Hardwood With A White Finish Beautifies And Enhances Natural Light Sources

One of the best ways to bring a bright, ethereal ambiance to your living space is the installation of white hardwood flooring planks. While white hardwood sometimes resurrects an older décor style, the stark brightness it provides can also give your home a modern feel unachievable with other flooring materials. However, there are several homeowners and design gurus out there who would try to involuntarily commit you in court if you even so much as had thought of installing white hardwood floors in your dwelling. Common responses usually focus on the difficulty of cleaning.

White Hardwood Floors Are Relatively Difficult To Clean

Yes, of course, white hardwood floors are more difficult to clean than a darker variety of either stained or unstained hardwood, but cleaning isn’t that much of a daunting task. Yes, you will have to clean more often, but the procedures are the same as cleaning any other hardwood. Darker hardwoods—usually light brown, but not dark brown, as the latter also makes dust appear conspicuously—tend to conceal dust much more effectively than hardwoods with a white finish, but this can have its drawbacks. A white hardwood floor can actually be cleaner since you are more likely to clean it frequently as dust is more visible. Just because you can’t see the dust on a darker hardwood floor doesn’t mean it’s not there.

White Hardwood Flooring Enhances The Standards Of Your Home!

Additionally, the natural light that white hardwood floors will draw into your home is incredible. If you have skylights, you will undoubtedly save a lot of money on your electric bill. There is a slow but steady increase in the demand for white hardwood floors, as design trends tend to be cyclical. While shabby-chic and rustic hand-scraped hardwood designs still retain a high level of popularity, in a few years this trend could very well be on its way out. But really, what matters most is the décor preferences of each individual designer and homeowner, and there exists a sizable niche market for white hardwood floors that continues to grow.

The Lauzon Designer Elements Is A Good Choice!

The Lauzon Designer Elements collection is a particularly good choice for white hardwood flooring. Its white-finished hard maple planks come in three sizes to match your design sensibilities. The 3” and 4” sizes reflect a more vintage construction style, while the 5” planks will give you the white wood aesthetics in a more modern layout. This flooring line is ideal for rooms with open floor plans and high ceilings for a spectacular display of reflected natural light. For something a little more unique that combines both rustic charm and the modern display of hardwoods with a white finish, the Shaw Cape Ann collection offers its Rockport option. The varying shades of white in these 4” planks can give your home a flowing visual pattern that simultaneously provides beaming light and coziness.

If you’re the type of homeowner who loves anything bright and bold, white hardwood flooring planks are certainly worth considering. Ignore the critics, please don’t sell your children, and give your home the ethereal, palatial elegance that it deserves. Just be sure to take extra care in cleaning frequency, and leave your muddy boots outside.

Even Ceramic Tiles Will No Longer Give You Cold Feet!

Although ceramic and porcelain tiles are some of the most durable and cost-effective flooring options available, a major complaint is the stark coldness it retains during winter months. In the U.S., many regions—with the exception of the desert Southwest—prefer hardwood for this very reason. However, an underutilized technology could make ceramic tile more desirable in these areas. Even today, forced-air heating systems dominate the market. It’s certainly the easiest form of climate control to set up, but it is far from the most cost-effective in terms of your electric or gas bill. Faulty insulation, the settling of cold air, and the cycling of the heating unit throughout the day can lead to a high degree of lost heat. Contrarily, it is easier to repair, as jackhammering a floor is usually not required to conduct maintenance on traditional forced-air systems that use vents and ducts.

What is Radiant Heating Technology?

Believe it or not, Radiant heating technology has been around for several thousands of years to heat dwellings underneath the flooring surface. The most notable example of this was the hypocaust, invented by the Romans, appearing as early as the 1^st century B.C. The floor was raised with stacks of tiles in order to allow hot air generated by a furnace to circulate underneath the floor, with the addition of flues that would extend to the roof so the room would be heated but not filled with smoke. A similar system was used in Korea since 1000 B.C. called an ondol that used similar processes of convection underneath the floor. After the fall of the Roman Empire, however, central heating systems throughout the Middle Ages were essentially nonexistent in Europe. It wasn’t until the 20^th century that forced-air heating systems became the dominant form of climate control in both residential and commercial applications.

Radiant heat, as its name suggests, uses principles of radiation rather than forced convection to heat a space. This system is quite popular with tile floors, as tile’s low specific heat capacity compared to materials like hardwood makes it lose heat very quickly without a constant supply of energy. There are two main types of radiant heating systems that are used underneath floor coverings. Electric systems use coils to radiate heat in between the subfloor and the floor covering. Hydronic systems use heated water to radiate warmth in what are called either wet or dry installations. Dry installations place the pipes directly beneath the subfloor, while wet installations route the pipes before a concrete foundation is poured. The latter is generally preferred, although this only works in new building projects, not remodeling.

