TWO WOOD FLOOR OPTIONS TO CONSIDER BEFORE PURCHASING REAL WOOD FLOORS
The Floor Below the Floor
What is waiting to be discovered under your current floor? Do you have carpet or tile covering up a beautiful period floorboard?
From time to time, in historical areas throughout Phoenix, I’ll remove a floor to find flooring that is, in my opinion, better than the new floor that I am to install.
Sure, there is a good amount of work to be done to restore old beat up floorboards, which were likely covered up because the current homeowner didn’t want to invest the time – but in most cases, the timeless style you reap from the sweat of your brow is worth it.
However, restoring these period floors can be contracted-out. Usually involved is, sanding with an industrial sander and edger. When we bid these jobs we include the cost of stain and varnish. If you are doing it yourself, I recommend Ronseal Dimond Hardwood Floor Varnish, usually a Satin Walnut color, you can expect to pay about $40. There may also be floorboards that are beyond repair and you may need to replace them; for this, I recommend trying to match them with paint, varnish or purchase new period floor boards.
ANOTHER OPTION TO CONSIDER FOR WOOD FLOORING
Okay, so below your current floor is nothing more than concrete but you still want that real wood look – without the real wood price. No problem, here’s what you should consider.
Laminate flooring is the most cost effective choice. While not as popular as it used to be, the printing quality is much better than it used to be; meaning the wood-like laminate flooring looks closer to real wood than ever before. I get it though, you had a house with laminate flooring before and you loathed it, vowing never to go back. It’s okay, there is another more affordable option than real wood.
The Engineered Wood Floor Option
Engineered flooring is developed with real wood. The top portion of the board is developed from actual wood. Meaning, for all intents and purposes, you have a true wood floor.
The best part, is the boards fit together without the use of glue, nails, screws etc. Most of them are installed as floating floors, which can be installed in almost any space or environment. You’re even able to sand them down (a few time anyways) just like real wood flooring. It gets even better: since engineered wood floors are developed of multiple layers, there is no shrinking or expanding when exposed to humidity, or more to the point, swamp coolers (even though swamp coolers don’t cut it in Phoenix when it’s 200 degrees).
WOOD FLOORING OPTIONS
By: Juan Gonzalez, Owner of Gonzalez & Sons Flooring Design in Phoenix, AZ
If you have any questions, or would like to schedule a consultation for your next flooring project, please contact me directly at 602-370-6603 – I’d love to hear from you. As always, if you live within the Phoenix Metro area, in-house consultations are always free.
