Top 5 hardwood colours and stains for 2021
If you are looking for the perfect home improvement project to give your home a new look, installing hardwood flooring may be the right project for you to invest in. Hardwood flooring adds a classic and vintage style to your home while offering a high level of functionality. In addition, there are so many colour and stain options to choose from. To make sure you choose the right option for your home, keep reading below to find out the top hardwood colours and stains for 2021.
1. Cool and Dark-Coloured Wood
Choosing cool and dark-coloured wood flooring is one of the most popular choices. This style offers a classic modern look that adds a dramatic effect to the interior aesthetics of any home. In addition, dark-coloured hardwood flooring also can also be used to complement the existing interior design in your home, such as dark cabinets and white furniture. \
2. Gray-Coloured Wood
Gray-coloured hardwood flooring has a neutral tone that is widely desired by homeowners who want a calming effect and a touch of serenity in their homes. Over the years, there have been several variations of gray tones that work well with different colour shades such as dark brown, blue-gray or beige. Gray-coloured hardwood tends to look best with cool and modern designs as it helps to bring warmth into the space while complementing the existing feel.
3. White-Washed Wood
White-washed hardwood flooring is another popular hardwood flooring option in 2021. It is available in a matte finish and offers a clean and fresh look, best suited for modern or contemporary styles. When choosing a white-washed wood, it’s best to consider a lighter wood such as white oak, which can be easily stained. In addition, using a lighter wood helps to create a more traditional, grainy look.
4. Blonde-Coloured Wood
Another wood stain you can consider for hardwood flooring is blonde-coloured wood. This lighter shade of wood helps to make any room feel lighter, brighter and reflect the natural light. The wood’s lighter shade helps to blend with a wide range of colours and finishes. In addition, blonde-coloured wood is lower maintenance and helps to hide damages and dirt better than dark or gray wood.
5. Honey or Copper-Toned Wood
Hardwood flooring made with honey or copper-toned wood is very similar to blonde-coloured wood. Because of its light tone it also makes any room appear bigger and more open. It is also a neutral shade that can blend easily with whatever existing decor you have in your home.
Takeaway
Investing in the right color and stain of hardwood flooring is important for your home. It can add to your overall theme, style and ultimately make your home more aesthetically pleasing.
Which is Better Engineered or Solid Hardwood Flooring?
Engineered and solid hardwood are two of the most prominent hardwood flooring options available today. Although they are quite different, these two options offer similar benefits. Therefore, when choosing hardwood flooring in Peterborough, many individuals usually compare both options. To help you decide which flooring would better suit your needs, read below to find out more!
Construction
Solid hardwood, like the name suggests, is constructed solely out of solid wood and can be used for flooring different parts of a building. When made by experienced craftsmen, solid hardwood is known to be durable, stable, and aesthetic.
On the other hand, engineered hardwood is made of several layers of different types of materials. The topmost layer is made with 100% natural wood bonded with plywood underneath. The varying layers of engineered hardwood ensure it can withstand temperature changes.
Lifespan
When going for hardwood flooring, you will likely be concerned about its lifespan. Comparatively, solid hardwood lasts longer than engineering hardwood. While the lifespan of solid hardwood is projected to be around 30 to 80 years, engineered hardwood only lasts for about 20 to 40 years. However, in order for both types of hardwood to last their expected lifespan, they must be properly maintained.
Heat and water resistance
Generally, both solid and engineered hardwoods are heat resistant. However, they are not good for wet areas. Due to its material, solid hardwood can warp and swell when installed in humid, damp locations. In addition, engineered hardwood is slightly better than solid hardwood in terms of water resistance. The layers of plywood inside its middle layer give it more stability, making it less likely to warp when exposed to moisture. Nonetheless, you should avoid installing either in a wet area.
Cost
Cost is a vital factor that everyone considers when installing new flooring. Solid hardwood costs around $8 to $16/square foot whereas engineered hardwood is about $3 to $12/square foot. The cost of installation depends on the contractor’s rate. However, solid hardwood will likely cost more to install than engineered hardwood.