Are They Easy To Install?

Electric radiant heat floor systems are quite easy to install. An existing floor can be removed in order to lay the coils underneath. This technology has the advantage of working with nearly every type of flooring with the exception of carpet, as it is usually heavily insulated, and heat will not transfer easily through this surface. While this can potentially save you money on your electric bill more than forced-air cooling systems, it still requires more energy than hydronic radiant heat floor systems.

With hydronic systems, heated water in pipes can be routed on a closed-loop circuit, cycling through to the boiler and out again indefinitely. This not only conserves resources but also saves cost. The most cost-effective hydronic system is by far the wet installation method. Synthetic pipes are embedded in the concrete, so the amount of heat required to warm a floor is considerably less than it is with dry installations. Concrete retains more heat for a longer period of time than the floor covering itself, so home temperatures can be kept relatively constant with minimal fluctuations throughout the day. Unlike copper pipes, the cross-linked polyethylene (PEX) pipes used for these applications will not corrode over time, so you can rest assured your concrete foundation will not crack or shift because of any moisture problems from the radiant heating floor system. In the middle of the 20^th century, radiant heating floor systems experienced a brief resurgence but quickly faded out of popularity. These early systems used copper pipes instead of PEX, so there were many problems with the structural integrity of home foundations due to leaks and excess moisture. Thankfully, this is no longer an issue.

Take Precautions Before Installing Radiant Heat Flooring

The only type of flooring that should be avoided with hydronic radiant floors is solid hardwood. While the pipes themselves do not permit any moisture to seep out, solid hardwood is extremely sensitive to any temperature variations, especially when it comes to the subfloor. Over time, solid wood has the potential to shift, buckle, and warp, so a hydronic radiant heat wood floor of the solid variety is generally not recommended. While it technically can be done with a careful and thoroughly professional installation, engineered hardwood that floats over the subfloor is the better choice in this application.

The type of floor that benefits the most from radiant heating systems is by far tile. Ceramic, porcelain, and natural stone tiles tend to be naturally cold in the absence of a heat source, so this is a great way to make it comfortable to walk barefoot on tile floors in the winter without feeling like your extremities are being frostbitten on the way to the Mount Everest summit. Electric systems can even be used in do-it-yourself projects with tile flooring, but when it comes to wet hydronic installations, it’s best to leave that to the professionals. Consider taking advantage of this energy-saving and cost-efficient technology before you automatically give ceramic tile the cold shoulder.

Square Hardwood Tiles Are The New Trend

While we love the sleek, authentic look of traditional hardwood planks, a new trend has been catching on in the flooring industry that is transforming the way in which designers view hardwood, and it couldn’t come at a better time. In addition to standard traditional planks with random lengths, more manufacturers are designing their hardwood lines in the form of square hardwood tiles. It makes sense, considering the fact that if ceramic tiles can resemble hardwood, there isn’t any reason why this can’t work the other way around.

Square Hardwood Tiles Comes In Different Designs

While still relatively uncommon in many design circles, square hardwood tiles are popping up more often. The visuals created by these layouts are truly phenomenal, creating a patchwork of color variation, spatial depth, and undulating visuals that will fill your living space with unprecedented stylistic innovation. Depending on how you layout square hardwood tiles, you can create your own unique design variations that you can truly call your own. Whether you choose one color scheme or a Frankenstein-like amalgamation of several shades, the visuals within your home will surely be impressive to all of your guests.

One of the forerunners of this trend is the Mannington Earthly Elements hardwood collection. These engineered squares can be applied to nearly anywhere within your home, including below-grade and areas prone to moisture such as kitchens, laundry rooms, and powder rooms. Laying out the tiles in contrasting directions is definitely the boldest look you can achieve with Earthly Elements; the cross graining will give your floor an almost woven look that oscillates rhythmically throughout any room. Any visitors will also be shocked that your newfound surface is actually real wood and not wood-look porcelain or luxury vinyl tile. This collection also comes with black and white color options, replicating the posh look of black and white porcelain tile with a more rustic, rugged appeal.

Are Mosaic Hardwood Collections Available In Many Colors?

A slight variation of this square hardwood tile design is present in the IndusParquet ¾” Mosaic hardwood collection. The 47” long planks are designed with a square patchwork layout down each one, so when put up against other planks, the mosaic appearance is quite intricate and dramatic. The square mosaic options are available in two colors that bring out the wondrous details of exotic hardwoods. The Brazilian Tigerwood option is a bright, radiant yellow while Brazilian Amendoim is a more subdued brown tone with hints of ocean green.

Mirage Classic Maple Collection

Don’t forget to also take a look at the Mirage Classic Maple collection. Its fixed-length hardwood boards can be put together to create square-like patterns that are similar in effect to the Mannington Earthly Elements collection. Another great attribute of this Mirage line is its ability to adapt to other installation patterns, such as herringbone or quarter-turn layouts.

