TIMBER FLOORS EXPLAINED: EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW | Melissa Penfold (2023)

FAQs

What are 4 timber floor finishes? ›

Timber floor finishes can be grouped into four main categories. Penetrating oils and waxes, curing oils and alkyds, oil modified urethanes, and polyurethane‟s, the latter three categories being available in solventborne and waterborne.

Timber floors essentially consist of boarding supported on timber joists called bridging joists or floor joists which are nailed to wall plates at their ends and supported by intermediate walls called sleeper or dwarf walls, along their length. The sleeper walls are generally 10cm. thick and are honey-combed.

The Janka hardness rating for Brazilian Walnut is a whopping 3680, making it the hardest and most dense of all the woods we've discussed. The colors in this ultra-hard timber range from light blonde to deep brown.

Polyurethane is the most popular finish for floors. It's tough enough to handle constant traffic and is resistant to almost everything. There are two types of polyurethane finish: oil-based (solvent borne) and water-based (waterborne).

With a higher shine than satin, the floor will reflect more light. The intricate grains and natural lines of the hardwood will show up much clearer, and the color of the wood appears deeper and richer. Semi-gloss is more durable than satin and can protect your floors from light damage.

With the correct care and maintenance you can expect a timber floor to last over a decade. We expect that most people will either re-sand or re-coat their Timber floor on average every 10-15 years to keep them looking like new.

High-density rubber underlay is typically used under timber floors or tiles in some commercial applications. The rule with this underlay is that if you float the floor, you may float the underlay. If you are gluing the floor, then you must glue the underlay.

Raw timber floors also allow you to choose the thickness of the floorboards, with a general range between 12 – 22mm.

Solid timber floors are extremely durable as they are coated with hard-wearing finishes such as polyurethane, that can resist most wear and tear from busy areas. Relatively easy to clean, and with a little maintenance, a solid timber floor can easily last for decades.

The best hardwood floors are made with wood species that are readily available and — you guessed it — very hard. Oak flooring, maple flooring and cherry flooring are all good choices. Other species include bamboo (which is actually a grass), walnut, ash and mahogany.

What is Grade 3 hardwood flooring? ›

Grade 3 floors have very noticeable color variations and prominent character traits like knots, worm holes, and open checks. What's more, it usually has accompanying machining and drying variations as well. It's essentially perfect for those seeking a more relaxed feel and a natural, organic hardwood floor look.

Classic medium-toned browns such as cherrywood, mahogany, oak, maple, walnut, birch wood, and hickory are all timeless colors that never go out of style. Cherrywood is a deep, rich color that has a deep mahogany shade with warm tones of red or brown, often mixed with hints of pink and even purple.

Selecting a floor such as Hickory, Hard Maple or White Oak can protect your floor from damage, as these hardwoods are less susceptible to scratches than softer woods like Pine, Cherry or Black Walnut. Hardwoods with more dramatic grain patterns can help to hide scratches more easily.

Oak: Oak is the industry standard when it comes to hardwood flooring. With a Janka rating of approximately 1300, it is incredibly durable, available, and comes in various colors (including white and red).

The gloss of a satin finish disperses light and more easily conceals dirt, dust, and pet hair. Gleaming satin floors will also maintain their new appearance longer than other types of finishes. A matte finish, on the other hand, works well to hide imperfections such as scuffs, dents, or scratches.

Hard-wax oil finished floors are more water resistant than polyurethane-finished floors because they more readily allow for expansion and contraction. A polyurethane-finished floor essentially creates a plastic film over the wood, which can trap moisture and damage the floor.

Hardwood floors can be refinished every 7-10 years, making the 4-6 refinishes more than enough.

Oil poly can be more susceptible to dents, while water-based poly can be more susceptible to surface scratching. Because water-based is a thinner product, we recommend 3 coats of water-based poly as a minimum, whereas with oil 2 coats are sufficient as a minimum.

The satin sheen is the most popular finish for hardwood floors. This hardwood floor sheen has about 40% luster and is easy to keep clean. This level of sheen disperses light and doesn't show all of the imperfections or dirt.

Water-based polyurethane finish is the best polyurethane for hardwood floors, and many consider it the future of polyurethanes. High-level water-based polyurethane is as durable as oil, easier to apply, and better for you, your family, your pets, and the environment.

What time of year is best to install wood floors? ›

Moisture in Spring and Summer

Fall is a perfect season for hardwood flooring installation because the cool, crisp weather exposes your hardwood flooring to less moisture.

Water is the enemy of hardwood flooring. Due to the porous nature of wood, moisture can be easily absorbed into the material. So your flooring may show signs of staining from small spills. The wet floor may also begin to buckle and cup when large amounts of water are absorbed as the planks swell.

Still, every year, countless homeowners will have them installed because they really do look amazing. As CNN reported, hardwood floors can also increase home value by 3-5%.

Hardwood floors should be installed over ¾-inch plywood on or above grade—not in a basement and never directly on concrete.

Floating a timber floor means that it will not be nailed, glued or otherwise permanently fixed to a subfloor or surface. The timber boards are instead fitted over the existing floor and appropriate underlay.

Choose latex caulk if you want it to match the color of the wall. If you're fixing a gap between a floor and a painted wall, such as a bedroom or living room wall, use a latex caulk. Choose a color that closely resembles the paint of your wall so the gap isn't noticeable.