Cleaning and maintenance
To keep your hardwood flooring in optimal condition, you need to clean and maintain the floor regularly. Both engineered and solid hardwoods don’t require any special skills to clean. You only need to sweep and vacuum the floor from time to time. Occasionally, you can also damp-mop your hardwood flooring. For maintenance, you need to sand and refinish the floors. Over their lifetime, you may need to refinish solid hardwood two or three times, whereas engineered hardwood only needs to be refinished once.
Which of these two hardwood options is better?
There is no clear-cut winner among these two flooring types as each hardwood option has some advantages over the other. In case your budget is low and you prefer a more environmentally friendly hardwood, go for engineered hardwood. But if durability, lifespan, and quality are important to you, solid hardwood is a better option.
How to Choose Hardwood Flooring
Hardwood Flooring has always been a popular option for homeowners all over the world. Its comfort, customization and durability makes it an appealing floor type that fits well in any home. If you are looking to install hardwood flooring in Peterborough here are some things you should consider.
1. Choose Solid or Engineered Flooring
Hardwood flooring usually comes in the form of solid timber, however it can also be made as engineered flooring. The difference between solid and engineered hardwood is the material that each flooring is made out of. Solid hardwood flooring consists of thick planks, whereas engineered flooring contains a thinner top layer of solid wood joined together with additional layers of plywood. Engineered flooring tends to be more affordable than solid hardwood flooring. Be sure to consider your budget and your personal preferences when choosing the type of flooring for your home.
2. Select Site Finished or Prefinished Hardwood
When choosing hardwood flooring, you can go for either prefinished or site finished hardwood. Prefinished hardwood floors have stains and topcoats before they are bought or installed. On the other hand, site finished wood is installed with a raw face and then finished by the flooring contractor. Although prefinished hardwood reduces the stress involved in installing hardwood floors, site finished hardwood can be easily customized to suit your tastes. Think about the difference between these two options before selecting one.
3. Consider the Types of Wood
Another essential thing you must consider when choosing hardwood flooring is what type of wood you use. There are so many different options to choose from like red oak, white oak, maple, cherry, walnut and hickory wood. Each of these different woods have their own unique feel, colour and look, so be sure to choose one that fits your taste.
4. Pick the Finish Type
Prefinished UV urethane finishes, oil-like hybrid finishes, and site-finished polyurethanes are just a few types of finishes available to seal and complete your hardwood. Each finish will give your home a different appearance and comes with its own unique set of benefits. Choose a finish that enhances the aesthetics of your hardwood.
5. Consider the Plank Width
Although plank width doesn’t affect the functionality of your hardwood flooring, it can determine its aesthetics. Depending on how wide the planks of your hardwood flooring is, it can make a room feel bigger or smaller. Typically planks tend to be five to eight inches wide with two- to three-inch strips. However, you can opt for a wider plank that will make your home feel bigger and more luxurious.
6. Think about your Budget
How much can you afford to spend on hardwood flooring? This is an important question you must answer when choosing hardwood flooring for your home. The type of wood, finish, and professional installation services are the major things that will determine the cost.
7. Consider the right Installation Method
Wood type, plank thickness, and width are the most critical factors for choosing an installation method for hardwood flooring. Consider hiring a hardwood flooring contractor who has the skills and experience to complete the job successfully.
Takeaway
Choosing hardwood flooring for your home may seem like a daunting task. However, by following the tips above you can feel confident in your hardwood installation.
Carpet vs Hardwood Floors - What's the Best for You?
When it comes to choosing a flooring material, each homeowner should consider their own needs, situation and budget. There are many different flooring options and carpeting and hardwood flooring are two of the more popular flooring options. Both flooring materials are very different from one another, with different benefits, downsides and pricing.
If your options are between carpeting and hardwood flooring for your home, you are in the right place as below we outline both flooring options, so that you can make an educated decision on your home’s flooring.
1. Composition
To begin, it may help to know what goes into the manufacturing of carpet and hardwood flooring or what they are composed of. Carpet is usually made from 100% synthetic materials that are soft and quiet when walked upon, however due to the nature of the synthetic materials, carpeting has a fairly short lifespan. Hardwood flooring is made entirely from natural materials that will provide a longer lifespan, but is also more labour intensive and costlier to produce.
It is important to know that carpeting and hardwood flooring have diverse characteristics that can be combined in a home to match the ambiance and decor of any particular area of a home or to meet specific needs.
