Flooring

Gray Tones

Gray hardwood floor stains are slowly catching up to the dark and cool tones regarding trends in style. As the years pass, people have come up with blends that make grey tones appear less dull, not that it actually is dull. People often use grey-toned floor stains to give off a reinvented version of white-washed tones. 

Gray and whitewash floor stain colors are now considered the “trendy” colors of interior design. For hardwood stain colors with gray tones, you may want to decorate your room with white oak themes or lighter-colored furniture. 

Light and Muted Tones

If you are not too big a fan of dark themes, then light and muted tones are for you. Lighter floor stain colors are perfect for those who want their rooms to be brighter and more alive. Bona Traffic HD is one of the most well-known products for staining light-colored hardwood floors. 

Lighter floor stains are more natural to look at, which adds more comfort to the room. While Bona Traffic is better for the environment than other floor staining products, it is more expensive than the rest. Nonetheless, the final output of getting light-toned hardwood floor stains is sure to leave customers satisfied.

For some people, designing the perfect room may seem as simple as picking furniture and deciding on a wall color, but in reality, it is not. Interior designers, or even ordinary people who are redecorating their homes, offices, etc., usually have a hard time when it comes to finding the perfect wall color, types of furniture, lighting systems, and hardwood floor stain colors. A small detail in your design can make a big difference. 

If you end up choosing the wrong wall color or a floor stain color that doesn’t match the end of the room, you may end up regretting it, so be sure to choose wisely or get the opinion of an interior design expert. That way, you are sure to have the best design and colors in your room, and you won’t have to worry about mismatches.

Wood Plank Flooring: Small Rooms

Smaller rooms are one of the most challenging rooms to design as you do not have enough space to fit in multiple ideas. Wood planks with a width of 6” to 8”, and nothing more, are the ideal size wood planks for smaller rooms as it keeps the room proportioned. A 10” wide floor plank can be too much for a room with little space. You may want to consider a wood plank that is lighter in color to maintain the room’s appearance if you do decide to go with a wider plank.

Wood Plank Flooring: Large Rooms

Larger rooms are much easier to dress as you have more space to deal with. One trick in making the room appear even more extensive than it already is is by installing planks parallel to the side that is longer. Placing plank parallel to the longer side of the room’s walls gives the room more dimension. When choosing a floor plank with a wide width, you can either have all the floor planks be the same size or install different varieties of sizes to be more creative.

Wood Plank Flooring: Narrow/Long Rooms

The secret to creating narrow and long tooms is to lay the wood planks perpendicular to the longer side of the room’s walls. The wood planks’ vertical positioning gives the impression of a more spacious room area and pushes the walls outwards. 

In designing a room, you have to consider several parts and aspects before achieving the perfect look. Trying to make a room look bigger can be difficult, especially for smaller spaces. Choosing the best wood plank flooring that best suits your style and theme is not as easy as choosing which colors match the furniture best. You want to be careful in choosing your floor design as it is vital in making the room more pleasing to look at. 

Whatever floor design you decide to follow can make your room more or less attractive, so do not take the decision too lightly. If you find that it is too hard to decide on your own, you can always ask for a professional interior designer’s help. Interior designers know what makes a room ten times more attractive than it is by changing the littlest details, so do not be afraid to rely on their opinion about such matters.

How to select basement flooring?

Before selecting basement flooring, you will want to consider what kind of basement you want. Will it become a family room? Will you convert it into a home gym? Will it be a man cave? Will it become an office space? Are you planning to use it merely as storage? These are some questions you ought to consider to help you define what’s important to you in your basement. 

Furthermore, you don’t always have to select only one material for flooring. You could segment your basement into several different parts for different purposes, and you may want to use different flooring for each of them. 

These are the important factors to consider when selecting basement flooring:

• Softness
• Floor warmth
• Basement dampness or moistness
• The likeliness of water intrusion or flooding
• Sub-flooring
• Levelness of flooring
• Budget

Like most things, some flooring options will fair better in one environment and be completely unsuitable for another. How it fairs will definitely depend on the homeowner’s preference and priority. 

5 Of The Best Materials for Basement Flooring

With all those factors and considerations in mind, here are five of the best materials for basement flooring. We also included descriptions for when you should or shouldn’t use them.

Luxury Vinyl Tile or Planks

Also referred to by its acronym LVT, luxury vinyl tile, or planks, are relatively new to the market. They come in squares or planks and are usually the first choice when it comes to basement flooring. One of the great things about them is that they resemble natural hardwood or stone flooring without its associated moisture risks because it is waterproof. Unlike traditional sheet vinyl, which needs to be glued down, LVT is designed to float on top of the concrete slab. One thing you should know is that if you wish to install it over concrete with known moisture issues, you’ll want to install a vapor barrier between them first. Because while the planks themselves are not prone to moisture issues, they usually come with cork underlining, which can deteriorate in the presence of mold. 

