Oak Hardwood Floors

What is a hardwood? Contrary to its name, 'hardwood' does not mean that the wood is harder than any other, however, hardwood is considered denser compared to other species. The most common uses for hardwood is for building materials, particularly for flooring. The popular hardwood species include cherry, maple, and alder, but the most widely used among them is oak. There are basically two ideal types of oak for flooring use: Red oak and white oak. The characteristics of each will be discussed in brief here. Red Oak Hardwood Flooring Red oak is probably one of the most popular picks for hardwood floors. First, because it is abundant and, second, because it has a rather reddish hue that appeals to most interior designers and home owners. Red oak is also a comparatively dense type of hardwood so it is more resistant to regular wear. Its texture is a little coarse but it's nothing a little sanding won't be able to fix. White Oak Hardwood Flooring White oak is more resistant to moisture than red oak but the latter is more widely available. Because of its general strength and durability, builders even use it to make barrels and ship timber. In addition, various kinds of stains and finish tones reflect beautifully on white oak. It has a medium to coarse texture, so deciding if you'd still want to sand it is up to you. Oak is one of the best materials to make floors with, but surveys say that its popularity is only next to that of cherry and maple, which are a lot less expensive. But if you're looking to impress your visitors with your red or white oak hardwood floor, then, by all means, make that investment. Oak takes a century to mature, and it can last by about the same number of years if properly maintained.

How To Lay A Replacement Hardwood Floor Board

If a particular plank on your hardwood floor is beyond repair, your best option would be to replace the board with a new one. YOu might initially think that floor board replacement is a job that is reserved only for the professionals. In fact, laying a floor board is actually something you can do yourself, given the right tools and the proper instructions. There are hardware stores that sell bundled packages for do it yourself hardwood floor replacement projects. They even come with step by step instructions to help even the most inexperienced of floor layers easily understand and follow. So, when your plank needs relaying, have no fear. Instructions on how to lay replacement boards are here. 1) Clear the damaged area of all the nails embedded into it. You can do by positioning a nail set over the nail and driving it down as far as possible using a hammer. The purpose of this is to avoiding having the hammer pound against the wood and causing further damage. 2) Once the nails are removed, remove the damaged board by using a wood chisel to pry the affected area out. The absence of the nails should make this process easy, but you still have to be careful not to ruin the adjacent boards. 3) Prepare your replacement plank and try to see if its a perfect fit to the blank spot. If it's too big you will have to make the necessary adjustments. 4) Turn the replacement board over and put construction adhesive. This will enable the plank to stick to the subfloor. 5) Tap the board into place and make sure that it's in the right position. When you have finally decided on its placement, that's when you drive 2-inch nails to secure it. Use a nail set to drive the nails' heads a little below the surface so they don't jot out. 6) Sand the area to even the surface out and apply a finish that matches the rest of the hardwood floor. Now you know how to lay a replacement hardwood floor board without paying for professional help.