Renovating your home can be an exciting, pleasant and rewarding process. That is, if you take the time to plan your project carefully. So whether you are making modest changes in one room or fully transforming your dream home, make sure to following these tips to ensure the success of your project.
Design shows on TV might lead you to believe that you can complete a dramatic interior makeover in three days — or even in just one night. However, in reality, anything worth doing needs time to be done right. Renovating a single small bathroom can easily take three months from initial design research to finished construction, while a fuller renovation of several rooms or a larger room (like a complete kitchen overhaul) can take half a year — sometimes even much longer. This may sound pessimistic, but there are truly many benefits to giving your design project a healthy timeline. Here’s some honest advice for why and how you should plan out your project on a realistic schedule, whether you’re working with a designer or on your own, and no matter what the project size.
1. Do your homework
Take a moment to determine what you want vs. what you need -both in the short and long term. Run your ideas by an experienced renovator or an interior designer. They will be able to assess the feasibility of your project and help you to come up with a realistic budget. Also, make sure to review your home-owners insurance policy as well as any applicable strata or municipal bylaws, to determine whether special permits for your project will be required.
2. Look for an experienced contractor or renovation company
We all agree that a good working relationship is a vital ingredient for the successful execution of a renovation process. Take your time to research a reputable company that can help you to transform your concepts and ideas into a reality. Upon choosing the right contractor or team for your project, make sure to conduct a thorough background check and to ask them to draft a contract for your review.
3. Get it in writing
Before signing a contract, read it carefully. Make sure that the description of the work to be done is clear and inclusive of all the work that will be required for your project. Pay special attention to payment schedules and to set clear deadlines for each portion of the project. Keep in mind that if something is not in the contract, it will be your responsibility.
There are over 100 choices of solid and engineered hardwood flooring items in stock in our liquidation division. Most of the items are high quality Canadian and American products that have been discontinued or are from a recently bankrupt top Canadian manufacturer.
Liquidation is only at our 7291 Victoria Park Avenue location (2 blocks north of Steeles).
Rated at 1450 in the Janka Hardness Coefficient table, and going as low as $3.49 per square foot, maple is a serious contender for beauty and longevity, while still affordable.
Probably the best feature of maple flooring that many people do not know about, is maple’s natural resistance to moisture; this makes it a perfect candidate if you do not have too much time to maintain your floors, or simply if you just want one less thing to worry about. This is the reason why maple is a favourite amongst much furniture, and many bowling alleys. Fungi and bacteria is less of a worry with maple floors.
As it is sturdy against the humid environment, it is easy to maintain. Maple floors are easily dust mopped, and vacuumed. If you dislike the energy expenditure or the noise of the vacuum, a broom and a dust pan will just do it.
A natural beauty that is also audible
While hard maple is strong enough to carry out the daily duties as wood flooring, maple is still softer than other hardwood flooring species like Jatoba or Tigerwood. Although hard maple (the maple used for flooring), is not exactly the same species as the one used for musical instruments, they share much in common, including belonging to the same family.
Maple is actually one of the best acoustic wood species out there (alongside with Mahogany), so much, that it is commonly selected as prime material for many musical instruments due to its relative hardness compared to other tone-woods. This gives it a rich, brighter sound, which many violin, cellos, and guitar manufacturers take advantage of. This could be something to think of, if you are planning on enjoying classical pieces on your newly installed floor.
Is simply beautiful
While maple comes in different shades, and you can find it stained with different colours, maple has a unique natural feel to it, that is equals to none. The richness of contrast and its smooth, grainless nature finish, makes it a perfect companion to contemporary decor.
Please see our many flooring options and discounts that we currently have going one.
The future of hardwood flooring is sustainable. In this way the industry has been leading in this domain for a long time now. Long gone are the days where companies and consumers were willing to put up with illegal and non-sustainable practices. If companies want to stick around, then they have to show that they are practicing and not just preaching the sale of environmentally safe and sustainable products if they want to continue as a successful flooring business for decades to come.
