Because of a great range of natural variations—from boards with extreme character, graining, and color variation to those that are evenly colored and consistent—lustrous hardwood can create a uniquely beautiful floor. Your kind of floor – warm, stylish, and original.Hardwood floors are beautiful and long-lasting. They make an elegant choice for nearly any room in your home. When choosing hardwood, the color, character, and construction type are the important factors to consider.
- Color: the color of hardwood floors ranges from quite light to intensely dark—and everything in between. Lighter floors tend to work well in contemporary settings, and darker floors are elegant at home in more traditional rooms. Choosing, however, is essentially a matter of preference.
- Character: naturally present in hardwood, grain variations help determine a wood's "personality." Dramatic grain suggests a rustic feeling. Historically, moderate grain variations are associated with the traditional, and hardwood with very little graining has a sleek, contemporary look.
- Construction: there are two basic choices—solid or engineered. Solid planks are created from a single piece of wood and make a handsome floor that lasts for years. Engineered planks are made from several layers of wood (with a core of plywood or HDF) and are designed to withstand higher levels of humidity. This means they can go in some rooms where solid floors can't.
Note that there are many differences in finishes—gloss or luster level, scraping degree and technique, wire-brushing, etc. Ask our sales staff to show you samples!
To protect your lustrous hardwood floor and preserve its gleaming beauty, there are a few things you need to do. But each step of recommended maintenance—from using the right cleaning techniques to placing protective pads under furniture—is simple, and we'll guide you.
For cleaning, make sure you:
- Use a damp cloth to blot spills and spots as soon as they happen. For tough spots, such as oil, paint, markers, lipstick, ink, tar, or cigarette marks, use acetone/nail polish remover on a clean white cloth, then wipe with a damp cloth. Never allow liquids to stand on your floor.
- Sweep, dust, or vacuum the floor regularly with the hard floor attachment (not the beater bar) to prevent accumulation of dirt or grit that can scratch or dull the floor finish.
- Occasionally wipe the floor with a damp mop or cloth.