In spite of the fact that square hardwood tiles are a relatively new fashion development in the flooring industry, it has the potential to exponentially grow into an eclectic, popular trend.

Are Exotic Hardwood Floors Eco-friendly?

Considering the vast amount of emphasis on eco-friendly products, exotic hardwoods have more or less fallen by the wayside, as many people see these woods as a notorious example of deforestation that occurs in Africa, South America, and Asia. While there is some truth to this sentiment, several governments around the world have much stricter regulations on wood harvesting than they did 20 years ago. Just because you decide to purchase an exotic hardwood floor does not automatically mean you are contributing to excessive logging and rampant deforestation. Likewise, going for domestic hardwoods isn’t always the option that has the least impact on the environment, either. In many cases, bamboo products perceived as eco-friendly can even be more damaging to the environment than traditional hardwood, considering the energy it takes to ship most of it overseas.

Environmentally Friendly Hardwood Floors

Fortunately, many hardwood manufacturers around the world adhere to strict standards when it comes to harvesting timber. Between replanting, vertically integrated manufacturing sites, and the increased use of reclaimed lumber, hardwood flooring is certainly more environmentally friendly than it has been in the past. All too often, many people who take ecological concerns seriously when purchasing flooring, unfortunately, view hardwood as the fur coat of the flooring industry, even though this mentality is usually far-fetched and erroneous. Whether you desire exotic species like jatoba or beautiful oak domestics, both can still be environmentally friendly choices depending on their origin.

Somerset hardwood, for example, retains a completely vertically integrated manufacturing facility. This means that the company is involved in 100 percent of the production process, from harvesting all the way up to packaging. Somerset even retains an in-house forestry staff, which puts together long-term 100-year plans to ensure the sustainability of the company’s products from its managed forests. Additionally, any waste products from the manufacturing process are turned into wood pellet fuel, further reducing environmental impact and maximizing the use of resources. Specializing in domestic white oak and red oak hardwood, Somerset also offers hickory, maple, walnut, and American cherry floors, all of which are domestically grown in its managed forests.

Triangulo Hardwood Floors Are An Excellent Choice!

When it comes to exotics, Triangulo hardwood is an excellent choice for those who have the sustainability of the environment in mind. In spite of being headquartered in Brazil—which for all intents and purposes used to be considered the deforestation capital of the world—Triangulo follows strict environmental standards to make sure timber is harvested responsibly and appropriately. Managing a forest that covers approximately 14 square miles, Triangulo only harvests trees that have reached maturity and are rigorous in its replanting strategies. Its Brazilian chestnut, jatoba, amendoim, and tigerwood offerings are available in both solid and engineered hardwood floors to give you optimal design flexibility.

Aside from the obvious differences in appearance, one of the main advantages of exotic hardwoods is their durability; most exotic wood species outrank traditional domestic oak and maple on the Janka hardness scale. Jatoba, amendoim, and Brazilian walnut all surpass standard domestic maple, oak, and hickory in terms of rigidity. Of course, if you prefer a warmer look to your hardwood floor, red oak is and always has been a standard that will give your home stunning visual depth and a soft, cozy feel.

Are Hardwood Floors Here To Stay?

In spite of the negative press the hardwood flooring industry has received worldwide, don’t shy away from either domestic or exotic wood flooring based on perceived environmental concerns. The majority of reputable companies follow strict standards when it comes to harvesting, replanting, and recycling their products to ensure minimal impact on surrounding ecosystems. Just make sure you do all your research first before you automatically assume preconceived notions about hardwood’s environmental impact. In most cases, it is no less environmentally sound than bamboo or ceramic tile.

Yes, Laminate Flooring Can Be Environmentally Friendly!

When we make what sounds like such an outrageous claim, you might be reminded of this commercial that touts the benefits of high-fructose corn syrup as a “natural” alternative to sugar. If you know how HFCS is produced, you would dismiss this claim as absolutely preposterous (and don’t get us wrong, it certainly is) but we don’t represent the Corn Refiner’s Association nor do we represent any specific segment of the flooring industry other than the customer. To say that HFCS is made from corn and is natural is simply intellectually dishonest. We’re not going to tell you that laminate is a natural flooring product because it’s simply not. It might be composed of natural materials, but the resulting product is far from natural. However, that does not mean that it is precluded from being considered an environmentally friendly alternative to hardwood flooring.

Do Laminate Flooring Save Trees?

Consider this. Since the aesthetic part of laminate flooring is actually a photographic appliqué layer designed to look like hardwood instead of being the real thing, no trees have to be cut down in order to produce these laminate planks. But what about the inner high-density fiberboard core? That comes from wood, right? Well yes, of course it does. But many manufacturers take this HDF from wood by-products that would otherwise be thrown out, so they are conserving as many resources as possible by reusing material rather than chopping down trees to create the inner core.