The flooring industry relies on a natural resource that is renewable but that unfortunately to renew needs somewhere in the ballpark of about 75 to 100 years to grow to maturity. In order to maintain the public appetite for hardwood and ensure there is enough supply to meet the need, companies in not just the flooring industry but others like furniture and paper realized that the old business model would not work.
Change is hard however. Some companies saw that in order to ensure their business would be sustainable for years to come on a global scale they would need to change the way they operated. This meant more time and money to be spent on infrastructure, shipping, etc. — something companies in search of profits for their shareholders did not want to take part in. In North America, companies were given little choice to change their business practices as governments put in place measures to ensure the protection and sustainability of their forests. These protections meant companies had less access to lumber and therefore rising costs for consumers.
In order to get around this some companies turned to the global forest and lumber industries where laws were less strict or not enforced at all. Countries like China and Russia opened their boarders to lumber producers and sold them all kinds of wood products at rock bottom prices. This meant North American markets became flooded with cheap goods from China and Russia. While that was great for consumer’s pockets, the quality and safety of those products was extremely poor.
When purchasing hardwood flooring products sourced in Canada customers are guaranteed that companies have met National Standards when it comes to quality and safety of their products. With the products sourced from China and Russia, the quality of the product was less and, in many cases, put the health of the end customer in real serious danger.
In order to make a cheaper and more affordable product and to increase their profits, these companies were caught using toxic formaldehyde at levels that were way above Canadian and American standards.
Those companies, while they increased their profits short term were eventually called out for their practices and have since lost market share to the companies that have been building sustainable fair-trade businesses that provide high quality product to their customers.
More and more companies are jumping on this responsible corporation bandwagon. Recently the top CEO’s from companies like Apple, Google, JP Morgan Chase and others have said the future of business is to ensure they are meeting the needs of their employees, listening to the needs of their customers and ensuring they are practicing a sustainable business for future generations. This is an incredible shift in thinking from the worlds most powerful CEOs and should not be taken lightly. No longer is the all mighty power of the shareholder the sole reason to exist for a corporation.
Hardwood flooring is a purchase that should not be done lightly. Finding the cheapest flooring might save you money upfront but those floors will not last long and end up costing you more in terms of replacement and potential health risks as well.
When looking into hardwood flooring quality is always best. You want a product that is not only safe but that will last in your home for generations. This trend in sustainable practice is something that is growing fast and spreading to other sectors. The consumer of tomorrow will not make his or her decision based solely on price, but rather on product sustainability and the actual sustainable practices of the maker. The next economy will grow in their concern for how and where the product was manufactured and if that place is socially responsible.
Hardwood floors are built for the future. While it is not an industry that will have late breaking technology developments, with hardwoods floors integrated with Bluetooth; the flooring industry is looking ahead long term.
The Hardwood Flooring Store is a proud supplier of quality sustainable products that are certified and of the highest quality. We carry only the best brands available on the market and that are ensured to last in your home for decades. Visit The Hardwood Flooring Store and one of our knowledgeable associates will gladly work with you to help figure out the right Hardwood Flooring Product for your home.
“You can’t put a package of bubble gum on a shelf in Shopper’s Drug mart without the ingredients and health information listed in French and English but you can get away with bringing products from China and label the cartons in a deceptive way to make people think that it is made in Canada. Be yourself; Everyone else is already taken. “
— Ron Ander.
I want to bring up a subject that is very disturbing.
In the last few years about 8 hardwood flooring manufacturing plants have closed in the G.T.A. leading to about 1,000 people losing their union jobs.
All of this is happening while hardwood flooring is gaining in popularity. How often do you have customers asking for wall to wall broadloom?
Here’s the cause of hardwood flooring manufacturers disappearing in our market:
There’s a huge quantity of hardwood flooring that is manufactured from illegally sourced lumber in the Siberian and Malaysian forests. The New Yorker did a full expose about the illegally sourced logs that are shipped by massive trains or ships to China where it is used in the manufacturing of hardwood flooring. In many cases these products are packaged with deceptive wording making it look like it is made in Canada or the U.S.A.
