Guide to Hardwood Basics

Consider hardwood basics like traffic and room size in your flooring decisions

By M. Krasniak, Freelance Writer/Editor

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Settle on strip hardwood flooring for a warm, traditional feel

Strip-style hardwood flooring is the perfect choice if you are looking to make a room look larger. Many people prefer this more traditional style because it adds beauty and style to any decor. This style of flooring is linear and is generally 1 ½ inches to 3 ¼ inches in width. The strip-type of hardwood floor is probably the most common type seen in today's office buildings.

I recommend: The Internet Floors website has a wide selection of strip flooring like this 2-3 strip Cherry hardwood flooring. BuildersSquare sells many types of strip hardwood flooring such as this 2-strip maple kind.

Consider a plank hardwood floor installation to bring a rustic look to your workspace

Installing hardwood floors, especially in the plank-style, adds a rustic feel to any office space. This type of flooring is similar to strip hardwood flooring in the fact that it is lineal, but these wood pieces are typically 3 to 6 inches in width. Some merchants consider this style discount hardwood flooring because pine, a less expensive wood, is one of the most common woods used.

I recommend: Check out CountryPlank.com for a large selection of plank flooring. You are sure to find the kind that will work the best for your office. Look no further than Barefootfloor.com for plank hardwood lumber like this Red Oak hardwood.

Use parquet hardwood floors to liven up any lobby or atrium

Parquet hardwood flooring is a series of wood flooring pieces that create a geometric design. This very decorative hardwood floor works well in lobbies and waiting rooms because of its rich appearance and visually interesting nature. There are many different patterns that parquet hardwood can come in. Be sure to pick the right one for the size of the space you are considering. Tiny patterns will make a room appear smaller.

I recommend: The Hosking Hardwood Flooring website is the place to check out for beautiful parquet hardwood flooring. Look to FloorOne.com for your parquet hardwood floor needs.

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Before you decide on the style of hardwood flooring you want, it is a good idea to read up on hardwood. Basics such as the amount of traffic a space gets and the amount of moisture a floor will be subjected to all play a part in what kind of floor will be the best for your company.

1. Becoming a distributor to receive discounts on quantity purchases for resale;
2. Becoming an expert on both solid and engineered hardwood floors to be able to give an effective sales presentation;
3. Knowing the trends so you can guide customers toward the newest products;
4. Understanding hardwood floor installation to be able to answer customer questions.
   

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Become a hardwood flooring distributor

Substantial discounts can be obtained by distributors who are able to consistently purchase large volumes of hardwood flooring

I recommend: Build Direct has a competitive distributor program requiring a minimum of 10 containers of building material to be bought each year. AffordaFloors.com specializes in discount hardwood flooring and usually has a lengthy list of ongoing specials.

Explain the difference between solid and engineered hardwood

Engineered hardwood is more stable and its use should be strongly considered when installing hardwood floors. Also, ensure that your customers understand the differences between engineered flooring and laminate flooring.

I recommend: Find directions for engineered hardwood floor installation at Columbia Flooring and look at Hardwood Installer to determine if different types of hardwood floors may be installed in your location.

Stay current on the growing varieties of hardwood lumber

South American hardwood lumber such as Brazilian cherry and merbau have been available for years and Australian woods such as Australian cypress, spotted gum and Sydney blue now may be obtained as well. Many customers prefer woods with more interesting patterns such as knots or mineral streaks.

I recommend: Visit Service Magic to become familiar with Australian woods such as Australian cypress or bid on Australian cypress hardwood flooring at Hardwood Brokers.

Become an expert on installing hardwood floors

Poor installation is the primary cause of customer dissatisfaction. Many hardwood flooring manufacturers now offer retailer/installer programs that can dramatically reduce sales service calls.

I recommend: Use Home Decorating Reviews as a general guide to hardware floor installation and Bruce for specific types of hardware floor installation.

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Inform customers that refinishing hardwood floors may be done repeatedly in different styles. Engineered wood can handle a considerable amount of moisture but can only be refinished once or twice.
• •  Finishes dried with UV light continue to become more popular and water-based hardwood finishes are environment-friendly.
• •  Clean-process refinishers leave little dust on hardwood floors, eliminating a major objection by consumers.
• •  Other finishing options include aluminum oxide, glueless locking or a filled urethane finish.

