Archive for the 'Hardwood Durability' Category

I prefer maple; but is Black Cherry, Maple or Walnut better? and more questions

Wednesday, November 7th, 2007

I am purchasing a home and don’t know which is the best, most durable wood to choose. I worry about wear and tear over the years. What is the best way to maintain wood floors before you have to change it, or not? I don’t love too much grain in the floor, that is why I prefer maple; but is Black Cherry, Maple or Walnut better? If I have to choose oak due to cost, should 3/4″ size or more be better? What about staining the oak? I was told that staining is not good. I thought that all wood had to be stained to achieve all the various colors that are available. What then is “natural hardwood” without staining, but in a darker color?

Hickory has greater resistance to denting than red oak

Sunday, April 22nd, 2007

My hardwood floor is constantly having to endure things being dropped on it, creating dents. Is there some sort of finish that better protects floors from damage?

Durability is key

Saturday, April 7th, 2007

I am interested in getting hardwood flooring for the main floor of our house. This is the main walkway through the house, so durability is key. We also have a large dog! Any suggestions?

What type of hardwood to purchase

Wednesday, July 12th, 2006

I am trying to decide on what type of hardwood to purchase. In a previous home I installed dark cherry-stained oak. I have a dog and of course the scratches were very visible and after only a few months looked terrible. I also found it very hard to keep clean.

Beech on the hardness table

Tuesday, June 27th, 2006

We are remodelling our kitchen and considering putting a Beech floor down. Is this a good wood for wear and tear? We have two grandchildren and they tend to play in the kitchen. Will the beech show all the dents and scratches easily? What would be the best wood to use? The flooring person said that beech is just as hard as red oak- Is this true?

Hardwood floors in bath and laundry rooms

Thursday, February 16th, 2006

We are currently remodelling our home and plan on putting wood flooring in both our master bath as well as our laundry room. I know wood floors are generally not recommended for these areas because of water, moisture, etc. However, we are unable to be perfectly happy with any other flooring. Is there any particular species that would be able to hold up better than the others? Also, we are planning on painting both floors? Any suggestions?

Durability ratings

Sunday, October 30th, 2005

Would you please advise me of the ratings for hardwoods as far as durability is concerned?

Floors and wheelchairs

Thursday, October 13th, 2005

My son is in a power wheelchair. To get to his room he needs to cross the den and I would like to replace it with wood. I’m understanding that the laminating would be easier to keep from getting damaged. Please let me know if a laminated one would work better than a hardwood one. It will get a lot of wear and tear.

Wide boards

Friday, October 7th, 2005

I am building a new house and I am interested in wider boards of about 5 inches but I have heard these can have problems with cupping? Is this true and if it is, is there a way to avoid the problem?

Best hardwood for houses with large dogs

Saturday, July 30th, 2005

We want to replace our carpeted floors with hardwood floors. We have two large dogs and two cats. Which type of flooring would be best with this many pets? Thanks in advance for your help! We want to make sure that whatever floor we choose (hardwood, engineered, laminate) will withstand many pet feet and the occasional pet stain without becoming too scratched, dingy or stained.

American Cherry in a high traffic kitchen

Saturday, July 30th, 2005

Would American Cherry hold up in a high traffic kitchen area? Would this be a good choice?

Installing hardwood in kitchen

Saturday, July 30th, 2005

We are building a new house. I love the look of hardwood and would love to have it in the kitchen. The problem is we have three children and I’m afraid it won’t hold up in the kitchen area. I’m also concerned about water damage. At this point I have requested ceramic tile in the kitchen but really want hardwood. The hang ups I have are durability and water damage???….. Help! What’s your opinion?