probably best left to a professional.  The basic steps to installing an unfinished wood floor involve preparation work, laying down the hardwood planks properly, performing hardwood floor sanding on the entire surface, and staining and finishing the sanded planks.  This is not only a great deal of work, it is also work that can require specialised tools and equipment, an aspect that is particularly true of the floor sanding and finishing phases of the installation.

Installation in detail

It is easy to imagine that installing a hardwood floor is no more difficult than simply gluing or nailing down planks.  However, before any of that can be accomplished, the subfloor must be properly prepped.  Only then can planks be laid out across the entire floor so that the final finished look can be envisioned, and if necessary, adjusted.  Once expansion spacing has been arranged for, then a nailing pattern of four to six inches is typically used to fasten the boards in place.

Sanding in detail

Sanding is more difficult for a do-it-yourself homeowner.  Before it can commence, a custom wood filler is usually trowelled into cracks and other imperfections.  Afterwards, high quality sanding equipment is used to buff the floor so that it will be smooth and pleasant on bare feet.  Dust mitigation is an issue during this phase; if proper procedures and equipment are not used, it can lead to adverse results, with the homeowner still finding bits of dust months later – even after a thorough cleaning.

Every type of flooring material has advantages and disadvantages.  However, many homeowners have found that hardwood floors are particularly strong in the “benefits” column, offering a wide array of advantages that other flooring types fail to provide.

One of the most significant advantages of a hardwood floor is the relative ease of cleaning that is associated with both traditional plank floors and more complex parquet floor designs.  Because the wooden surface of the floor presents an almost completely smooth surface, there is no place where lint, dirt or dust can adhere.  This is certainly not the case with carpets, which can become a veritable beehive of microbiological activity even with frequent vacuuming.  The ease of cleaning afforded by a hardwood floor means that people who have this type of flooring can enjoy a sense of pride in the simple lines and surfaces that are so readily kept clear of debris.

Hardwood floors also impart an ambiance of quality to any dwelling, no matter how small or humble in other ways.  In fact, one of the fastest and simplest ways to dress up a house or flat is to have a hardwood floor installed instead of carpet or linoleum.  Owners are typically amazed at the amount of visual improvement this simple change creates – and it is a change that will hold its value over time, making the dwelling capture a higher resale price in many cases.

Homeowners should keep their hardwood floors in good shape through the regular use of a floor sanding company.

Many people who decide that they want to have a hardwood floor installed in their home are thinking primarily of the aesthetic or ecological values of wooden flooring material.  This is only natural, since it is true that wood has an enduring visual appeal that has stood the test of time.  Moreover, in the modern world in which people often feel increasingly cut off from the natural world, a wooden floor can be a constant reminder of it.  Some people even feel that it gives them more of a connection to the natural ecology of the earth.

All of these reasons to choose hardwood floors, though perfectly valid, overlook one of wood’s greatest strengths: its sheer practicality as a decorating material.  A solid hardwood floor does far more than merely cover the subfloor in an emotionally or visually pleasing way; it also adds stability and strength to the structure of the building in a way that carpet and vinyl cannot accomplish.

Wood also helps reduce heating bills far more than other kinds of flooring can do.  A wood floor that is a full inch thick, for example, has insulating properties.  In fact, you would have to pour a 15-inch thick slab of concrete to gain the same insulation value as that single inch of wood.

Wood is also highly versatile.  It can be stained in many colours besides the standard range of browns and tans, and when the surface needs refreshing, all you have to do is ring up a floor sanding company to come and provide floorboard sanding services.

Douglas fir is a popular choice for hardwood flooring and has been used in such applications for generations.  Due to this long history, the properties of Douglas fir as a flooring material are very well understood.

The scientific or botanical name of the species that produces Douglas fir is Pseudotsuga menziesii.  The heartwood of this species tends to have an appearance that ranges from pale brown through to a yellowish shade while the heartwood varies from tan to a creamy white.  The heartwood in particular may appear to be Southern yellow pine as the two species are very similar.  The heartwood of young trees, however, tend to have a heartwood that is reddish in colouration; these varieties are sometimes referred to as red fir.  Homeowners who install Douglas fir should be prepared to expect significant colour changes in areas of the floor that are exposed to strong sunlight.

The grain of Douglas fir is usually quite straight, although some planks may exhibit a spiralled or wavy texture.  Most of the flooring material made from Douglas fir has been rift-sawn and will show a vertical grain pattern.

Douglas fir has a Janka hardness rating of about 660, which makes it nearly 50% softer than the standard species used for comparisons, red oak.  This makes it somewhat simpler to have floorboard sanding performed when needed.  Interestingly, Douglas fir is more than a quarter more dimensionally stable than red oak.  This makes it a durable wood even though it can be scratched or dented with relative ease.

The issue of hardwood floor repair frequently runs into the issue of replacement vs. salvage. Homeowners, particularly those who have purchased a much older home, may look at a hardwood floor that is generations old and wonder if it can possibly be returned to an acceptable state from its current heavily damaged condition.

Indeed, this issue will often come as a surprise to a home buyer, who may buy a home not even realising that there are hardwood floors in the dwelling. During reconstruction and other modifications, however, when carpets, linoleum, or vinyl flooring are torn up, it may turn out that the house has very old hardwood floors underneath. These may be in a dreadful condition – can they be salvaged?

In many instances, the answer will be a resounding yes. Hardwood floors can be repaired as long as the remaining surface is still thick enough to withstand a thorough wood floor sanding job. Estimates do vary by type of wood and other factors, but in many cases a complete floorboard sanding job will only abrade away 1/64th of an inch of surface. This means that floors can generally be sanded several times without an issue developing.

The best way to be sure when you make a decision of replacement vs salvage is to contact a London floor sanding services firm and ask for an evaluation of your individual home refurbishment circumstances. The professionals who work with hardwood floors will have the experience needed to offer you excellent guidance.