Terms you might hear when shopping for Hardwood flooring

Sometimes shopping for flooring can get a little confusing when the salesperson starts throwing some industry jargon at you in the middle of the sales pitch, so I thought a little education on some of the more often used terms might of some help.

This list is not comprehensive, but should cover most of what you hear when shopping:

· ENGINEERED HARDWOOD - This type of hardwood (as opposed to solid hardwood) is constructed much like plywood, except with a top layer of wood that is sanded and finished. The top layer of wood can be of any species that solid hardwood can, such as Oak, Walnut, Hickory, Brazilian Cherry, etc. This type of hardwood flooring is the most reliable and stable.

· URETHANE FINISH - Is the protective clear finish that is applied to the top of the hardwood to keep it looking good.

· ALUMINUM OXIDE - An amazingly hard substance that is added to the Urethane finish to greatly increase the amount of wear and tear the finish layer can handle.

· PLANK EDGES- Referring to the edges of each individual hardwood plank (or strip). You will hear terms such as Beveled-Edges, which are a large bevel that is cut into the top edge of the plank. This gives a pretty disitinctive V-groove. There is also one called an Eased-Edge. This one is a bit shallower and thus gives a little less of the V-groove. Yet again smaller is a Micro-beveled Edge and very close to that is a Kissed-Edge which is perhaps the smallest.

· JANKA RATING - Is an indicator of the relative hardness of a particular species of hardwood as compared to another. The higher the number, the harder the wood. For example, Red Oak has a Janka rating of 1290, whereas Santos Mahogany has a rating of 2200.

· HARDWOOD GRADE - Hardwood comes in different grades, mistakenly referred to as a rating for quality. In general, grades for Oar are: Clear, Select, No.1 Common and No.2 Common. Basically referring to the amount of knotts and mineral streaks that are in the wood. Clear having none and No.2 Common having the most. It may be true however that the lower grades may have a few more "culls" than the top grades. The quality of the wood should be just as good. The biggest difference is in the appearance. The Clear grade looking more formal and the No.2 Common looking more rustic.

· ABOVE GRADE and BELOW GRADE - Above grade flooring means above ground level, leaving at least 18 inches of well-ventilated space. Below grade flooring is below ground level, such as a basement or level below ground. Most hardwood flooring is best suited for above grade applications due to the moisture issues common below grade. Solid hardwood should only be used above grade. Some engineered hardwoods can be used below grade.

· ACCLIMATION - Acclimating the wood is to move it to the area that it is to be installed so that it can come to the same temperature and moisture content as that area.

Different types of trims used with Laminate and Hardwood floors

When you have picked out the hardwood or laminate floor for your home, one of the other things you need to think about is the trim that is used to finish out the job and give it that completed look. What are the various trim pieces used for finishing your flooring? Here is a quick and concise list:

· QUARTER ROUND-Quarter Rounds are used in much the same manner as a Wall Base molding, and much of the time, used along with Wall Base, to conceal the required expansion space between the wall and the flooring.

· END CAP - Also referred to as Baby Threshold. It is used to terminate the edge of the flooring where it meets carpet, sliding glass doors, fireplaces and exterior door jambs. Anywhere that there is an abrupt vertical surface. In the instance of carpet, the edge of the carpet is tucked up tight to the End Cap.

· T-MOLDING - Used in doorways and other areas where one floor will transition to another floor of the same height.

· REDUCER STRIP - Used in transitioning to a floor of lower height. An example would going from a laminate or hardwood floor to a sheet vinyl floor.

· STAIR NOSE - This is used at the front edge of hardwood or quick step laminate flooring that is put on steps. It is usually rounded on the front edge

· WALL BASE - This is attached to the wall to cover the expansion gap where the floor meets the wall. Generally (but not always) used in conjunction with Quarter Round.

· RISER -The vertical element in a set of stairs, forming the space between one step and the next. Risers can sometimes be obtained to match the flooring that is being installed.

There you have it. A short list of terms for hard-surface floors. These trim pieces are essential for a finished appearance, and it is essential to use the right trim piece in the right place. Hopefully this list will help you get what you need to do the job correctly.

What to look for when shopping for hardwood and laminate flooring

Let's tackle hardwood first. Basically, there are two types of hardwood floors to consider - Solid and Engineered. Many people have the mistaken idea that solid hardwood is the better choice. Really, that could not be further from the truth. Solid hardwood flooring can be quite susceptible to problems from moisture and temperature. Whereas engineered hardwood is much more stable in the presence of moisture and temperature extremes.

When shopping for either type, ask how many coats of urethane finish was applied to the surface of the wood. Some of the cheaper varieties only use three coats, where the higher-grade hardwood floors will have 7 or 8 coats or more. When looking at solid hardwood floors, check the grade of the hardwood. At one end of the grading system you will find wood that has no knots or mineral streaks, lending itself to a more formal look. At the other end of the spectrum is wood that has many knots and mineral streaks, looking good in a more rustic environment. Neither type is better than the other. It is merely a matter of personal taste.