2. Appearance
Depending on your desired look, either flooring option may help to pull a room together. Carpet comes in a wide variety of textures, colours, and plushness, while hardwood flooring offers attractive wood grain patterns that will differ based on the wood species. Hardwood flooring has a timeless look that will help provide character to any room in your home.
3. Water Resistance
Even though most carpeting is made from synthetic fibers, not all are suited for high moisture areas of the home such as bathrooms or laundry rooms. Even carpeting that is water-resistant, may allow water to seep down into the underlayer and cause issues with the wood subfloor, such as mold growth. On the other hand, hardwood flooring should be kept away from high-moisture areas all together. Hardwood flooring can sustain damage due to water or high levels of moisture over time.
4. Durability
Overall hardwood flooring is considered more durable than carpeting as the life expectancy of hardwood flooring is significantly longer than carpeting. Even though hardwood is susceptible to scratches and dings, you have the option of refinishing them to their original state. Carpeting is not affected by scratches and dents, but does has a life expectancy of roughly 10 years, perhaps a bit longer in low traffic areas.
5. Comfort
Perhaps the most popular reason for home owners to choose carpeting is the comfort underfoot. Carpeting is warm and soft and easy to walk on. Hardwood flooring on the other hand is hard and cold. Carpeting also dampens sound and reduces sound from traveling through a home, where hardwood has the ability to deflect noise making it pass through your home more easily. Hardwood flooring is more suitable for individual that suffer from allergies as carpeting may trap dust and pollen that can trigger said allergies.
When comparing carpeting and hardwood flooring, you should consider you own needs and budget. One of the last differences we did not mention in depth above is cost of instillation. Hardwood as a material is significantly more expensive than the fibers used in carpeting, the manufacturing process is also more difficult and finally the installation process takes more time and skill to complete. All of these lead to the cost of installing hardwood flooring to be significantly more expensive than installing carpeting. However, hardwood flooring can also increase the value of your home, so you will recoup some of your investment if you are looking to sell in the future.
What is the difference between porcelain and ceramic tiles?
If you are considering a tiling project for your home, it is good to know the difference between porcelain and ceramic tiles before you go out and buy your materials. Although both porcelain and ceramic tile fall into the category of “Ceramic Tile”, the category is divided into two subcategories; porcelain tiles and non-porcelain or ceramic. The main difference is their material makeup and kiln finishing temperature, which makes each tile better suited for different uses and spaces.
Porcelain and ceramic tiles are both rigid tiles made from a base of natural clay and then kiln-fired. By just looking at both types of tiles, it may be difficult to differentiate between them. But, there are clear differences between the two. Below we outline some of these key differences.
Manufacturing Process
Both tiles are manufactured from a clay mixture that is fire finished in a kiln. Porcelain tiles are made of a special kaolin clay mixture which is finer and purer than most ceramic clay mixtures. Porcelain is also fired at a higher temperature leading to a denser and more durable finished product than that of a non-porcelain tile.
Durability
Porcelain tiles are denser and harder than ceramic tiles making them more durable. Porcelain tiles are more suited for high traffic areas and areas where there will be heavy usage. If a porcelain tile does chip, the colour runs through the tile, making the damage less obvious than if you chip a ceramic tile which has a different colour below its top glazing.
Water Resistance
Porcelain tiles are less porous than ceramic tiles, making porcelain tiles more resistant to water and other liquids. For this reason, porcelain tiles are more suitable for use in damp locations such as bathrooms, basements and even for use on countertops.
Maintenance
General cleaning for both tile types is hassle free, simply mop the surface with a mixture of water and a mild detergent. Long term maintenance for each tile type is does differ, porcelain tile will require periodic sealing of the grout between the tile where ceramic tile may need to be sealed along with the grout depending on if the tile is glazed or not.
Installation
Even though both materials are installed using a similar process with mortar and grout, there are differences in how easily each tile is handled during the instillation. Ceramic tile is the easier material to handle and cut do to it being less dense. This makes ceramic tile a great choice for those looking to take on a DIY project. Porcelain tile requires a wet saw to cut through the dense material and a steady hand as it is more brittle than ceramic tile.
