Hardwood Flooring in Acton, MA
Hardwood Flooring in Acton, MA
Hardwood flooring has been around for centuries. With a long legacy of style and performance, hardwood floors have a reputation to uphold. At Post Road Carpet One Floor & Home in Acton, Massachusetts, we carry a wide selection of hardwood floors. Our sales pros are here to help you narrow down your choices, from distinctive styles to unusual species.
Hardwood floors represent a large investment, so it’s essential to consider whether hardwood is right for your home. There is a variety of options, including varied species, finishes, and compositions. Oak, maple, and hickory are among the most popular types of hardwood floors for their durability and naturally beautiful color. You can choose from finished and unfinished hardwood floors, which means you can either have the installer apply a finish in your home or purchase the floor pre-finished. Another important choice is if you want solid or engineered hardwood.
Choose from modern and traditional hardwood floors, including rustic options that emphasize wood's natural character. The unique styles of hardwood floors are characterized by features like plank length and width, wood grains, color, shine, and even texture. Our flooring experts and designers will help you choose the hardwood style that best fits into your overall home decor.
In addition to style, there are diverse types of hardwood floors available. Among your options are maple, cherry, oak, and birch, just to name a few. Each wood species offers unique shades and character, and they also feature different strength levels and wear resistance. For unique looks, be sure to consider unconventional selections like bamboo and cork. Bamboo has a light hue and sophisticated patterns of dark markings, while cork has a natural, rustic look.
Today, choosing more than just the right species for your home is important. Choosing the right type of hardwood is critical for your budget and performance needs. The two main types of hardwood flooring on the market today are solid and engineered hardwood flooring.
Solid hardwood is, just as its name describes, one solid piece of wood from top to bottom. Thickness typically varies, but on average you can choose from ¾” or 5/16”. Install solid hardwood above or on grade. It can be refinished multiple times during its lifetime. Because of its longevity, solid hardwood flooring can come with a higher price tag, but this investment will increase the value of your home.
Nowadays, most homeowners opt for engineered hardwood floors. Engineered hardwood floors use a layered construction containing multiple real wood veneers. Wood grains run in different directions to increase stability. This allows the floors to resist expanding and contracting during weather changes. Engineered hardwood is stronger and more dimensionally stable than solid hardwood. Given its durability advantages, engineered hardwood floors can go below, on, and above ground. One drawback is that these floors can only be refinished once or twice, at best.
With our four distinctive seasons spanning harsh winters, rainy springs, and balmy summers, New England hardwood owners are advised to pay careful attention to their home’s humidity levels. Here in Massachusetts, the fact is that your home’s relative humidity level can and will fluctuate throughout the seasons.
Relative humidity, which refers to the level of water vapor in your home’s air, will affect your flooring as throughout the years. A high humidity level will result in water absorption, which will eventually cause swelling and warping, while a low humidity level will shrink your floor planks and ultimately create unsightly gaps.
We advise investing in a humidistat or hydrometer, as maintaining a steady relative humidity level of 42 percent will ensure a longer life for your hardwood flooring. Window coverings, humidifiers, dehumidifiers, and air conditioners can be helpful tools as the seasons shift.
Hardwood floors are a highly sought-after flooring option, but it isn't the best fit for all settings. Hardwood, even engineered hardwood, isn't suitable for kitchens, bathrooms, and other areas with moisture. We don't recommend choosing hardwood for high-traffic areas like commercial settings.
Installing hardwood floors is complicated, so we recommend relying on our expert installers. First, we'll prepare the subfloor to make sure it's ready for installation. We'll remove the old floor and make sure the subfloor is perfectly flat and dry. This is especially important because we certainly don't want there to be moisture underneath the hardwood planks.
After the subfloor is prepared, we'll install the hardwood planks. The planks are nailed to the subfloor to create a gapless surface. Typically, we'll leave around a three-eighths" gap along the walls since hardwood planks naturally expand and contract over time. Once the planks are in place and installed, we'll check the surface to make sure there aren't any gaps.
At Post Road Carpet One Floor & Home, we offer only the best hardwood in Acton, MA. We carry top brands in the industry. As a part of the Carpet One Floor & Home cooperative, we have access to the quality selection of a national store while staying true to our quality service as a local business.
On top of our amazing hardwood products, we also offer incredible services like our premium installation services. Be sure to visit us soon in Acton to shop our selection, or start shopping our hardwood flooring selection online now!
Caring for Hardwood FloorsHardwood flooring will last for a long time in your home if you maintain it. Be sure to check out our maintenance guide to learn how to keep your hardwood floors looking new.
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