Investing in a new hardwood floor instantly elevates the style of your home, but there are many moving pieces to find the floor that is best suited for your application. You have more to think about than merely the square foot price and the design of your home. Not to mention, Charleston has its own considerations that influence which of our premium hardwood floors will be the ideal choice.
Our sales staff brings decades of experience to your buying decision, but this quick guide will lay the foundation for a successful hardwood flooring installation.
Subfloor Considerations: Engineered or Solid?
When deciding between engineered or solid hardwood flooring, your subfloor should be the first consideration. If your home is on a concrete slab, you should choose an engineered hardwood. If your home is on a crawlspace, you are open to either a solid or engineered floor. It is a good idea to consider the conditions your floor will encounter, especially as it pertains to the humidity and moisture here in the Lowcountry.
The following points will inform you on the best type of floor for your space. Whether you select solid or engineered hardwood, you will have chosen a beautiful floor that will add value to your home.
Engineered Hardwood is manufactured from three or more layers plywood, HDF, or an MDF core with a real hardwood veneer top layer bonded together. Each layer is placed with the grain running in an alternate direction to the next. This process is designed to create a product that is dimensionally stable and highly resistant to cracking or cupping. Engineered floors are ideal for homes where moisture levels or temperature fluctuations are an issue (for example, homes near the water) or on concrete slabs.
Solid Wood Flooring, as the name implies, means that each flooring board is made from one solid piece of wood. Solid hardwood flooring is prone to expansion, warping, and cupping if exposed to temperature or moisture fluctuations. Historically, the advantage of a solid floor has been the wear surface. The wear surface is the thickness of the floor from the face, or walking surface, down to the tongue and groove of the flooring. Today, however, some engineered floors have wear surfaces that can be refinished, similar to that of solids. Due to the humid climate of South Carolina, Woodboys recommends solid wood flooring no wider than 3 ¼” unless the home has an encapsulated crawl space and some type of dehumidification system in place.
Installation Methods: Nail, Glue, or Float?
Hardwood floor installation can be done in several ways depending on your application, subfloor, and the specific product you select. Our staff is always available to answer your questions about installation or you can leave it to our selected installation crews. No matter which method you choose, we bring expert craftsmanship to every job. Here is a quick rundown of the three installation methods you will encounter with your hardwood flooring options.
Nail Installation
This is the most economical way to install a wood floor. However, this option requires that your home have either a plywood or OSB subfloor. Particle board subfloors don’t have the holding power to permit nail-down or staple-down installations. For this reason, manufacturers will not warranty their product when installed over particle board.
Glue Installations
Concrete is a mixture of lime, rock, and water. Since wood floors have a tendency to expand or cup when exposed to excessive moisture, special products suitable for glue-down or floating installations have been developed for use on concrete subfloors. These products compose a barrier which prevents the moisture from reaching the wood under normal circumstances.
Prior to installation, the moisture level of both your subfloor and your wood flooring will be checked. Readings are recorded to confirm levels are within the manufacturer’s guidelines.
Gluing wood to a concrete slab is one of the most common methods to install wood floors. When a quality adhesive is used and installed properly, it is rare that any problems will occur. Occasionally however, a shallow area on the slab will not receive enough adhesive and the floor will release from the glue. This is easily remedied with an inexpensive glue injection.
Floating Installations
Float installations are increasingly popular. They are relatively easy for the homeowner to install, and most people recognize the click-lock function from laminate flooring or vinyl flooring. Floating floor products utilize either a conventional tongue-and-groove or a snap-lock system. Several manufacturers do not require glue to be used on their snap-lock systems but glue is needed for the conventional tongue-and-groove floated floors. Typically, a special pad is rolled out over the subfloor and the wood flooring is then assembled on top of the pad as one large panel.
Style Considerations for Stunning Hardwood Floors
Quality hardwood flooring comes in every color, size, and texture you could possibly imagine. The perfect floor for your home will depend on your individual style. Choose whether you want a shabby chic floor, something more modern, or a contemporary twist on a traditional style.
