Distressed Wood Flooring Explained

Distressing is a technique which is currently being used on everything from jeans cloth to wood floors. Distressed wood floors are the perfect compromise for anyone who is yearning the expression of an old floor but the performance and the practicality of a new floor. Distressed wood flooring are not amazingly a popular choice within this period of fashion where folks want products that have a solid heritage or a story to tell. Although distressed wood flooring have neither of those things from an era point of view, the appearance implies that the floor has survived the test of time and has a history all its own. These are often referred to as classic wood flooring because of this.

The technique utilized to distress a timber flooring efficiently involves damaging the floor to make it seem like it has endured many years of wear and tear. Distressing could be carried out by hand or by machine. Normally, chains, scrapers, hammers and other harmful objects are utilized to produce the distressed effect that's so desirable today. A distressed wood floor implies that the floor has a long standing background and a small story to tell. A look that works well in both traditional and modern interior settings, it's easy to see why distressed wood flooring is sought after.

An alternative to hand painful is for flooring to be tumbled. A tumbled flooring is an alternative to hand distressed hardwood floors which has a very similar looking end. Tumbling floor planks is a process which makes a similar end look to painful and involves rotating the floor boards at a huge drum where they roll around and bounce off each other causing damage to both the faces and the edges of the boards. The end result of tumbling is possibly more arbitrary than painful and it's the added benefit of distressing the borders of the boards, which functions to alter the overall look once the flooring is laid.

Distressed and tumbled wood floors are especially effective techniques to incorporate old home charm to new possessions as well as being a smart concept to turn a worn and weary old floor into something a little more interesting and desirable. Colours of distressed wood floors and levels of distress differ from product to product but there is likely to be a distressed wood floor option to fit your requirements and budget. In reality, you may even distress your very own wooden floor in case you've got the guts, but it's not a task for the faint hearted!

HOW MOISTURE LEVELS IN THE AIR AFFECT YOUR HARDWOOD FLOORS

Hardwood floors are vulnerable to this change in humidity levels in the atmosphere. Though the hardwood is first dried and then processed prior to being used for flooring, seasonal changes on the flooring may become noticeable. Keep reading to learn more about these changes with respect to various times of the year and what floor care processes you can do to avoid humidity problems with your wood floors.

Assessing Your Hardwood Floors From Seasonal Humidity Changes

Throughout winter season

The air during in winter is generally dry and lacks humidity. Homes can also be heated and hardwood floors loses some moisture and can begin contracting. This ends in a string of thin openings which typically appear between the boards if the moisture levels in the atmosphere fall under 40%. There is not anything to worry about as this will return to normal once you turn off the heating in the spring, and humidity levels start rising again.

To be able to prevent this from occurring, you might choose to control the humidity levels in the atmosphere during the winter by installing a humidifier near the furnace. Another option is to use a portable humidifier in the room(s) with wood flooring. A basic humidity meter is also helpful in tracking the moisture levels in your home through the year.

During summer season

When the air is humid in the summer, indoor humidity levels can appear as large as 90%. As a result, the wood tends to absorb the extra moisture from the atmosphere and expand in size (that can be known as cupping of timber ) within only a couple of days. If you realize that the edges of the boards are higher than its center part, the wood has cupped.

So as to stop cupping from occurring on your hardwood flooring, it is important to keep up the indoor humidity levels in your home (before installation) between 40% to 60%. Always work to limit the humidity below 65%. It is a nice thought to maintain humidity levels under control with a dehumidifier or air conditioner during the warm and humid summer season.

Special note for hardwood flooring Using exotic wood species

In case you've installed an exotic hardwood floor, you have to make sure that the indoor air humidity levels are within the range of 50 percent to 70% at all times, as well as this, air temperature also needs to be kept between 65F and 75F.

As a remedy to maintain these floors, it is advisable to keep an air humidifier running during winter season, along with an air conditioner through the summers. Installing engineered hardwood flooring and using digital temperature/moisture meter are also known to be good solutions for preventing the wooden boards from cupping, crowning, humidity fluctuations, buckling, and cracking.

Your Woolwich Area All-Around Hardwood Floor Specialist

Woolwich Floor Sanding Has an experienced team of specialists in hardwood flooring repair, refinishing, and installation. If you have any queries or concerns about hardwood flooring our hardwood floor specialist will be happy to help you. Feel free to give us a call at 020 3151 0075. You could also contact us using our online form.