Exotic Hardwood Flooring Makes Your Feet Look Good

Truly, it’s hard to beat the timeless beauty that antique wood Concrete Staining Patterns or even cork flooring can offer. The type of wood used is a personal preference and it basically depends on your lifestyle choice. Your new hardwood flooring is going to be stylish and have eye appeal, and will complement any type of room decor. Other than your standard traditional oak flooring which is common in many new homes, exotic wood flooring can be a stunning and beautiful change.

Hardwood flooring is durable and will last virtually a lifetime with the proper care. Exotic wood flooring comes in a variety of species, stains, finishes and patterns from which to select. In addition to being hypoallergenic, wood flooring is environmentally friendly. It enhances the desirability and real estate market value of your home. Flooring costs are now an affordable option and worth every penny. If you’re considering exotic hardwood flooring, you have to ask yourself, ” Am I choosing the best hardwood flooring type available for practical reasons or is this simply a luxury?

There are many different types of exotic woods such as bamboo flooring, Australian tiger-eye, cork flooring, antique wood flooring, and the list goes on and on. Maintenance should be one of your considerations when selecting a fine hardwood for your flooring. Exotic wood types such as Brazilian teak, Brazilian walnut, Tiete rosewood, and Santos mahogany will require less pampering because of their high Janka Hardness rating.

According to tests undertaken by the US forestry lab, some types of exotic woods are more durable than others. They use an official hardness rating system called the Janka rating. It is based on the pounds of pressure needed to embed a 0.444-inch diameter steel ball one half its own diameter into the wood. It’s interesting to make some comparisons. Looking at white pine as an example it takes 380 pounds of pressure, Douglas fir, 660 pounds, and American cherry flooring, 950 pounds.

Many of the exotic woods are in the thousands. Brazilian teak hardwood flooring has a Janka rating of 3,540. It is excellent for growing families with large pets and requires less maintenance and repair due to wear and tear. If you’re expecting a lot of heavy use and foot traffic, Brazilian cherry has a rating of 2,820 and may be better than Australian hard Cyprus. Brazilian cherry may lack the wide range of cream to brown tones filled with dark character knots that Cyprus can offer, but it has a tremendous hardness rating that’s about double. Also, the flooring cost is less expensive per square foot than Cyprus for similar grade planks. The cost savings can be as much as $1.65 or more! The higher the hardness level, the fewer the precautionary measures you’ll need to take to prevent surface damage for the simple fact that it is more durable. Bamboo flooring, as an example, is extremely tough and a great flooring for family use.

Households without small children and heavy foot traffic may require lower hardness ratings and need not pay the higher costs associated with installing exotic hardwood flooring. Hardwood flooring still remains a good option and a sound investment for most households. You don’t have to order your flooring from the other side of the world to get a stunning and durable hardwood floor. Many domestic and local suppliers offer American hardwood with excellent durability and longevity that requires minimal upkeep and hardwood floor maintenance. The key is the quality of wood grade. Clear grades that offer warm inviting tones along with fine wood grains are excellent. You want to select grades that show off naturally-occurring character marks. Antique hardwood flooring offers an excellent character grade and one with rustic country charm that is especially appealing with certain types of home design and interior décor.

Consider the time saving convenience of refinished hardwood flooring. It cuts down on the overall hardwood floor costs including contractor installation. Sanding and finishing isn’t required, and refinished hardwood floor planks move independently with humidity changes. Seasonal changes are less stressful on flooring, so floor separations become less noticeable over time. A popular, upscale hardwood flooring is the hand-scraped, distressed and reclaimed, previously-used hardwood flooring that offers a classic look. The floor adds appeal and value to the homeowner due to the character flaws.