Guide to Pricing and Costs of Hardwood

Add beauty and style to your office with hardwood flooring in any price range

By M. Krasniak, Freelance Writer/Editor

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The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Purchase economical North American Cherry hardwood flooring to update the look of your office

North American Cherry hardwood flooring is one of the most common types of hardwood there is. One reason for this is because it is one of the cheapest hardwood lumber types. Just because you can get this wood as discount hardwood flooring, it doesn't mean it's of low quality and poor durability, though. North American Cherry can withstand the everyday wear and tear your office can dish out just as well as the more expensive types of hardwood.

I recommend: The BuildDirect website sells American Cherry hardwood floors for prices ranging from about $3.00 per square foot up to about $5.00 per square foot with a 40-box minimum. Check out the simpleFLOORS website for beautiful American Cherry hardwood floors that range in price from about $2.50 per square foot up to about $3.00 per square foot, depending on the amount you buy.

Install hardwood floors made of bamboo to modernize any office space

Natural bamboo is a very popular type of hardwood floors on the market today. Bamboo hardwood flooring is in the middle ground when it comes to price. As with all other types of hardwood, the price depends on if you get finished or unfinished hardwood flooring. The finished version is more expensive but it saves time when you don't have to close the office for a few days and do the hardwood floor refinishing yourself.

I recommend: Lumber Liquidators can set you up with quality natural bamboo hard floors from about $2.00 a square foot up to about $3.50 a square foot. Shop at FloorMall.com for a wide selection of natural bamboo hardwood flooring that is about $4.00 per square foot.

Beautify any workplace with Brazilian Cherry hardwood flooring

Some of the most expensive hardwood lumber available is Brazilian Cherry. One of the reasons is because of its location of origin. Hardwood lumber shipping from South America is more expensive and the customer ends up paying a higher price. Brazilian Cherry is a great wood to use for hardwood floors in offices, though. It is one of the strongest woods out there, and when cared for properly, will last for years.

I recommend: The iFloor webpage has these breathtaking Brazilian Cherry hardwood floors that will run you about $3.00 per square foot up to $17.50 per square foot. Launstein Hardwood Floors carries this great Brazilian Cherry hardwood flooring for around $ 4.25 per square foot.

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  When you are determining the pricing and costs of hardwood flooring for your office, don't ignore the more expensive woods just because of the price. Take into consideration the amount of wear and tear they will be receiving. It may be more cost effective in the long run to get a harder and more expensive wood because they tend to last longer than the cheaper hardwood.

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Strip

Strip flooring is used to make a room look larger because it is installed in parallel rows. Solid or laminate boards can be used to achieve this look. The strips are side-matched or end-matched with tongue-and-groove marks to align the pieces together.

I recommend: Visit the Kitchen and Flooring Emporium to learn more about strip flooring and the most common types of wood used for it. Scroll down the page to find the term.

Plank

Similar to strip flooring, plank flooring is also installed in parallel rows, but the pieces are wider. Pine is one of the most common types of wood used for plank flooring.

I recommend: Visit HowStuffWorks to see pictures of what plank flooring looks like and learn more about its characteristics.

Parquet

Parquet flooring creates a geometric design once placed on the floor. These pieces are not necessarily square nor are the pieces the same size. Additionally, the pieces are either secured by mechanical fastening or an adhesive.

I recommend: Learn about the most common size of solid wood parquet flooring, as well as common patterns, at Wood Floor Doctor.com.

Decay

Decay is when the wood begins to decompose due to fungi. The two types of decay are advanced and incipient. Incipient decay is decay in the early stages. Advanced decay occurs over a long period of time.

I recommend: Learn more about the characteristics seen in advanced and incipient decay at Wood Floors Online.

Filler

Filler, or more specifically wood filler, is a basic commercial wood putty, which you use for cracks, worm holes or knot holes. The wood filler might also be used with sawdust from the final sanding, in order to blend in better with the floor's coloring.

I recommend: Learn more about when and how to apply the wood filler at Highway Flooring by scrolling down to the term in the glossary.

Moisture content

Moisture content is represented by a percentage of the weight of oven-dried wood. Different organizations and associations have their own moisture content limits and restrictions. Additionally, depending upon where the wood was cut, stored and even shipped from, the moisture content could vary. It's vital to know the wood's moisture content, as this can determine if the wood will shrink or expand once installed.

I recommend: Learn more about moisture content in hardwood floors, as well as how to test for it, at Hardwood Installer.Com.