They use product names that are Canadian and American sounding. The consumers of these products think that they are buying from Canadian or American manufactures where the standards for production and chemicals used in the process of making the floors are high. Unfortunately, the health standards are not yet at the north American level.
How the retailers get away with lying
Many of the companies selling these products lie to their clients. One of the biggest lies I’ve heard repeated many times over the years is that the flooring product was from B.C. There is an element of truth as the ships from China can’t sail past the Rocky Mountains. Often Chinese flooring comes over and is labeled with maple leaf stickers and the products are given Canadian sounding names.
I heard that from a lady this week who was looking for a few cartons of an engineered hardwood floor that she recently bought from one of those pop-up hardwood flooring retailers. The company disappeared and she desperately needed a few cartons to finish her job because she had so many defective pieces of flooring in her original order. She went to the dealer of the flooring product but they were no longer in business. When she told me the name of the brand I told her that we don’t sell any products manufactured in China and can’t help her. I also told her that the manufacturer’s outlet that is very close to my office on Victoria Park Avenue is in receivership. She was told that I’m mistaken because she was told that the flooring was made in B.C.
You can’t put a package of bubble gum on a shelf in Shopper’s Drug mart without the ingredients and health information listed in French and English but you can get away with bringing products from China and label the cartons in a deceptive way to make people think that it is made in Canada.
Why is Canadian manufactured hardwood flooring important?
1. Strict health and safety issues for the factory workers making the flooring.
2. Strict regulations on the chemicals used in the adhesives and finishes.
3. Living wages paid to the workers
4. Flooring made in our market is for our climatic conditions.
5. Certified selective harvesting of lumber in our sustainable forests.
6. Local manufacturers with real warranties
7. All revenue from manufacturing and distribution stays in our country
8. Canadian pride in manufacturing leading to the very best quality in the world.
I have been told that when you don’t have something nice to say about someone don’t say it so I will say that we have a prime minister with great hair. What we don’t have is a leader who will stop the illegal, immoral, and damaging activity that is destroying Canadian jobs in the manufacturing of hardwood flooring and for that matter many other industries.
Another think that the environmentalists and politicians should get really upset about is the fake certificates issued by offshore companies, often from the Amazon.
We had a supplier several years ago talking to us about getting high quality Brazil and Peruvian Jatoba and Santos Mahogany shipped here for us to get finished by our suppliers. I asked about making sure that the products were from certified forests. He told me that for a few thousand dollars he will get government certificates for the shipment, but the product was still the same. In other words, for a fee I could bring in illegally logged lumber from the Amazon where half of the world’s oxygen in generated and reassure our clients that it has been governmentally certified as being from responsible sustainable sources.
The Hardwood Flooring Stores locations are on Victoria Park Avenue, 2 blocks north of Steeles Avenue, on the N.E. corner of Victoria Park Avenue and a small street called Telson. The reason that I stress that we are two blocks north of Steeles Avenue is that we are surrounded by pop up hardwood flooring companies. I stress this because our so-called competition have used every possible method to distract our customers from coming to us. One company used to hire people to stand on our driveway stopping our customers to direct them to their location next door.
We’ve been in the same building for almost 40 years and are well known in the industry for finding really good deals on hardwood flooring but more importantly selling mostly top-quality hardwood flooring made right here in Canada.
Our Burlington location is on Corporate Drive, 1 mile north of the Q.E.W. west off Appleby Line. For easy reference we are right next door to the Shop Vac building and across the street from The Re-Store from Habitat for Humanity.
I have been running this company for over 41 years and I love finding really good deals for our about 8,000 customers a year. My suppliers, mostly Canadian love the way we do business with them. To the detriment of our so-called competitors, with the exception of the odd vacation and the odd long distance sailboat race, I’m not planning on going anywhere in the near future.
