This is a very common question home owners ask themselves here in the city of Miami. Although I am sure that in other parts of the world a lot of homeowners ask themselves the same question.
We live in a very fast world, at least that is how it feels in Miami. I have noticed the lack of information from vendors towards customers when they are looking for a hardwood floor only to have a fast sales, which can be catastrophic for the consumer. Many people buy a product without knowing exactly what they are buying, until it meets reality.
So I decided to write about my acquired knowledge throughout the years as the Co-founder of Vogue Parquet where we are dedicated to bringing your vision to reality by installing your dream wood floor.
Choosing an appropriate wood flooring for your home is one of the most important decisions you will make when it comes to your home’s interior. It is easy to change furniture, art and decor, but hardwood flooring is more permanent and we want you to make the right choices when it is time to select the correct wood floor.
Where do you begin?
The first thing you should ask yourself is, what “look” you want to go for in your home. Is it contemporary? Is it modern? Think it through and then write it down.
Now let’s start to talk about the different wood species.
European Oak: A very popular wood throughout the past few years and ordered often in the city of Miami, they are planks with less knots for a more contemporary appearance. It is a more resistant hard wood, and very scratch proof.
Walnut: This wood is simply gorgeous, it demonstrates lots of character and very incredible tones. If you have pets it is not your best option since it can scratch more easily.
Hickory: This wood has more knots per plank and it is for more of a rustic look, like for a farm or beach house. It is also a very hard, resistant and durable.
There are many more species to choose from, e.g Brazilian cherry, Ash, white oak red oak, etc.
Pictures: @vogueparquet.
Selecting between Engineered Hardwood or Solid Hardwood, engineered hardwood is a layer of wood glued to a plywood, this makes the wood plank more stable and as a result you will obtain less expansion and contractions which is important for city with climates that are humid like Miami. If you prefer solid hardwood it is a wood plank completely made of solid wood (the most common is 3/4” ). This wood isn’t recommended to be installed in areas like bathrooms, since it is more susceptible to expanding. Select solid hardwood if you wish for a finish after the installation or if you want there to be no separation between one plank and the another called no-bevel.
Picture: @vogueparquet.
After deciding which type of material you want to go with, then you must choose the correct grade for you. Please don't skip this step as is one of the most important things to do when buying a hardwood Flooring.
There are many different grade of wood, but let's discuss the top 3 grades.
Prime: This grade is the cleanest we offer, it has practically no knots, no cracks, no color variation, no sapwood.
Rustic A: This grade is fairly clean but not free of knots, no sapwood, no cracks and some color variation.
Rustic A/B: This grade has unlimited knots, sapwood, cracks and some color variation.
PRIME, RUSTIC A, RUSTIC A/B
Color and finish. This determines the finished look of the planks.
Choose light colors for rooms that are smaller or more modern which will create a bigger and more illuminated appearance. Choose dark colors for rooms or houses that are larger, for a contemporary look.
Oil based finish will create a softer texture but at the same time durable. Brush finish will leave a texture that is rustic and water base finish will create an illuminated and shiny texture. You have the option to choose a wood that already comes with the color and finish (pre-finish) or you can also opt for a wood that needs color and finish (un-finish) applied after the installation, this option will require much more time.
Another consideration is the width of the board, typically we use between 6” to 8” wide, but for smaller rooms we recommend that you choose 5” wide planks so that the character of the wood floor is more noticeable, we have installed very wide planks that look very appealing in large modern apartments.
Often I am asked what is my selection, I always select European Oak between 6” and 8” of width, it is an extremely beautiful wood, does not have many knots, it is very durable and easy to clean. The best thing is that we have a wide variety of colors and finishes ready to be installed.
As always we are here for you, please reach out to info@vogueparquet.com or call us at 786-606-9301 for any questions or concerns you may have, feel free to share our blog on your social media.