For engineered hardwood flooring, aside from the number of urethane layers applied, you want to look at how thick the top layer of wood is. Some of the cheaper varieties have a paper-thin layer of wood. That is not good for the long-haul. Try to get as thick a top layer as your budget will allow.

Next, let's consider laminate flooring. This one is a bit tougher because most laminate floors look quite similar to each other in the way they are constructed. The best thing I can tell you is to stick with brandnames that have a high reputation for quality, such as Mohawk and Quick Step to name a couple. In general the better laminates as compared to the cheap ones will have a much higher quality coreboard and a thicker, tougher wear-layer on top.

Hopefully this will give you some things to look for when shopping for your next floor. One last bit of advice is regarding laminate underlayments. Get one with a built-in moisture barrier. And consider a premium grade underlayment if having a quiet floor matters to you. If it doesn't, then grab the one with a good sale price.

Should I do it myself, or hire a pro?

Many people would like to install their own flooring to save money or just to have the satisfaction of accomplishing this themselves. So the question is: "Should I do it myself?"

It's a valid question, but should be given due consideration. Some types of cheap flooring lend themselves quite well to a DIY project, where others do not. How do you know? Let's consider a few things that may help you make an educated decision.

Let's start with carpet. This type of flooring is generally best left to the professional installer. For a really good looking job, it requires specialized tools that are typically not available to the general handy person. It also requires experience in knowing how to stretch and seam each particular style of carpet as well.

Sheet vinyl is sort of a mixed bag. The majority of the sheet vinly floors on the market require a full-spread adhesive and a heavy roller to set the vinyl into the adhesive. They can be somewhat difficult to work with as well. Here again, it is a job best left to the pro. Having said that, I will mention that there are a new breed of sheet vinyls available that do not require being installed with a full-spread adhesive. They can be attached at the edges or even loose laid. That is something the DIY'er can consider doing.

Another one is Tile flooring, such as ceramic tile or porcelain tile. If the job is not too complex with lots of diagonal cuts or patterns with mixed colors of tile, this could a a consideration for the do-it-yourselfer. It is more involved in that you will need to rent a tile cutter, make sure the subfloor is thick and level enough, put down a backer board and grout it. It takes careful planning and lot's of patience and elbow grease, but it is within the realm of doing it yourself.

Let's move on to hardwood flooring. There are two types of hardwood floors available. Solid and engineered. Solid hardwoods require a hardwood nailer to install and may be best left to pros. Engineered hardwoods can be glued down, a job requireing minimal tools. Not too bad for the DIY'er.

Laminate flooring is a good choice for the person wanting install their own flooring. Basic wood cutting tools are what is required along with an inxpensive laminate installation kit. Plenty of videos are available online to show you tips and tricks for a great looking job.

Lastly, let's consider Luxury Vinyl Tile (LVT). Another good choice for the do-it-yourselfer. Not too complicated and minimal tools that most anyone already has will work. LVT can make for a beautiful job that will take a lot of wear and tear.

So basically, look at the complexity of the job. Is the room(s) a basic square or rectangular shape, or do they have some oddly angled walls and nooks and crannys? Is the subfloor in good shape and pretty level and flat, or will it need a lot of work before installing the floor? Do you have access to the appropriate tools to do the job correctly? Those are good things to consider first. But certainly don't be afraid to do it. I've seen many, many great looking jobs done by the DIY'ers of the world. The two keywords are: Planning and Patience.

Flooring For Do-It-Yourselfers

The Do-It-Yourselfer (DIY) segment of the flooring industry has never been better. There has been a lot of innovation in recent years that has brought a variety of flooring to the market that are relatively easy to install, even for the everyday DIY’er.

One of the first types of flooring we think of for the do-it-yourselfer is laminate flooring. Long known for it’s durability and ease of maintenance, laminate is relatively easy to install with a little care and patience. It does require some basic wood cutting tools and a highly recommended installation kit, but most novices that are even a little handy can do the job.

Another category of flooring to take a good look at is Luxury Vinyl Tile (LVT). We aren’t talking about the old peel and stick vinyl tiles that you still find at the big-box lumber stores. LVT is a very high-quality vinyl tile (or plank in the case of a wood look) that looks beautiful and is amazingly durable. New brands such as Konecto and Zaxxon are making LVT that can be installed with nothing more than a tape measure and a razor knife. No adhesives needed with these brands.

Lastly, you will soon see some new tile flooring on the market from Mannington’s Adura line that looks like tile and wood plank that has a composite core that remains flexible. That means that unlike real ceramic tile, it won’t break if you drop a pan on it. It also has a locking system much like that of laminate flooring, thus doing away with messy adhesives and backer board.

This is a good time for DIY’ers. With plenty of choices in beautiful, top-notch flooring that most anyone who is a little handy can install a new floor in their home with only a rudimentary set of tools. Time to go shopping!