The government is doing very little to protect the honest companies in the hardwood flooring business from the millions of dollars in under the table business that doesn’t help contribute to finance our society.
Come and Visit Us!
The best way to experience your new floors is to see and touch your new floors. We have very experienced staff that have been working with the Hardwood Flooring Store for decades. That experience will get you the best floor at the best price. We have a hardwood flooring liquidation room for the buyer that is looking for really high-end flooring for smaller or really specific jobs. Some of these great floors are discounted over 50%. We also have an exclusive line of high-end flooring options at our premium hardwood flooring website. Visit our main website at www.hardwoodflooringstore.com and come and see what we have to offer.
The Hardwood Flooring Store is pleased to announce that we now carry Canadian made floors from Appalachian Flooring based out of Quebec. Appalachian has a tradition of providing excellent quality inspired by the nature around us.
Explore with us a world of rich textures and pure colors designed to please even the most refined of tastes. You’ll find timeless classics as well as cutting-edge designs throughout our varied collections.
About Appalachian Flooring
Inspired by the namesake, Appalachian Flooring refines the natural beauty of wood in order for it to become an integral part of your home. Their dedication to growth and innovation secures their position among the leading manufacturers of hardwood flooring in North America.
THERE MAIN FACTORY, BUILT IN 2000, IS LOCATED IN COWANSVILLE, QUEBEC.
Inspired by Nature
The Appalachians, which stretch from Newfoundland to Alabama, form one of the most majestic mountain ranges in North America. This magnificent relief is for us an icon of natural beauty. The Appalachians are also a privileged source of hardwood species recognized for their exceptional quality and form our preferred logging region. These species include hickory, hard maple, red oak, white oak and yellow birch.
We look forward to providing our customers access to another great selection of hardwood flooring from an environmentally friendly Canadian company. Come visit our showroom for more information.
Today’s technology is aimed at enhancing the consumer shopping experience and Leap Tools Inc. is right on top of it with its visualization tool for flooring called RoomVo. RoomVo visualization technology allows users to upload pictures of their own room as a backdrop. Users can then browse a variety of flooring options and see what a variety of flooring products would look like in their space.
The Hardwood Flooring Store is now made available on our website the use of this technology.
In the past, shopping for hardwood floors was complicated. Clients were bombarded with grades that varied from supplier to supplier. People felt as though they needed a PhD to understand the technical information of wood flooring.
But no more. We’ve stopped the technical mumbo jumbo. With our appearance-based classification for our hardwood floors, we eliminate the confusion. For Preverco, our hardwood appearances are synonymous with the floors’ looks; appearances have nothing to do with the quality of the hardwood floor. In other words, unlike traditional “grade classification systems, regardless of the appearance you choose, you will benefit from the same unmatched hardwood floor quality Preverco is known for.
Nuance
A blend of wood with moderate colour variation. (Note: for Walnut, planks containing 15% of sapwood — or pale boards — are allowed.)
KEY CHARACTERISTICS
Natural colour Relatively uniform with slight variations in colour. Extreme colour variations are not accepted in this appearance.
Knots Small, sound knots up to 5 mm (3/16 in.) are accepted.
Splits and fissures None.
Mineral streaks Small streaks up to 150 mm (6 in.) are accepted.
Checks None.
Other characteristics Slight colour abnormalities are accepted (ex.: tool marks, sticker stains, discolouration, blue stains, etc.).
Variation with knots
A blend of wood with pronounced colour variation that combines all the natural colours of heartwood, sapwood and knots. Darker and more visible wood grain
KEY CHARACTERISTICS
Natural colour All colour variations are accepted in this appearance.
Knots Small, sound knots up to 50 mm (2 in.) are accepted.
Splits and fissures Some.
Mineral streaks Accepted.
Checks Limited number of checks less than 40 mm (1.5 in.) long that have been repaired are accepted in the area around knots.
Other characteristics Slight colour abnormalities are accepted (ex.: tool marks, sticker stains, discolouration, blue stains, etc.).
