Which type of wooden flooring is best for you?
How practical is it to use wooden flooring in Indian Homes?
Which type of wooden floor is suitable to our homes?
How easy it is to maintain wooden flooring?
These are often asked questions asked by my clients, whenever we are proposing one for their space.
Lets get to the common ones first
1) Solid wood/ Hardwood Floor-
As the name suggests, it is produced from one piece of timber which is harvested from variety of trees, and that is how we get beautiful varied grains.
Since it is a thicker surface, it can be sanded more often than any other type of flooring. These needs to be polished periodically, to maintain its beauty.
Due to high humidity in air, hardwood floor tends to expand and contract. That is how when you see certain installations, one can notice gaps in the flooring. It is not a fault of installation, but due to climatic changes. Hence, this works best for less humid places. However, lovers of wood would not mind using them. It also gives the look of natural and rustic feel, over a period.
In addition, not to compromise who wishes to use solid wood floor, you can always use dehumidifier to control the humidity in air.
2) Engineered Wood Floor-
As opposed to solid wood, engineered wood has a thin layer of actual timber, which is stuck to the base of plywood, to achieve desired thickness. Since the layer of actual wood is thin, it cannot be sanded as often as solid wood.
Apart from plank form, engineered wood is also available in different shapes and cuts too.
3) Laminate Floor-
Laminate floor is a wood like floor, without any actual wood. It is bonded with synthetic materials to form a layer. Just as in engineered wood there is ply underneath the actual wood, in this case there is HDF (high-density board). This also makes it easier to differentiate between the two for a layperson.
It is easy to maintains, as it does not require any sanding, waxing and polish to retain its beauty. It is most economical out of all three.
4) Bamboo Floor-
Due to its fast growing, it has less environmental liability for harvest, unlike natural wood, which takes ages to mature. Hence making this an Eco-friendly product for the floor. Bamboo is grass that is compressed to form wood floor.
It is anti-bacterial, water resistant and durable material. It is cheaper than solid/engineered wood floors.
However, to its disadvantage, some bamboo floor contains toxic adhesive. It can easily be scratched.
5) Cork Floor -
Another Eco-friendly finish is cork floor. It is made without harming the tree by removing bark of the oak, hence allowing the tree to flourish in natural way.
It is once again a renewable and sustainable product. It has high level of insulation properties, highly durable for long run.
To its disadvantage, there are very few options to choose from It is not as high stain resistant than any other floors. Sharp objects may cause damage to the cork floor. However PU coating the floor every year will help to protect the cork floor.
Maintenance guide-
Do’s
· Vacuum the floors regularly
· Use dehumidifier to maintain the level of humidity in the space, especially to maintain solid and engineered wood floor
· Use protective pads for furniture pieces. Do not drag them which shifting/ moving.
· Try to use place mats at the entrance of the room, so that dirt and dust does not gather on it
Dont’s
· Do not use wet mops, too much water can cause the floor to swell
· Do not leave out sharp objects on floor
· Do not use cleaning agents and soaps to clean them, as it may cause change in color and will make it duller.
“We love to create spaces that are inviting and embarks good energy”
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