HARDWOOD
For many, hardwood is the only way to go, and from engineered to factory-finished grains to site-finished, to one-of-a-kind custom planks, the look of wood floors is second to none.

“Hardwood is one of those things that’s limitless — you can do whatever you want with it,” says Darren Dumais of Fitz Flooring. “People are moving away from carpet and into hardwood, and with the finishes there are now it is much less maintenance.”

While some homeowners prefer the look of a site-finished hardwood — benefits of which include matching to cabinets — selections in pre-finished woods are looking up, say the experts. A less expensive option to site-finished planks (starting around $7-per-square-foot), added pros are not only a smoother finish and fewer fumes, but also more layers of protection from wear and tear and a quicker installation.

“You are getting a factory finish, which is very hard and makes it more scratch resistant, plus it’s UV cured,” says Daryl Stayura, sales manager for Divine Hardwood Flooring Ltd. He says up to nine coatings may be applied in the factory, while an on-site finish is seldom more than three layers. 

Custom or site-finished hardwoods can offer homeowners a one-of-a-kind floor, not-to-mention the options of longer planks — up to 16 feet in some cases, when manufactured from the centre of the tree for strength — and some rare species not available in pre-finished planks.

But just as the sky is the limit for hardwood species, from Eastern white pine to mahogany, to tiger wood from Brazil, price goes up accordingly. A custom, site-finished floor can run upwards of $60-to $70-a-square-foot.

Stayura relates hardwood’s increasing popularity to elevated builders’ included features. “Because of what the prices have become, many builders are offering hardwood as standard. People are more educated now, as well, and are more conscious of resale — it does add value to their house.”

He advises against hardwood in a clearer finish for anyone who wants a floor looking pristine for its entire run or those with big dogs who can do damage. Stayura says while many people are focused on hardness of a floor, variation in colour is a better qualifying factor in how a floor will stand up, than a hardwood’s “hardness.”

The best news about hardwood its duration — the experts say the natural material may outlive its homeowners. “The lifespan for hardwood can be 40 to 50 years because it can be re-sanded three or four times. It’s the only flooring you can restore,” says Stayura.

While sanding a floor can be messy, Divine Hardwood has “dustless sanding method” during which the equivalent of a large vacuum hose sucks dust out of a home and into a trailer sitting in the driveway, cutting construction dust considerably, says Stayura.

Whether it’s ash, oak, maple, cherry, birch, walnut or something more exotic, one concern with hardwood is maintaining its humidity, especially in Calgary’s arid climate. “When you have hardwood, the humidity in your home should never drop below 35 per cent,” says Dumais, who advises having both a humidifier on the furnace and a humidistat in any room with hardwood, which can be picked up from the hardware store.

BAMBOO
Bamboo, often considered a hardwood, is actually a species of grass now used to make flooring because of its hardness and environmentally friendly attributes, since harvesting the plant has very little impact on the grass’ stalk.

“As far as a product, it’s a great alternative because it’s hard; but you have to be careful about what you are buying and maintaining the humidity levels,” says Stayura, who adds bamboo flooring on the market these days hails from China, and prices are similar to hardwood (at $6- to $15-a-square-foot).
 
CORK
Dumais says cork (about $6-to $16-per-square-foot) is popping up more in flooring, especially in certain rooms in the home, for its resilience. “The nice thing about cork is it’s warmer and quieter than hardwood. It’s a creature all its own and a renewable resource, so it gets pulled off the plant every nine years,” he says. “And if you drop something on it, it comes right back like a cork in a wine bottle.”
Much softer than hardwood, cork is increasingly on the menu in kitchens and basements for a couple of key reasons. “Mainly, if you are going to be standing there, as you would in a kitchen, it’s easier on your back,” says Dumais. “And if you had all three pieces on the floor and compared them — laminate will be cold to the touch, but it would warm up, the same with hardwood. Cork will be warm right away.”

LAMINATE
For just under $3-to $7-per-square-foot, buyers have a choice of some pretty convincing wood imitators — hickory, walnut, and old standards of oak and maple among them — with effects running the gamut from bevelled edges to embossed patterns to boot.

Dumais says using a good quality acoustical pad (these range from 65 to 80 cents per square-foot) to cut down on noise transferring, and treating the laminate after installation with proper cleaning and maintenance. “They should never be confused with being waterproof,” he says, acknowledging laminates are not the best for damp locations.

Wet mops and cleaners should never be used on laminate unless it’s a special type designed for the flooring, as chemicals can dull or damage and water can lift planks. While the floating or “click” installation allows for damaged boards to be replaced, doing so is not for the novice, warns Dumais. “You need a special tool, or you have to take apart the whole floor to get to the boards.”

Originating in Europe, the click-into-place systems can be taken up and moved with you. And those looking at resale value should know, while some of their investment will be returned on laminate, it’s not the same bang for their buck as hardwood. “If you put $10,000 in hardwood, you will get that all back and then some,” says Dumais, who estimates the return for hardwood at 100 to 120 per cent, versus carpet at about 80.

ENGINEERED HARDWOOD
Engineered hardwood is a great option for anyone looking at installing in a basement or concrete building as it can be installed directly on concrete or over an acoustical pad. Produced by adhering real wood to a composite surface prevents the wood from expanding or contracting as temperatures change. While most can be sanded down, the experts advise not doing so any more than twice. “The great thing about engineered hardwood is you still get the variation in colour you have with hardwood, but it doesn’t move because it’s built like plywood, and the fibres move against each other,” says Dumais.

Engineered products can be priced comparably to their hardwood counterparts, and in some cases, higher — running about $7- to $15- per-square-foot, but with plenty of selection for wood species, including “exotics.” NL