Types of Wood Flooring

We've covered styles of wood flooring. Now lets talk about types of wood flooring!

Acrylic Impregnated Wood Floors - This type of wood flooring undergoes a process where acrylic is injected into the wood itself to create an extremely durable floor surface. These floors are typically used for commercial installations where high traffic takes place.

Engineered Wood Floors - Engineered wood floors consist of many layers of wood that have been pressed together and glued. The grains of each layer run in opposite directions to create added stability. Engineered wood is good for use in areas of the home where solid wood flooring is not appropriate. Most applications are in kitchens, bathrooms and utility rooms.

Solid Wood Floors - Solid wood flooring can be defined as any piece of hardwood flooring that is one single piece of wood from top to bottom. Solid wood flooring lends itself well to custom flooring in a variety of species, stains and finish types. Combined with molding, accents and borders, a room finished with solid wood flooring is a work of art and this type of flooring is suitable for most rooms in your home.





Ready to begin your hardwood project? Call Benchmark Contracting for more information!


Source: WoodFloorsOnline

Styles of Wood Flooring

Wood flooring can be installed in a variety of styles. Check out just a few of those styles below!

Parquet -

Parquet flooring is comprised of a series of pieces that are arranged to create a geometric design. These patterns are often repeated across the span of the floor.


 

Plank -

Plank flooring is linear and typically deals with wider planks of wood, ranging from 3" - 8" in width. Wider planks have been used, but using wider planks can increase moisture concerns.

Strip -

Strip wood flooring is also linear, like plank flooring, but the planks are typically much thinner, not exceeding 3 1/4" in width. The linear effect created by this type of wood flooring produces an illusion of a larger and more open space.




For more information on these wood flooring styles, contact us at Benchmark Contracting!

Source: WoodFloorsOnline

Pre-Finished Wood vs. Unfinished Wood

Once you've made the decision to purchase and install hardwood flooring in your home, you'll have to ask yourself - pre-finished wood or unfinished wood? Let's take a look at what you're facing...

Pre-Finished Wood Floors 

Pre-finished wood flooring is becoming the mainstream when it comes to hardwood flooring. It is a favorite among home owners because installation is simple and doesn't require a sanding and finishing process, which can be messy and costly. Pre-finished wood flooring typically costs $2-$7 per sq. ft, not including the cost of preparation, installation, moldings, accents, and any other finishing touches desired.


Unfinished Wood Floors

Unfinished wood flooring is pretty self-explanatory. Once the wood has been installed, it must be finished on site. This process includes sanding, which can create a fair amount of dust around the area. Sanding to finishing can take anywhere from a few days to a week, depending on the size of the floor and the other activities and renovations taking place at the same time. The cost of this type of installation ranges from $2-$4 per sq. ft., which typically includes a three step sanding process and three coats of finish. Additional costs include moldings, prep, furniture removal, etc.

The choice is yours! When you're ready to begin, give Benchmark Contracting a call!


Source: WoodFloorsOnline

Wood Flooring - Why?

Are you considering pulling up your carpet and installing a shiny new wood floor? Take a moment to consider these facts about wood flooring!

Wood flooring is...

1. Affordable - Wood flooring is a lifetime product that adds value to your home when it comes time to sell! Even if you spend a pretty penny on the wood and installation, hardwood flooring is one of the most sought after renovations when it comes to home construction because of it's value over time.

2. Easy to Maintain - Placing area rugs and floor protectors over your new hardwood flooring is a great way to keep your floor looking new. Routine maintenance with hardwood floor cleaner should be implemented from time to time. If you follow those simple rules, making a quick pass with the broom and vacuum will keep your floors healthy for a long time!

3. Ecologically Sound - Wood floors are created from a natural resource that is sustainable. Most timber is cut from forests that are managed to ensure continued production of resources. In fact, the amount of hardwood timber that is produced doubles each year! Today, there is more standing hardwood timer than 50 years ago!

4. Healthy - With indoor air quality being a huge concern with homeowners, it is good to know that hard wood flooring helps to contribute to a health living environment. Hard surfaces do not harbor dust mites or molds, creating better overall air quality within the home.

5. Vast in Variety - Today, there are so many colors, sizes, styles and finishes available that the possibilities with hardwood flooring are virtually endless!

Stay tuned to our blog for more information about wood floor types and visit our website to get started on YOUR next project!


Source: WoodFloorsOnline

Carpet Fibers - Part 2

 Triexta PTT

• Permanent Stain Protection
• Wear Resistant
• Ease of Maintenance
• Luxurious Softness
• Quick Drying 
• Typically used in residential settings.

Olefin or Polypropylene

• Resists fading.
• Inherently stain resistant.
• Limited color selection.
• Generates low levels of static electricity.
• Chemical, moisture, and stain resistant.
• Favorably priced 
• Typically used indoors but can be engineered for outdoor use. 

For more information, visit our website! 

 

 

Source: Mohawk

Carpet Fibers - Part 1

Certain types of carpet fibers perform in different ways. Here is a breakdown of Nylon and PET Polyester carpet fibers and their characteristics:

Nylon

• Durable, resilient.
• Abrasion-resistant.
• Versatile in color.
• Reasonably priced.
• Must be treated to be stain and soil resistant. 
• Used in residential and commercial environments. 

PET Polyester

• Color clarity.
• Colorfastness.
• Resistant to water-soluble stains.
• Noted for luxurious "hand." 
• Can be produced from recycled plastic bottles.
• Used in residential and commercial environments. 

Stay tuned for more on carpet fibers next week and for more information on styles of carpet, visit our website!

Source: Mohawk 

Berber Carpet

Berber is one of the best selling types of carpet on the market today. It provides relatively easy cleanup and limits the appearance of footprints and vacuum tracks.

Before 1985, Berber carpet was constructed of nylon and was typically available in beige colors. These light colors tend to require more frequent cleaning, but the are easy to clean and age well. After 1986, when the DuPont StainMaster was added to Berber carpet, customs began buying light colors Berber carpet in droves, expecting that the StainMaster treatment meant the carpet was incapable of getting dirty. Just to keep the record straight, it never made that promise. It simply meant that cleanup of stains and dirt would be easier!

About the same time as the StainMaster was introduced, Berber carpet underwent a change of materials. Olefin fibers were introduced which added a whole new dynamic to Berber. The great characteristic of olefin is that is resists all stains, with the exception of oil-based stains. Once olefin Berber took over the market, nylon Berber became more difficult to find, which is still the case today.

One of the few difficulties with Berber carpet is the installation. It is typically difficult to match up patterns and seams, so you may end up with some mismatched areas around the room. And always order extra, just to be safe!

For more information Berber carpet, visit our website!


Source: CarpetBuyersHandbook