Price
Porcelain and ceramic tiles come in different price ranges. However, porcelain tiles tend to be more expensive than ceramic tiles as their materials and manufacturing process is more expensive than ceramic tile. Ceramic tiles tend to run between 60%-70% of the cost of an equivalent porcelain tile.
What should I look for when buying hardwood floors?
Choosing the right hardwood flooring for your home may feel a bit overwhelming at times, especially if your shopping journey begins online, as the options may feel endless. Hardwood flooring can enhance your home’s beauty while adding a sense of warmth to any room. The style and design will have a different influence on the ambiance in your home as well as influence your home’s resale value in the future. This is why it is important to take the time evaluate the type of hardwood flooring and the style of the planks you want to use.
With this article we aim to guide you in your hardwood flooring selection process by providing you with some helpful tips that will hopefully simplify your decision-making process.
1. Consider Traffic and Lifestyle Needs
There are different types of hardwood flooring products available on the market and different products are designed to better withstand an active lifestyle and above average traffic than others. Considering your daily wear and tear needs will help narrow down your selection of hardwood options and allow you to look into if the product you are leaning towards can withstand your usage needs. The number of people living in your home, if there are children and pets in the house all should be considered when choosing any flooring.
2. Choosing Between Solid and Engineered Hardwood Flooring
Choosing between solid and engineered hardwood flooring is another factor that will need to be considered. Solid hardwood flooring is made of solid wood, as its name implies, whereas engineered hardwood on the other hand is made up of a thin layer of hardwood attached to several layers of plywood. The standard thickness for solid hardwood flooring is 3/4” while the thickness of engineered hardwood flooring generally ranges from 3/8” to 1/2". This is important to remember if there are any height restrictions. Another aspect to consider between choosing solid versus engineered hardwood flooring is the type of subfloor it is being installed over. Solid hardwood needs to be installed directly over plywood, so if you are thinking of finishing your basement or laying hardwood on top of a concrete floor you will need to choose an engendered product, as they can be installed directly on top of concrete. If you choose to install solid hardwood over a concrete surface you will first need to add a plywood subfloor, which will add to the overall thickness of your new flooring and cost.
3. Should I Choose Prefinished of Site-finished Hardwood?
Hardwood flooring is available in prefinished or site-finished options. Prefinished hardwood flooring allows for a faster instillation as there is no need to sand and stain on site. They also have a harder surface as they have been coated with an aluminum oxide when finished. The site-finished hardwood flooring will need to be finished on site, adding an additional step and some mess as dust is created during the sanding process. However, this allows for customization to suit your home décor and to match hardwood flooring that already exists in other areas of your home.
4. Come Up with a Budget
Like any home renovation project, it is a good idea to have a rough budget in mind to work around, and it is no different when choosing hardwood flooring for your home. When building your budget, consider more than the cost of the hardwood alone, incorporate the cost of preparing the area (removing the old flooring), the installation of the flooring, and any other materials that may be needed to finish your project, perhaps trim as an example. Having a maximum budget will allow you to make decisions on product type, instillation methods, and if there are aspects of the project you can complete yourself.
When choosing hardwood flooring for your home, spending some extra time researching your options and building a plan can go a long way in ensuring you choose the product that meets your lifestyle needs and enhance your home’s beauty.
Why Choose Carpeting for Your Floors?
Wall-to-wall carpeting has been a prevalent flooring solution since the early 1900’s, and even though it has been overshadowed as of late by several other flooring options such as hardwood, vinyl and laminate it still remains a popular choice for many households.
If you are thinking about updating your floors, carpeting is warm, soft and a suitable option for almost any room. There are many reasons to choose carpeting for your floors, below we highlight several key reasons.
Unique Style
There are so many style and colour options when it comes to carpeting that you can easily change the theme and mood of any space in your home by simply installing wall-to-wall carpeting. The neutral tones that were popular decades ago have been replaced with vibrant blues, greens, yellows and reds that help tie a room together. You can even choose from varied textures that help uplift the style of any room, from shaggy to silky smooth, you are sure to find a carpeting option that meets your design and style needs.
Comfort
Stepping barefoot on warm, cushiony carpet first thing in the morning, beats stepping on cold hardwood or vinyl any day. It’s no wonder that the most popular room for carpeting in a home is still the bedroom. Carpeting offers a soft surface that you, your family and your pets wouldn’t mind sitting or lying on. Unlike many hard surfaces that are not flexible underfoot, carpet provides cushioning as you walk across it, making it easier on your back and joints.