The Hardwood Flooring Stores specialize in providing high quality Canadian-made hardwood flooring products. The pandemic has shown us the short-sightedness of global supply chains as well as the differences between cheap foreign products and the domestic quality standards. This is why we are seeing a significant movement to ‘buy Canadian’.
Even politicians are getting into the movement. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has been reported as saying, “To everyone who wants to show their support, buy Canadian.”
Here are a few reasons why we support the buy Canadian model:
The economy
When we buy Canadian, we directly impact our economy in positive ways. Simply put, we are investing in our neighbours, family and friends. Every dollar we spend in Canada has a ripple effect that far exceeds that of simple profits made by the businesses who take our money in exchange for goods or services. Regardless of what sectors and industries we work in, we are all part of this cycle. We are securing jobs, helping to create new ones and let’s not forget, when Canadian businesses are successful, they are in a position to give back to the communities they serve by supporting local charities, cultural associations, etc. Successfully employed Canadians and successful businesses also mean larger tax revenues towards government programs. Buying products made in Canada makes sense!
Health & Safety
When we buy Canadian, we know that the products have met this country’s health & safety standards. The manufacturing industry in Canada is highly regulated, from the factories’ environmental emissions, to the quality assurance practices, to the materials used and beyond. These safety measures sometimes mean a small increase in the retail price, but all things considered, isn’t it a small price to pay for peace of mind? Buying products made in Canada keeps us safer! It is widely known that some Chinese flooring products, once installed, emitted harmful odours due to their unregulated manufacturing process!
The environment
When we buy Canadian, we are reducing our carbon footprint, as products made closer to home require much less transportation. For example, did you know that a piece of clothing designed, manufactured and sold in Montreal requires 25 times less transportation than a similar product made in the far East? Buying products made in Canada makes our planet greener!
Labour standards
When we buy Canadian, we can rest assured that the people who make the products are treated fairly, working in safe & sanitary conditions. We’ve all heard the horror stories of sweatshops in foreign countries, using children and adults as disposable labour. Many consumers are now deciding not to support those practices and demonstrate their principles by not buying products made in the countries that have such track records. Buying products made in Canada makes us feel good!
Community
When we buy Canadian, we are contributing to the enrichment of our communities. It systematically makes us a part of something greater than ourselves and our immediate (material) needs. That one purchase we just made may contribute to the survival of a struggling local family business. Furthermore, as the gap that once existed between the consumer, the manufacturer and the retailer continues to decrease (thanks in large part to direct lines of communication that the Internet affords us), never before have consumers been able to give feedback in real time and develop and never-seen-before dialogue with these companies. Buying products made in Canada supports our communities!
Patriotism
Historically, Canadian’s have always been quietly patriotic. Love of Country shouldn’t stop at flying a flag or wearing red and white. We have every reason to be proud of our country, including the wonderful products we make here. Some consumers buy Canadian over foreign-made as a matter of principle alone. We see a “Made in Canada” label as a badge of honour; one we’re proud to contribute to and want others to know about. Buying products made in Canada makes us proud!
”Canadian-made flooring products are the very best in the world, and we are proud to support “Buy Canadian” said Ron Ander, President of The Hardwood Flooring Stores in Toronto/Markham and Burlington.
“Your price is too high,” “XYZ company offered it for much cheaper,” or “This is outside of our budget”? Sometimes it’s true and it really is outside of your limited (and in some cases, unrealistic) budget, but homes and floors do cost money, and if you are in the game for a new floor, we have to have this conversation.
Make sure you are always comparing apples to apples. More so, you are comparing the exact same product, and we don’t mean just hard maple to hard maple. Manufacturers don’t sell to the public, they sell through distributors. So that means you can find the exact same product in multiple shops. This is what you need to compare. Comparing a Hard Maple product made in China is not the same thing as a hard maple floor made by Preverco in Canada.
