The Benefits of Different Types of Flooring

Don't Forget These Small But Important Features When Choosing Timber Floors

26 April 2017

Marian Moreno

When you're ready to choose timber floors for your home, you may have a particular colour or tone in mind that will match the home's overall style and your own personal taste; however, you may not have thought about many other details to those floors. As with any surface in your home, you want to think about more than just colour for timber floors, as other small but important features will make a big difference in their feel and appearance. Note a few of those features here, and discuss them with an installer as needed.

Underlayment

Many timber floors can be installed with a tongue-and-groove design that allows them to simply float over the home's current tile, stone, or concrete flooring; this makes installation very fast and easy. However, an underlayment, like foam padding under carpeting, can make that timber floor more comfortable; it may also absorb more noise, as floorboards are less likely to squeak or creak when there is a thick underlayment beneath them. An underlayment for a timber floor is often made of soft cork, as this will absorb the sound and impact of foot traffic without causing the timber floor to sink or move around over when you walk on it.

Nail location

Timber floors may be installed with top nails or secret nails. Top nails are just as the name implies; they are on the top of the timber floorboard and remain visible after installation is completed. This can give the timber floors a very rustic look. Secret nails are placed along the tongue and groove parts where the boards meet, so they're hidden away. For a cleaner and more modern look, opt for secret nails.

Grade

When choosing boards for the floor, you might notice that your installer offers different grades. The higher the grade of timber used for flooring, the fewer the knots, eyes, warping, colour differences, and other such imperfections. While lower grades may be advertised as less than perfect, you may actually want more of these features, for a more rustic and casual look. However, if you prefer timber floors that are more uniform in appearance, you should opt for a higher grade. Note, too, that many flooring manufacturers will have their own grading system; some will use lettering and others will use numbers, but whatever system they use, be sure you understand the differences in grades and then invest in the boards that best suit your own personal tastes.

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