Warmth
Walking around on a warm carpet on a frosty winter morning helps you maintain a warm and comfortable body temperature. Carpet also offers higher insulation for your home, regardless of its material type. Along with the under pad, carpeting helps to keep your home warm and comfortable throughout the winter month, and can help reduce your monthly energy bills as you won’t need to rely so much on your heating system to stay comfortable.
Noise Reduction
If you have a busy household, chances are you desire some quieter spaces. Carpeting may be your solution as it helps insulate against noise by absorbing sound. Hard surfaces on the other hand allow for noise to bounce off their surface, creating an echo and accentuating the sounds. This is especially handy in multi-story homes where footsteps and conversations can be heard in the rooms below the upper floors.
Safety
Carpets can actually enhance your home’s safety as it is a non-slippery surface and it provides a softer landing area in the event of a fall. Carpeting is a great flooring for homes with infants and younger children as well as homes with elderly inhabitants.
Carpeting is soft, comfortable, warm, safe and can be found in a wide range of styles, designs and colours making it an ideal flooring solution for almost every room in your home. We say almost, because you should avoid using carpeting in any room where there is a high likelihood of liquids spilling on the floor, such as the kitchen or bathrooms.
What Are The Advantages Of Vinyl Flooring?
Your home’s flooring is important not just for your home’s aesthetics and design but for your comfort as well. Depending on the type of flooring you have installed in your home, you may experience and even enjoy your home in a different way. Vinyl flooring has grown in popularity as of late and is utilized across the building and construction industry. Many commercial, industrial, and residential buildings have vinyl flooring installed.
Vinyl is made from synthetic materials and is constructed of a single layer of vinyl lade over rubber. The latest planks come in a varied range of textures and colours that can perfectly imitate even the most expensive hardwood flooring. Whether vinyl planks or floor tiles, there are many benefits with choosing vinyl flooring.
If you are considering installing vinyl flooring in your home, here are a few key advantages.
1. A Wide Variety of Options
Vinyl flooring comes in a large collection of styles and patterns. Some of the available options include terrazzo, stone, and wood. Once your vinyl flooring has been installed by a professional, it will be difficult even for the most concerning eye to tell that it is not the natural material it was designed to mimic. With hundreds of designs and styles available, you are sure to find one that enhances your home’s décor.
2. Durability
Vinyl flooring is extremely durable and can withstand high traffic for a prolonged period of time without signs of damage. Consequently, vinyl floors are suitable for high-traffic areas in your home as well as for commercial uses. One of vinyl flooring’s biggest strength is its ability to resist moisture. So, there is no need to worry about potential damage the next time someone spills a glass of water or tracks mud and dirt into your home. When installed correctly, vinyl flooring can last for up to 20 years.
3. Low Maintenance
In addition to its durability, vinyl flooring is also easy to maintain. You do not have to stress over cleaning vinyl flooring. There is no special care or cleaning products required, some mild dish soap and water will do the trick. You can sweep, mop, or vacuum to help get your flooring sparkling clean.
4. Cost Efficient
Despite its high level of durability, vinyl flooring is a particularly cost-effective flooring solution. Vinyl is less expensive than any natural material such as hardwood or stone, and is less labour intensive making the installation of vinyl less expensive as well. As a result, you will be able to save some money installing vinyl flooring in your home or commercial building.
If you are looking to replace the flooring in your home consider vinyl flooring as a viable option. It is much softer than hardwood, or stone-based flooring due to its ability to flew, it is durable easy to maintain and can fit pretty much any budget.
5 Tips For Installing Hardwood Flooring
If you are looking to upgrade the flooring in your home, you can never go wrong with hardwood flooring. Hardwood is a classic flooring option that just doesn’t get old. It can be finished in a wide range of colours and shades, to match any home design style and its unique woodgrain will add a touch of charm to any home. Let’s not forget that hardwoods wide appeal also ensures installing hardwood is an investment in your home, as you will benefit from an increase in property value.
With the right tools and some basic knowhow, installing hardwood can be a great DIY project. If you are contemplating or planning on installing hardwood flooring in your home, we have compiled a list of 5 key tips that will help you with your installation.