Here are some tips for mitigating price objection when talking to someone about taking on a new hardwood flooring project:
Ask why the cost is what it is
If the flooring vendor is experienced and professional you will likely get a lot of information about the technology that goes into the floors, the quality of the materials, the finish on the floor and the proper user of the floor. There really is a difference between a Walnut floor at $8.49 a square foot and an Oak floor for $3.99. Both are great floors and have their own values at their respective prices.
2. Is the flooring company professional
You need to take into account many elements of professionalism. Is the person you are talking to knowledgeable? How long have they been working in hardwood flooring and what experience do they have. Can the company that you are buying from offer you value from beginning to end. A good place to buy your next hardwood flooring should be from a company that can answer all these questions with ease.
3. Get a reference
Chances are you know people who have had their floors done, ask them who they used and how it went. You can always check out online references, they do have value, but take them with a grain of salt. Read at least 5 or 6 and you should get an idea of what to expect.
Always work with a company that can get you the best price and value for what you are looking to do. If one store is selling the floor you want for $4.99/ft and we are selling it for the same price. Ask these questions…
How quickly can you get it for us
Can you provide installation and at what cost
Look at the all in cost (floor, additional materials, installation)
At the hardwood flooring store we carry a large inventory so we can get the job started right away, if we don’t have it, we can get it within a week. We have an amazing team that installs our products at costs that are far less than hiring most contractors. Our all in price is usually the best in the market if you are truly comparing apples to apples.
Please come and see our showroom and ask us how we can help you.
There are over 100 choices of solid and engineered hardwood flooring items in stock in our liquidation division. Most of the items are high quality Canadian and American products that have been discontinued or are from a recently bankrupt top Canadian manufacturer.
Liquidation is only at our 7291 Victoria Park Avenue location (2 blocks north of Steeles).
Come now because the best deals usually go fast.
Looking for high quality new flooring
Please see our many flooring options and discounts that we currently have going one.
At the time of writing this blog, a lot of people have a little extra time on their hands. If you can get your hands on a good quality hardwood flooring product, now might be a great time to install that hardwood floor that you have been thinking of.
Worker carpenter doing laminate floor work
You want your home to have that elegant look that a hardwood floor brings to it. It is just as important to install the floor properly so you don’t ruin the beautiful hardwood that you bought. In this blog, we will show you how to approach the first phase in the installation of the hardwood floor, which is the preparation process. Once you do it right, you can get the best benefits and value from your hardwood floor.
First prepare the floor itself, you will need to ensure that the floor is free of any debris, dry, leveled and structurally sound. We recommend removing the existing hardwood floor and installing the concrete base or a new plywood sub base.
Top view of a man installing planks of hardwood floor
When preparing the room for the layout of the floorboards, you need to remove doors, skirting’s, floor trims or mouldings, so that you can properly lay down the boards right up the room’s edges, while still leaving a gap for expansion. Also, ensure that you allow the wood to adjust within the temperature and humidity of the area you want to install it. You’ll need to get a good quality underlay across the entire area if you will be floating your hardwood floor.
Prepare the subfloor and fasten asphalt-laminated kraft paper flooring underlayment to it.
Deliver the materials to the site and allow them to acclimate to the room’s humidity.
Layout and mark the placement of flooring.
Attach the first flooring row to the subfloor.
Cut and fasten successive flooring strips.
Rip the final row of flooring and fasten it in place.
Take a picture and post it on social media to show the world how awesome you are!
The Hardwood Flooring Store, located in Markham and Burlington is a great place to get the right advice and the best product your money can buy.
If you are looking to replace your floors in GTA then give us a call. We have a process that allows safe social distancing while choosing the floor you need for your home. Contact us today to find out how we can help.
Based in Quebec, Canada, Preverco is a quite little success story right in our own backyard. As a leading manufacturer of North-American-sourced, high-end wood flooring, Preverco is leading the way in innovation and quality for the north american market.
General Manager, Jean-François Dufresne talks about what makes Preverco a success story for over 25 years now.
