Nothing warms a room like wood. The soft amber gleam of a polished wooden floor lends charm and comfort to any space in your home. Wood floors are available in hundreds of colors and styles, and new technologies have created wood flooring materials that can go where wood was never used before.
As beautiful and durable as wood is, most designers and builders would caution against its use in bathrooms and basements, where moisture contributes to damage and wood rot. Wood laminates and acrylic impregnated woods remove the concerns about water, and make it practical to create beautiful, natural looks in your bathrooms and kitchens with wooden floors. Care is easy - daily sweeping, occasional damp mopping and wiping up spills as they happen will keep engineered and impregnated woods looking their best.
Solid hardwood floors are still the hallmark of beautiful construction, and lend a timeless beauty to any room in which they are used. Wood floors use three basic construction methods:
Lengths of wood from 1/2" to 2 1/2" wide can be laid in a regular pattern that runs end to end in a room, or arranged in intricately detailed patterns by careful cutting and fitting. The look is clean and sleek, with the softness of a natural material to bring in warmth.
Generally wider, plank flooring comes in widths from 2" to 6" wide. The wider boards give a more rustic feel to a room that can be accented with the finish chosen.
Cut and pieced woods in different colors and varieties have long been used to create subtle and striking patterns in floors. The design can be accented with stains for even more drama and emphasis.
American red oak is the most popular wood used for flooring, followed closely by white oak. The warm tones of pink and red take stain well, and its abundance makes it affordable for most construction. Nearly 60% of wood floors in the United States are crafted from red or white oak.
Maple, particularly sugar maple, is another native wood that is widely used in floors. Clear white in color, the grain is straight and fine, giving the floor an even texture and color that stains well and wears well. Maple is often used in high traffic areas like kitchens and hallways, where the clean, straight lines accent any style of decor.
One of the more durable woods, the exotic teak, is often used for outdoor spaces like patios, or in kitchens where its oily properties and natural resistance to water make it a practical choice. Ranging in color from pale tan to rosy brown, teak darkens with exposure to air and sunlight. It's often used as an accent in inlays and parquetry in parquet floors.
Birch and beech are also commonly used in floors. Both are lighter in color than red oak and durable enough to be commonly used in gymnasium and sports arena floors. Left unstained and finished with a penetrating sealant, a birch or beech floor can accent the impression of airy openness favored in contemporary, natural styles of decorating.
With the many styles and colors of wood floors available, you can choose a wood floor that suits any or every room in your home. The design possibilities are limitless, and their durability makes wood floors a choice that will last a lifetime.