1. Let the Hardwood Acclimate to Your Home
Once you get the boxes of hardwood planks into your home, you will probably be anxious to get started with the installation. However, this is a time for patience and not action. Open the boxes and let them sit in the room they will be installed in for at least a week. The hardwood needs to acclimate to the environment in which it will be installed. This will allow for the moisture content in the wood to balance out with that in the air and prevent shrinking or cupping after installed.
2. Upgrade Your Baseboards
When replacing existing flooring, you can carefully remove the existing baseboards for future use. However, replacing the baseboards as part of the replacement floor project is our suggestion. Discarding the old baseboards allows you to save time during the removal stage of the project and gives you an opportunity to refresh the look and feel of the room completely.
3. Prepare the Subfloor Carefully
Your hardwood flooring's success and neatness depends on how well you have prepared the surface of your subfloor. Remove or flatten any nails, staples, and fasteners as well as sand down any uneven areas of the subfloor. Ultimately, the flatness of the subfloor regulates how level your hardwood flooring will be after installation. As much attention should be shown to the preparation of the subfloor as to the installation of the hardwood.
4. Choose Your Vapor Barrier Carefully
The vapor barrier also known as a moisture barrier is great for controlling moisture from being absorbed by your hardwood flooring, but is not always required when installing hardwood flooring. We suggested speaking with your hardwood dealer to get their advice on what product to use. If you use the wrong vapor barrier material for your climate, or install it incorrectly, it can cause more damage than good. The vapour barrier may prevent moisture from drying leading to mold and decay.
5. Layout and Sort the Hardwood Planks Before Installing
Open up several boxes of hardwood flooring and layout the pieces across the floor planning out how you would like to install your flooring. This will allow you to achieve a good colour mix and stager out the hardwood based on length, ultimately giving you a striking finished product.
5 Types of Hardwood Flooring
Hardwood flooring is elegant, timeless and has a natural beauty that can easily enhance any home design – traditional, rustic, contemporary, hardwood works with them all. For this reason, it is no surprise that wood floors are such a popular option for many homeowners. If you are considering replacing your old floors with new hardwood flooring you will first need to choose the best type of hardwood flooring for your home. There are quite a few different wood species (both domestic and imported) used for hardwood flooring. The type of wood you select will influence the grain and colour of your floors as well as the durability.
Some of the top species options for hardwood flooring include:
Oak
Oak is adored for its classic look, warmth and character. Oak is radially available in two common varieties, Red Oak and White Oak. Both are extremely similar in toughness, appearance, grain and texture with the exception of colour. Red Oak is a readily available, Canadian made darker wood, while White Oak is a lighter flooring option with a softer grain that will pair well with a variety of furniture options.
Maple
One of the more popular flooring wood types in Canada, maple is known for its durability (as it is one of the hardest hardwoods available) and its ability to take stain very well. No matter if you are looking for a dark floor or a light floor, maple with its distinctive wood grain pattern is a perfect choice. It can even be stained to mimic other, more expensive species of wood.
Cherry
Cherry was once one of the most popular hardwood flooring options, known for its red and pink hues that shouted luxury. Today, reddish flooring is no longer in style and cherry wood has lost some of its popularity. However, either Brazilian and American cherry remain the go cherry wood option. Cherry is a fairly soft wood for hardwood flooring, meaning it will damage easier than other types of wood species. It is also sensitive to light, and can darken in hue over the years.
Hickory
As an extremely hard wood species, hickory is a great choice for homes with children and pets or high traffic areas. With minimum maintenance, your hickory hardwood flooring can last generations. This wood usually comes in a light-tan to a light reddish brown colour, but you may also find it in a white or cream variant. You will find a mix of straight and wavy grains making it a great choice for homes that have a more rustic style.
Bamboo
Bamboo flooring is made from bamboo stalks that have been mechanically processed. The bamboo stalks are available in multiple colour and texture options. Bamboo is known for its resistance to dampness and termites. Bamboo flooring compared to other hardwood flooring, is harder and extremely durable but also more comfortable, especially after standing on it for a long time.
When choosing the best hardwood flooring species type for your home, you need to base your selection on your design choices for the rest of your home and how much abuse or wear and tear the hardwood will need to take.