Preverco offers an unparalleled array of species, appearances, colours, widths, lengths and long-lasting finishes to cater to the growing clientele that favours quality, variety and proximity to the Canadian market. Preverco is synonymous with constant innovation and stellar customer service.
The Preverco reputation for excellent customer service, consistent quality, constant innovation and dependable delivery is unmatched in the industry. For more information about Preverco’s complete line of hardwood floors, please visit www.preverco.com.
The Hardwood Flooring Store is not only one of these trusted partners but we are the biggest. The Hardwood Flooring Store is has two location in Ontario, on in Markham and the other in Burlington. Those two stores are the number 1 and number 2 volume purchasers of Hardwood Flooring in Canada. We are the biggest because we know quality when we see it, and we are proud to have such a strong relationship with Preverco.
When pulling up old hardwood floors why not take a moment and think about others ways in which you can use that old character filled wood. Walls are the perfect canvas to explore if you have old wood floors to use.
In our world today we cannot afford to forget about the environment. We must find ways to reuse or recycle old things and make them new again. Luckily wood is one of those miracle materials that reworked and re-purposed many times in its life span, with dramatic results. If let say you can get your hands on some old hardwood floors for a demolition project, they can easily be sanded, varnished, and placed in your new home giving it a charm like never before. But wait there’s more.
Floor boards aren’t just good for making more floors. Old boards can be reused and placed in all sorts of area of your home. You don’t have to do whole walls, little nooks and small areas are the perfect opportunity to try new ideas.
The kitchen for instance. In the picture below you can see that adding wood to your kitchen gives it a unique charm to your kitchen and that one of a kind appeal.
Reclaimed hardwood flooring doesn’t just need to be used to spice up kitchens. Designers around the world are waking up to the potential and making what was once old, new again. Designers are making coffee tables out of old hardwoods, using the boards basically as wallpaper, and even using then as accent pieces in bathrooms or in the bedroom.
DIY Herringbone Plank Wall
First, let’s quickly review the basics of a herringbone pattern. With a herringbone pattern, the ends are straight cuts that are butted against each other to create a 90-degree angle. The cuts are actually quite easy, because they are all straight cuts everywhere, except where the ends meet the end of a wall.
More design spaces are using patterns like herringbone wood floor in order to add dimension and flair. This trend has become more popular in recent years, with The hardwood Flooring Store installing more floors with this unique pattern.
So you have decided to go with the awesome look of hardwood floors in your home. Good for you. Hardwood floors give a home a warm, cozy, comforting feeling that is hard to match. Feeling good about yourself you make your way down to the Hardwood Flooring Store and suddenly feel overwhelmed at all the choice. Don’t panic we have associates that will guide you through every step.
The first step you will face in this decision is whether to go with solid or engineered hardwood floors. Both options will last long and beautify your home. Solid and engineered have their pros and cons for certain parts of the home but no matter what product you end up choosing there is no doubt it will satisfy. The biggest question that comes from most people is cost.
First the facts: solid hardwood floors are more expensive. Depending on the species of tree you want to install, solid hardwoods can get expensive really fast. Plus to install real hardwood floors it costs a little extra giving the extra work needed to ensure proper installation. A rough estimate for the average solid hardwood would be from around seven to thirteen dollars per square foot, plus installation.
Engineered hardwood costs around two to ten dollars per square foot (Add another two to four dollars if you need an underlayment).
From a cost standpoint it seems the choice is obvious but it is not. Laminate flooring when taken care of can last 30 years but hardwood (with proper care as well) can last a lifetime. Laminate floors cannot be refinished if damaged. Good hardwood floors can be refinished several times over.
Personally and for most homeowners it comes down to resale value. A home with natural, solid hardwood floors will have appeal more to buyers than engineered floors. Many homeowners recognize this and go for a combination. Real hardwood in the main living areas and engineered for the basement and high traffic areas.
Please see our many flooring options and discounts that we currently have going one.
The Hardwood Flooring Store Blog 