The ultimate in-home indulgence, hardwood flooring adds immediate value and distinction to your space. At A & B Carpet One Floor & Home located in Kitty Hawk and Buxton, North Carolina, we have a passion for fine hardwood and our team of dedicated experts can help you navigate your flooring options for your home or business. We offer up all the latest and greatest in solid and engineered hardwoods, including stunning selections by Invincible and Rustic River. Proudly serving greater Kitty Hawk and Buxton, NC we understand the regional climate and can cater extensively to your flooring needs. Here are some facts to help you navigate the world of hardwood.
Today’s hardwood flooring offers up thousands of options, making it easy to cater to your unique style. There are classic, traditional looks in weathered, wide planks, as well as sleek, modern looks in narrow, high-polish- and everything in between. Mix and match your favorite hardwood species, dimensions, and finishes for a look that’s entirely your own.
Hardwood flooring can be made using a variety of traditional and exotic tree species. Each product comes with its own distinctive grains, as well as wearability. One general rule of thumb to consider is the simple fact that each species offers varying degrees of hardness.
Solid vs. Engineered Hardwood
Are you longing for new hardwood flooring? As you navigate the humid seasons, we implore you to consider all options carefully. Your local hardwood experts at A & B Carpet One Floor & Home of Kitty Hawk and Buxton, NC, are here to help. Here, you’ll be pleased to encounter a wide range of solid and engineered hardwood products. Do you need some assistance in understanding your options? Here’s a quick overview of the different types of hardwood so you can arrive at the best decisions for you, your family, and your home.
Solid hardwood flooring consists of planks made from solid pieces of hardwood. Prized for its enduring value, solid hardwood can last for decades if maintained. It can be sanded and refinished time and time again. However, solid hardwood can be pricey and performs its best in quiet, dry rooms with consistent humidity levels. It cannot be used below grade.
Engineered hardwood flooring looks and feels identical to solid hardwood. Still, there are some crucial distinctions. Engineered hardwood, crafted using up to seven layers of wood and resin, can manage some degree of moisture. It’s designed for easier installation and can go below grade. With its ability to manage humidity, engineered hardwood is often a wiser option for our steamy summer months.
Wide plank hardwood flooring is a beautiful option because it weathers over time, feels warm underfoot, and is long-lasting. Our engineered wide planks are ideal because they are less porous than solid wood planks, which means they can adjust to changing humidity well. A&B Carpet One Floor & Home has your supply of wide plank hardwoods for your coastal home. The width of the plank is what differentiates wide plank hardwood from any other hardwood plank. Wide plank hardwood is generally any board greater than 5” wide with popular styles ranging from 5” to 12” and wider. The width of the plank impacts its style of it. Wider planks usually mean longer boards. With a wide width and longer length, the planks draw the eye and make a room appear larger. Humidity and hardwood do not get along well. This is especially true with wide plank hardwood because of its sheer width and length of boards. Wide plank flooring can be a big investment, but it is sure to bring joy and charm to your home.
While undoubtedly beautiful, hardwood flooring is a choice that should never be made on a whim. If carefully installed and situated, your hardwood flooring will grace your space for generations. But what happens when natural hardwood isn’t the wisest option? Read on and learn how to make the best choices for you and your family. Hardwood flooring needs to be handled with care, and humidity isn’t your floor’s best friend. In our humid climate, getting a firm grasp on interior climate control is a must when natural hardwood is part of your home. Understanding your space’s relative humidity will go a long way in keeping your hardwood floor safe. Hardwood absorbs moisture from the air in highly humid spaces, causing planks to expand and swell. On the other hand, if humidity is too low, those planks will eventually shrink and crack. Monitoring your interior climate is essential for healthy hardwood, and experts recommend maintaining a 43% humidity level for optimal results.
For most flooring installations, we always recommend going with a professional installer. If you are looking for new hardwood flooring, we have you and your home covered at A&B Carpet One Floor & Home in Kitty Hawk and Buxton. We back our hardwood flooring with award-winning warranties, and we can help get you set up with installation. Our professionals will sit down with you to help you find the right hardwood floor and prepare you for your upcoming installation. You can come to us for help with your next flooring project from start to finish. Hardwood requires certain details to be paid attention to during installation to ensure your floors will last their intended life cycle. The most important steps in installing hardwood flooring include an in-home measure and a moisture test. Moisture testing is an important step before installation to ensure your subfloors are suited to handle hardwood flooring. A damp subfloor can cause damage to your hardwood over time if not properly tested. They also prepare your subfloor and made sure it is flat, clean, dry, and free of imperfections. The type of hardwood flooring you choose will determine the type of installation you need. Solid hardwood requires being nailed or glued down to the subfloor so there is no shifting. Engineered hardwood comes in floating floors and can lock together without needing any adhesives. After your new hardwood floor is installed, it is important to make sure to leave a gap between the planks and the walls to allow the hardwood to naturally expand. There should also be no gaps between the planks to ensure a seamless surface.
We’re proud to be affiliated with Carpet One Floor & Home. Our store is independently owned and operated, yet as part of the world’s largest flooring cooperative, our purchasing power has few limitations. Our incredible selection of the latest hardwood flooring products includes plenty of hardwood flooring brands like Hydrotek, localized services, and competitive pricing, making us your final hardwood headquarters. To learn more about our hardwood flooring selection or to browse our product displays, visit us soon at 3934 North Croatan Highway in Kitty Hawk, NC, or check out our hardwood flooring selection online.
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How to Care for Hardwood Floors
The best way to make sure your hardwood floors last for years is to take care of them. As always, be sure to check with manufacturers’ instructions when cleaning. Follow the link below to learn some tips on how to care for your hardwood floors.
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