Hardwood floors have the ability to make any home just a little more beautiful. Installing a hardwood floor yourself is not terribly difficult; it may be a bit time consuming, but with a little work and perseverance you will see results that are well worth your best efforts. Wood floors can speak a wide variety of messages to guests, whispering of class, elegance, serenity, or even a taste of the exotic. You can decide exactly what you want your floor to communicate, mostly by deciding what type of wood you want to use. There are several different types of wood available, ranging from classic auburn colors to more muted or dark colors, with even a few that are multi-colored and have their own distinct flair.
Walnut wood is the darkest, and can be anything from a milk-chocolate to a dark chocolate color, almost black. This type of wood is appropriate for large rooms, and looks nice especially if the rest of the décor is a light, airy color to offset the potential drabness of such dark wood. Using walnut wood in a smaller room may have the effect of making the room seem even smaller and enclosed.
Oak and teak wood have a medium color, similar to a dark wheat, and tend to look very nice in kitchens and in country-style homes. They are some of the more popular choices. If you are looking for a very light color, go with maple.
For a rich auburn color, you will want to consider cherry. Pine also has an auburn tint but is more to the brown side, whereas many cherries show off a vibrant red. Hickory wood is very unique, and displays a wide variety of different colors ranging from very light to very dark throughout.
There are also a few types of exotic wood that have a character all their own. Tiger wood is a reddish color, and has dark brown, artistic stripes that bend and are a little spotty. Zebra wood is a lighter, more wheat-like color, with dark brown stripes that are thin and very close together. Australian cypress is a similar color, but has dark brown spots mimicking those of a leopard. In contrast, bloodwood is a nearly solid color, and as you might guess from the name, is a particularly stunning shade of red. Cocobolo is very modern and mysterious, showing off wood that is a mixture of black and red and appears to be swirling together almost like a liquid. You can also find hand-scraped wood, which tends to have a more rustic appearance and is a wonderful choice for cabins.
When you are installing your wood floors, there are just a few tips to remember that will help improve your results. First of all, let your wood sit inside for a few days before installing it to give it some time to grow accustomed to the temperature and humidity of your home environment. When it comes time to start installing, remember to coat the sub-floor with a layer of asphalt felt, which can usually be attached with a staple gun. Don’t forget to overlap the edges! Wood flooring should be installed perpendicular to the floor joists, so be sure to identify them before you begin, and leave about a half an inch against the wall to make room for the baseboards. The longest or widest boards should form the border against the wall, and it’s a good idea to lay your wood flooring out before attaching it, so you can see what it will look like and rearrange some of the pieces to allow for even color distribution. This is particularly beneficial if you are working with more unique and exotic wood that shows off a variety of colors. Be sure to lay the boards tightly, and if necessary, use a pry bar to get the last few in.
It is very easy to find wood flooring, either online or in any store that has a home improvement department. Websites such as http://www.internetlumber.com have a wide variety of wood available, but if you decide to order offline you should get a sample first to ensure that the color is what you were expecting.
When installing a wood floor, the most important part is selecting the color that is right for you. Once you have this accomplished, ordering and installing are just as simple as laying out the pattern that you want, and proceeding to follow a few simple steps. The result will be a beautiful, long-lasting floor that will speak volumes about the character of your home!