Materials can be styled with endless possibilities, but there are some practicalities you should think through as you start the shopping process. Here are some style considerations for homeowners who are just starting to explore their flooring need.
Plank Width
The first flooring option you will encounter is the size of the individual boards. Generally speaking, wood floors will fall into two categories: strip flooring and plank flooring.
Strip Flooring refers to floors which are 2 ¼” wide. This face width is traditionally used by contractors. However, many builders have started choosing wider widths to distinguish their homes and create a more upscale look. The narrow face width works well for smaller areas because it appears more proportionate to the room size.
Plank Flooring refers to floors which are 3” or wider. These widths allow homeowners to see more of the wood’s natural characteristics. The character of the wood is important in the overall impression of the floor. Graining, figuring, and color variations create a floor that stands out while an evenly-toned floor is a beautiful addition that blends seamlessly into your design.
Woodboys offers face widths up to 9” to keep up with trends in the flooring industry. The wider widths capture the distinctive graining and character of the unique wood species which creates a stunning floor.
Flooring Colors
When you step into a flooring store, you may instantly feel overwhelmed by the color palettes available to you. Our sales experts can do our best to match colors to old flooring or we can help you select a new floor that matches your desired aesthetic. These are some of the design principles that you will want to keep in mind as you shop.
Light colored flooring will brighten any room and help create the illusion that the room is larger than it actually is. Light colored floors are particularly appropriate in the beach homes that Charleston is known for because they show sand scratches less than a dark floor. Many contemporary designs make use of lighter colors.
Medium colored flooring adds a sense of warmth and coziness to a room. You will find all colors in this range including grays, browns, and reds. There are limitless design possibilities within this range.
Dark colored flooring can create a more formal look in a room. Ideally, room sizes should be fairly large or have good lighting to prevent the space from looking too dark or small.
Texture
Texture is important to the design of any room. Listed below are different hardwood flooring textures available in various manufacturers’ samples offered at our showroom in Ladson:
- Smooth: An excellent option for sleek, modern rooms
- Subtle-scraped: Ideal for eclectic designs that pull in modern and traditional elements
- Heavy-scraped: Rich character surface that provides a truly rustic feel, perfect for a look that’s cottage-inspired
- Wire-brushed: Highlights the natural structure of the grain and creates additional texture; elegant, subtle, well-suited for transitional design
- Distressed: A wonderful addition to any space with aspects of the vintage or industrial
Care and Maintenance of Your New Hardwood Floor
When you make an investment in designing your dream home, you need to make sure you protect your investment – and that starts with proper care and maintenance of your floors. Whether you have an engineered or a solid hardwood floor, maintenance remains the same. Follow these guidelines to keep your new floors looking great.
Sweep and vacuum regularly. Grime, dirt, and oils can build up on your floor, causing scratches and dulling your finish. When you vacuum floors, make sure the wheels are clean and the beater bar is turned off.- Do not damp mop, wet mop, or steam clean your floors. Using any type of cleaner that requires you to add water or use water can cause damage. Do not use wax, oil, paste, or soap products as they can damage the finish.
- Clean up spills promptly with a soft cloth and your flooring manufacturer’s recommended cleaning product. Woodboys carries and recommends Bona Professional floor cleaner which is approved by all flooring brands we carry.
- Keep pet nails trimmed to prevent scratches and keep their paws free of grime.
- Place felt pads on the bottom of furniture to prevent dents and scratching. These should especially be used on furniture that is moved often such as dining room chairs.
Ready for New Hardwood Floors in the Charleston area?
When you are looking for flooring companies that serve the Charleston area, look no further than Woodboys. Our expert sales staff can walk you through the process of selecting the perfect floor for your home and lifestyle. We even bring the showroom to you for free in-home estimates in the Ladson, Summerville, Moncks Corner, North Charleston, Mt. Pleasant, West Ashley, and Charleston areas and beyond. Whether you have a new construction home or a small remodel, we bring our expertise to bring your dreams to life.
Contact us today to set your appointment!