Interstitial space (architecture)

There is very little difference in cost between 1/2″ thick and 3/4″ thick because you start with the same raw material when you make the flooring. So making a floor 1/2″ thick actually produces more waste than making a floor that is 3/4″ thick. Engineered flooring also comes in a variety of thicknesses.

An overall light colour palette can be creating a more optimistic happy, feel to your wood flooring . Shades such as golden yellow give your flooring a more fun, free feel, while cooler tones such as white and light beige provide an atmosphere that exudes openness and purity, which can be great for your living room.

Is timber flooring worth it? ›

With proper care and maintenance, timber flooring last for many, many years. It also can greatly increase the value of your property, making it a worthwhile investment for any home or office fit-out.

Hybrid floorboards are made out of man-made materials while engineered timber is made of 100% natural composites. This being said, engineered timber has a more porous material, susceptible to water absorption, and can be easily broken down naturally. Therefore, hybrid flooring is more durable than engineered timber.

Darker floors are better suited for larger rooms and open floor plans. Another seemingly unrelated factor to consider is how often you clean your floors. Light hardwood flooring can hide small flaws, dirt, and debris, but anything larger will be very noticeable.

Brown Hardwood Flooring

Best known as the traditional color of hardwood flooring, shades of brown are still as popular as ever. Much like tan-toned hardwood, brown flooring is suited for any aesthetic. Lighter tones can set the basis of a neutral design, while deeper tones have the power to convey depth and luxury.

Dark hardwood flooring is among the most popular styles. Its polished, rustic sheen makes for an unmatched quality look that will enhance the value of your home. With dark hardwood floors, you'll enjoy: Long-lasting color: Its color makes dark hardwood prone to absorbing sunlight, while light hardwood reflects it.

The major differences between a #2 Common Hardwood, #1 Common Hardwood, and a Select Grade Hardwood mostly have to do with the wood's appearance rather than its durability. Higher graded wood is typically more expensive due to its more uniform appearance, free of knot holes and other unique markings.

Grading of timber is the process of sorting the timber based on the features present in the individual boards. Boards with fewer and smaller features are sorted into one grade while those with more frequent and larger features are sorted into another grade.

Stick with thin widths for a classic wood floor: If you're a traditionalist, planks between 2 ¼ inches and 3 inches are most common in homes and give you that classic hardwood floor appearance. Go wide if you love character: Wider floorboards of 5 to 12 inches reveal a wood's character, including grain and knots.

In fact the early mid mod period (late 40's – early 50's) is about the last time that hardwood floors were common in builder grade houses.

Floors with a white finish go with almost everything. A light burlap-like color is a great choice because you still get a light floor, without installing a truly “white” floor.

What color wood floor is classic? ›

There are two classic and timeless colours that you should consider. Pale and medium brown. Basically, make sure there is no grey or taupe in the floors you're choosing. Which one you should choose, though, depends on the style of your home.

Saturate a rag or sponge mop in your cleaning solution. Wring it out thoroughly so the mop is damp, not wet. Mop the floor with the cleaner, being careful to not put too much liquid on the floor. Rinse the mop with clean water, wring out excess, and damp mop the floor to remove the cleaner.

There are three main types of timber finishes – evaporative, reactive and coalescing. Evaporative finishes use acetone, alcohol and nitro-cellulose lacquer thinners as solvents and thinners. Shellac and nitro-cellulose lacquers also fall into this category.

There are three main options when it comes to what sort of finish you want to apply to your wooden floors. This is a Satin, Gloss or Matte finish and they all come with their own perks and advantages. A very popular finish available is the gloss or semi-gloss finish for timber floorboard polishing.

Solid lumber joists, I-beam joists, open web floor joists, pretty much any floor system joist you care to name will have a list of pros and cons.

Polyurethane is the most durable option for indoor woodworking projects. It's highly effective at protecting cabinets, doors, furniture, and floors from scratches and abrasive damage. Polyurethane is also water-resistance and is intended to enhance the natural appearance of the wood with a statin or mid-gloss finish.

Polyurethane wood finishes are synthetic coatings that are highly durable and water resistant, making them the best clear coat for wood protection.

LACQUER. Lacquer, specifically pre-catalyzed lacquer, is considered by many professional woodworkers to be the best finish for hardwood furniture, in terms of balance between beauty, protective qualities and ease of application and care.

Lacquer has a thin consistency, allowing it to penetrate deeper into the wood. Therefore, it offers a durable seal that gives wood protection from the inside out. Many professional woodworkers consider lacquer as the best finish out there, particularly for hardwood furniture. It combines beauty and protection.

What are the stages of wood finishing? ›

Usually, there are two primary types of wood finish, including penetrating and surface finish. Each type results in a unique appearance and protection, making it necessary to choose the right type of finish.

Moisture-Cure Urethane

It's basically one of the toughest, most durable types of finish out there, which means it's also quite tricky to apply and releases a high amount of VOCs that can linger for weeks.

Most often, floor joist spacing is 16 inches apart on center, but this can vary depending on building codes and the requirements of the structure in the blueprint.

Southern yellow pine and Douglas fir have high bending strength. Hemlock, spruce, and redwood have medium bending strength. Western red cedar, Eastern white pine, and ponderosa pine have low bending strength.

Traditional lumber joists are made using local wood and span a maximum of 16'. Engineered joists are an improved version of traditional joists, made using a mix of local and engineered wood. They offer better durability and strength and can span longer distances than lumber joists.