6 Common Wood Flooring Questions Answered

So you’re considering hardwood flooring, but you have questions that need answering before you take the financial plunge and have wood flooring installed in Toronto. Or maybe you just have hardwood flooring questions?

Either way, as experienced flooring contractors serving the GTA for over 20 years, we receive these 6 frequent questions so often that we decided to answer them all in a post!

Your Hardwood Questions, Answered

Let’s delve into some of your top hardwood flooring questions. 

• Q: Which is better, engineered or hardwood flooring?

The answer depends on your flooring needs. Engineered wood can only be sanded 4x before it needs to be replaced by a flooring installer in Toronto or elsewhere, making hardwood the longer-lasting option. There are also a number of other differences that you should consider before picking which is best for your space.

• Q: Can I have hardwood if I have pets and children?

Yes, but there are some things you have to consider first. Firstly, if you have a large dog and don’t want to contend with unsightly deep scratches from their nails, you should go with light-coloured flooring, as it will conceal both scratches and pet hair.

Next, familiarize yourself with the Janka Scale, which measures the wood species’ hardness. In other words, the tougher the board, the harder it is to damage. Soft wood like pine will show scratches more readily than maple, hickory, or oak.

Lastly, opt for a scratch-resistant finish and prefinished flooring, as both options will better protect your wood from surface damage.

• Q: How do you keep your wood floors looking brand new?

The trick is routine maintenance. Hardwood flooring maintenance requires you to sweep, vacuum, dust mop (no wet mops) with proper hardwood floor cleaner, and clean up any messes as soon as they occur. 

You also must keep up with the scratches by filling them in with “fill sticks” or other do-it-yourself methods. 

Lastly, as your hardwood ages and scratches, dings, and dents begin accumulating, and you cannot fix them yourself, it’s time to call your flooring installer in Toronto or the GTA to sand and refinish them.

• Q: Is hardwood environmentally friendly?

As we become more ecologically minded, it makes sense that many of us want to know 

which flooring materials are eco-friendly. Will hardwood floors end up in the landfill? 

The answer is no. Hardwood won’t end up in a landfill as hardwood is recyclable. You can even purchase second-hand hardwood or reclaimed barnboard. Wood is a renewable resource, so you can rest easy knowing your flooring is environmentally friendly.

• Q: Which wood makes the best hardwood flooring?

We get this question all too often. The answer is that it depends on your space. In terms of popularity, oak is perhaps the most commonly used wood for floors, thanks to its durability and affordability. However, if you want something to perform in a high-traffic area, especially if you have children, then ash or Brazilian walnut are great options.

For homeowners looking for a mid to dark finish, cherry or walnut are beautiful choices.

• Q: Should I get prefinished or unfinished hardwood?

Prefinished flooring is sealed at the factory, and the colour and finish are applied during the flooring installation in Toronto. Prefinished flooring is also stronger. In contrast, unfinished flooring is a blank canvas that your flooring installer in Toronto has to stain and finish in your space. 

The benefit of unfinished flooring is that you choose the stain colour. However, the drawback is that it will increase your labour costs. Moreover, the stain and finish on-site will cause fumes that need airing out before you can reclaim the space.

6 Common Hardwood Flooring Questions Answered

It’s normal to question which flooring is the best for your space. As wood is the most popular flooring choice for homeowners, it stands to reason that we receive a lot of questions about hardwood ranging from which type is best to how do I maintain it? 

Of course, another common question is how much will it cost? We chose not to include this question as one of our 6 because there is no fixed rate. For instance, there are many costs to factor in such as:

• Flooring, subfloor, and materials
• Labour
• Stain 
• Finish
• Removal of old floors

If you want to know more about how much hardwood will cost to add to your space, we encourage you to call us, the Brothers Flooring, today for a free consultation! Or if you want clarification on any of the 6 common hardwood flooring questions, then give us a call and let’s start a conversation! 

With over 20 years in the flooring industry and a 99% rating on Homestars you can see we not only know a lot about floors, but we’re here to help bring your flooring dreams to life!