Generally, a good contractor will focus on understanding the constraints imposed by where the wood is being placed, and will then put together some options that are most aesthetically pleasing. One of the first decisions to be made is whether to go with solid wood or engineered wood. Solid wood comes in thick, heavy planks that fit together with tongues and grooves, and it should always be installed with nails into a subfloor. Engineered wood is a veneer of thin planks that are typically installed with glue onto a subfloor, or are adhered to each other in a floating style. The main advantage with solid wood is that it is more robust – it can be sanded and re-finished many times. Its main drawback is that it can become warped in the presence of heavy humidity. Many experts of wood flooring in Paradise Valley are not as concerned about humidity, but a general best practice is to avoid installing solid wood in below grade basements that are harder to keep dry.

Shine or no shine

Another question is whether you want finished or unfinished hardwood. When hardwood is finished, it is coated in a shiny membrane. For the most part, getting your hardwood finished is a matter of practicality – it will seal all of the little spaces between the floorboards nicely to prevent water from seeping through, and it will protect the wood from decay and warping. Experienced contractors of wood flooring in Paradise Valley typically advise that finishing be done in kitchens and front doorways. There is a downside to finishing. Because of the potency of the reflective shine, it is harder to match new flooring with an existing one when the new one is finished. Additionally, having a finish will make things more difficult if you ever decide to re-stain the wood to achieve a different look. It could take many, many years for the finish to wear down enough for a re-staining project to be viable.

Where do I find wood flooring in Paradise Valley?

The companies providing wood flooring in Paradise Valley generally use four varieties of hardwoods. They are Hard Maple, Red Oak, Black Walnut, and American Cherry. Hard Maple is the sturdiest, meaning that it requires the greatest amount of force to be exerted on it before it will buckle. American Cherry is the softest. Hard Maple can darken a great deal over the years if it is laid in a room with lots of direct sunlight. It is not uncommon for American Cherry to turn from being brown to more of a reddish hue by the sun’s rays. Black Walnut is a wonderful choice for reclaimed flooring – stuff that has been taken out of an existing home and re-laid elsewhere – because the darker color is better at hiding signs of previous wear. In spite of this, oak remains the most popular variety of hardwood to be installed in North America. Regardless of which variety you choose, it is important to get the installation and finishing correct to be happy in the long-run.