Laminate Flooring Can Replicate Different Designs!

Laminate flooring can also be made to look like virtually any wood out there, so if you’re a fan of exotic hardwood, you won’t have to feel guilty about flattening an entire forest to get the look of Brazilian cherry hardwood in your living room. In addition to hardwood replications, there are several laminate products now that replicate the beauty of the natural stone. Laminate that looks like stone is becoming increasingly popular, as many natural stones are quite expensive compared to the laminate flooring material used to replicate stone aesthetics. While natural stones can be reused, many people do not recycle their old stone flooring material, which over time depletes the fixed natural resources that provide for stone flooring. Laminate flooring is more easily recyclable, as the planks can be compressed back into HDF for new laminate flooring planks without having to harvest additional wood from forests.

Special Edition Laminate Floorings.

In particular, the Bruce Gardenstone collection replicates fine quarried stone so well that it is difficult to tell the difference between this laminate collection and actual natural stone at first glance. Another laminate flooring option to check out is the Columbia Cascade Clic collection, which embodies the natural aesthetics of slate tiles in a more affordable format. While laminate is certainly not a natural product, the way in which it is produced, in addition to its potential recyclability, can be considered an eco-friendly flooring option in the ranks of cork, bamboo, and hardwood that are produced in vertically integrated manufacturing strategies. Stay informed by keeping up with us, and celebrate Earth Day by considering the many eco-friendly flooring options that are available at your disposal.

Are Laminate Floors A Great Alternative For Wood?

In recent years, laminate has become an increasingly popular flooring choice that is quickly catching up with the consistent popularity of authentic hardwood. It looks like wood, even feels like wood, is generally cheaper to buy and install, and is much easier to clean. While hardwood itself is extremely desirable, the steep price tag and associated maintenance costs are driving people toward laminate flooring, especially given the current state of the economy.

Laminate Floors Are Innovative Design

Because of the way in which laminate floors are manufactured, they tend to be extremely resilient to scratches, spills, and scuffs. Laminate floors are essentially comprised of four main parts. A photographic appliqué layer (usually of wood or stone) is strategically placed underneath a clear protective layer that acts as a shield to the floor design. The inner core of laminate is generally an amalgamation of melamine resin and fiberboard materials. Since melamine contains approximately 66 percent nitrogen by mass, these floors are extremely fire retardant, adding an element of safety to your home. The balancing element, inner core, pattern, and protective wear layer are combined at high pressure and temperature, normally at 600 pounds per square inch and 400 F, respectively. After these laminate sheets are pressed, they are cooled to ensure a full cure and prevent surface imperfections, creating aesthetically pleasing laminate floor planks ready for installation.

Why are Laminate Floors Cheap?

When laminate flooring was invented by Perstorp in the 1970s, only a few select brands were passable as authentic hardwood; many other manufacturers who jumped on the laminate bandwagon were producing inferior products that were obviously cheaply made. Technological advancements since then have drastically improved the appearance of laminate floors. However, there are dubious manufacturers out there who sacrifice quality for low cost and high volume. It is important to be cautious when choosing laminate floors; all too often, deals that seem too good to be true generally are.

Due to the relative ease of manufacture and increased consumer demand for laminate products, this, unfortunately, has concerning implications in the floor covering industry. An unspoken price war is waging between manufacturers, and some companies have to meet very low consumer price demands in order to stay competitive. This, in turn, results in some manufacturers cutting corners on quality in order to meet their bottom line.

Choose The Better Quality Wisely!

The good-quality laminate normally costs between $1 and $4 per square foot. It is always advisable to check consumer reviews of specific flooring products before you purchase them for installation. Things to watch out for in laminate floors are extremely hollow sound, too much give, excessive ridging and peaking where planks are joined, and floating floors that do not click in properly. These are all signs of cheap laminate; of course, even the best quality laminate has its drawbacks just like any other type of flooring, but any defect or flaw that affects the structural integrity of the flooring is a definite danger sign.

A product of the late 70s laminate has revolutionized the flooring industry offering flawless replications of wood, stone, and more. Today’s market is filled with stunning collections expressing the highest level of realism achieved through the latest, cutting-edge technology. Offering endless visual depth and beaming beauty, laminate floors deliver high-impact style to any space of the home. Moisture, wearing, fading and stain resistances allow for application versatility for a uniform style throughout the home. With a multilayer construction, laminate flooring presents superior durability for quality trusted flooring.

Turning a house into a home, flooring is perhaps the most important element of any space.  Tying a décor together, it is the backdrop to all of life’s precious moments. When choosing the perfect flooring for you, there are many options available on the market today. With that, laminate floors will get you the most “bang for your buck” while serving as a smart solution to flooring for trusted resiliency.