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As with most home improvement projects, or with new homes, one of the first things you might do is ask yourself a few questions about making unfinished hardwood flooring your choice. Just a few minutes of talking with family members and friends about the idea can clear up any doubts about how you want to proceed.
Wood floors can add value to your home at resale time, and are excellent for that quality look and the durability you are seeking in your home. As many builders and suppliers will tell you, hardwood floors require little regular maintenance beyond sweeping and vacuuming. Of course, a little preventive maintenance doesn’t hurt, like rugs and other floor protection. Then, when it comes to resurfacing at a later date, the job will be much easier. So why start with unfinished hardwood flooring? First of all, solid hardwood floors can last a lifetime and most people will agree that nothing rivals the beauty of a well-kept hardwood floor. However, you will want to be sure to start with carefully dried and carefully cut unfinished hardwood flooring, so that installation goes smoothly and maintenance will be easier years down the road. You will be able to choose from a variety of excellent hardwoods, including red oak, white oak, hard maple, birch and cherry. A good example of what is available comes from New Hampshire, where a company offers various widths of all types of high-grade hardwood. Three-inch select hard maple is $4.15 per square foot of coverage, a price that is close to average for the woods offered while red birch and cherry will be slightly more. Some woods, such as red oak and white oak are priced per bundle, which includes about 20 square feet. Three inch is the most common width, but plank flooring is available in widths up to about seven inches. You might also make sure that you are getting unfinished hardwood flooring in the common thickness of three quarter inch with tongue and groove. In comparison, the style of flooring called “strip” comes in narrower widths, with the most common being two and one-quarter inch. Of course, if you begin with unfinished hardwood flooring, you will need to take into account the extra time needed for sanding and finishing, as well as about 10% for cutting waste. With that in mind, buying unfinished hardwood flooring will give you the option of deciding on your own finish, yet another way to add a unique touch to the home. |
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