If you have decided that hardwood flooring is the right option for your home, you may be getting ready to reach out to a hardwood floor installation contractor. Before you make the leap into having your new flooring installed, there are some things that you'll have to decide. Understanding your choices for your hardwood flooring installation can help you to be better prepared and to get the flooring that you've been dreaming of. Here's a look at a few of the things that you need to think about as you're preparing to get your new hardwood floors installed.
Choose Your Hardwood Flooring Type
The first thing you need to think about is what type of hardwood flooring you prefer. Solid hardwood floors are crafted as solid planks from raw wood. Engineered flooring, on the other hand, is a layer of hardwood on top of plywood. The plywood layer is ideal for those areas where you'll have moisture exposure, such as the kitchen or a room where you'll be watering plants.
Unfortunately, engineered hardwood doesn't feature enough of the hardwood layer for you to refinish your floors. With solid hardwood, on the other hand, you will be able to refinish the floors several times. If you have pets or kids, this may be important for maintenance and preserving your investment.
Decide How You Want Your Hardwood Finished
Another thing you will need to think about is whether you want prefinished hardwood flooring or if you want your newly installed hardwood floors to be finished in your home. If you opt for prefinished flooring, you won't have any delay after installation, but you may risk damage to the finish during that installation.
Having the floors finished after the installation ensures a uniform, even finish across the entire floor. You won't have to worry about any dings in the finish during the installation. However, it does mean that you'll have to leave the floor until the finish cures before you can walk on it or put furniture in the room.
Consider Your Plank Choices
Hardwood flooring planks come in many different styles, and the style you choose will greatly affect the way that your final flooring installation looks. Shorter, narrower planks are usually easier to install, and they are easier to replace when they are damaged because you can isolate just the small section that's damaged.
Larger planks are often used in smaller rooms to make them seem larger, but those planks are more challenging to install because of their size and weight. Additionally, you'd have to replace a large plank or more if the floor suffers any damage.
These are a few of the most important decisions you'll have to make when you're having new hardwood floors installed in your home. Talk with a hardwood floor installation contractor today about the options available to you.