4 Things You Must Know About Hardwood Flooring | Hardwood Floors for Timber HomesAsk the Flooring Guy: 4 Things You Must Know About Hardwood Flooring  Hardwood flooring, the unsung hero of the home, can produce the most sleepless nights when you’re figuring out what to buy. And with good reason: It’s a pricey and aesthetically, it’s a critical part of your new house. We asked Rick Menard, a design consultant at Carlisle Wide Plank Floors (wideplankflooring.com), to give us the lowdown on what’s going on in the marketplace. 1. What is handmade wood flooring, and how is it different from other hardwood flooring? Handmade flooring is typically crafted from higher quality wood. Also, the handmade option is just that—craftsmen create it. This is in contrast to mass-produced wood flooring, which goes through high-speed molders on conveyor belts. It’s still great flooring, mind you, but it differs from handmade, which, again, has a customized touch.. By having many more eyes and hands looking and touching every wood plank, you can achieve the exact look you want. 2. How can consumers determine the quality of wood flooring? Just as a custom cabinetmaker would create cabinets one at a time, a handcrafted floor is built to order, rather then taken from inventory, which usually means higher quality. The best way to ensure this is to use a reputable company. Get referrals from friends—there’s nothing better when it comes to finding quality suppliers. 3. We hear a lot about eco-friendly flooring these days, but what are its characteristics? And what will an eco-trendy floor look like in 10 years? You can have eco-friendly flooring and have it look great for a lifetime. Eco-friendly flooring can mean using timbers from the best sustainable forests—the way our forefathers did for hundreds of years. Flooring crafted from these timbers, using long, wide planks, comprises some of the most beautiful options available today. Antique wood used in flooring also can be eco-friendly. Another thing to think about is using random-width flooring, which minimizes waste from both the tree and the recycled building. 4. What is antique wood, and how does it differ from reclaimed wood? Antique wood and reclaimed wood are one and the same. First, work with a company that’s certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC). This will help verify that your flooring comes from 100 percent recycled material. Also, make sure you receive the history and origin of your flooring material. The FSC’s web site will explain how companies get certified and help you find products that meet FSC standards. More Tips: Building a Timber Home
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