Pros:

• Extremely durable material
• Can resemble wood without its associated moisture issues
• Can be somewhat warm because of its thickness
• Very affordable and easy to install (friendly to DIYers)

Cons:

• If installed over an uneven sub-floor, it can be slightly springy underfoot.
• Costs more than sheet vinyl, but it has more of a premium look to it
• Not as waterproof as sheet vinyl either because of the seams in between the planks or tiles.

Ceramic Tiles

Ceramic tiles are one of the most favored materials for basement flooring. They’re incredibly durable, long-lasting, and waterproof, making them perfect for basements. They are also designers’ first choice, coming in a variety of colors and patterns for your choosing. Tiled flooring is generally more expensive when you factor in the labor and preparation required for installment. However, it is one of, if not the most permanent material among the rest. You’ll want to ensure that you install directly on level concrete that is smooth and free of cracks. 

Pros:

• Permanent, long-lasting
• Incredibly durable
• Increases your home’s value (as it is considered capital home improvement)
• Dries out and will be undamaged after flooding
• Laying out tiles can also be done by yourself

Cons:

• It tends to be cold underfoot and will require using rugs or installing underfoot heating
• Poor sound absorption
• Large-scale tiling may prove difficult for DIYers and can be quite expensive
• Hard or tough surface, which can be hard on your feet and butt (if you’re sitting)

Engineered Wood Flooring

Engineered wood flooring (EWF) provides the warmth and elegance of wood floors without all the moisture issues. Since you can’t install solid hardwood floors as basement flooring, engineered wood flooring takes its place. Due to its multilayer structure, EWF fairs much better against moisture and humidity, to which most other hardwood may succumb. EWF is considered to be dimensionally-stable, as it’s designed in perpendicular layers to reduce expansion and warping. You have the option of either gluing this flooring down or having it floated on concrete sub-floors. In this case, it’s also crucial to have a smooth and level surface to ensure that planks remain even (if glued) and the floor will not be bouncy (if floated).

Pros:

• Fairs well against limited amounts of moisture
• One of the classiest and most attractive basement flooring options
• Excellent sound absorption
• Warmer underfoot than tiles

Cons:

• One of the more expensive options
• Will likely require more intensive and careful floor preparations
• Not entirely waterproof
• Difficult to remove in case of water damage or flooding

Painted or Stained Concrete

One of the best ways to treat your concrete sub-floors may be not to cover them with flooring at all. Contrary to popular opinion, concrete does not have to be as plain and boring as you think. Instead, treating them with a splash of paint or stain can impart some character and luxury to them. You can create concrete flooring with neutral undertones, or you can make it as outrageous as you like. 

Pros:

• The most robust flooring option against moisture
• Likely the least expensive, requiring the least amount of materials
• Does not require sub-floors
• You can be as creative as you want with them.

Cons:

• The coldest option among all flooring materials
• Hard surface underfoot
• Poor sound absorption and quality in general
• The minimalist or industrial design might create an unwanted contrast with the rest of your home
• While it might seem straightforward, surface treatment will be arduous and labor-intensive before you can paint and stain it.

Rubber Tile or Sheets

Rubber flooring is reminiscent of playrooms or gyms. Installation is very DIY-friendly, as these rubber tiles are readily available in most hardware stores. Rubber flooring is especially viable if you want to turn your basement into a gym, laundry room, or a kid’s playroom. Since they also come in many different colors and designs, you have the freedom to be as creative as you want to be. Roll rubber is your best bet for flooring, reducing the number of seams associated with interlocking rubber tiles. 

Pros:

• Offers the greatest insulation against sub-floor temperatures
• Soft surface underfoot, providing a pleasant experience
• Fairs well against moisture
• Easy to install and remove (in the event of flooding)
• Great sound absorption

Cons:

• Aesthetically are not the best materials
• Not completely waterproof (especially with interlocking rubber tiles)
• They can be heavy, contributing a large amount to shipping costs

5. Avoid Touching Bleaching Agents With Bare Skin

This goes without saying and pretty much just common sense. Bleaching agents can be hazardous for your skin. So always make sure that you’re wearing proper protective gear when you’re working with it.

6. Don’t Pour the Bleaching Solution Directly Onto the Floor

As mentioned, applying bleach is pretty much like applying paint. You put it layer by layer so pouring bleach directly onto your floor is a big no-no. Instead, just get some paintbrush or used clothes and apply a small amount of bleach onto the wood. Then slowly work your way around the entire area that needs bleaching.

7. Don’t Forget to Neutralize the Bleaching Agent

This is an important step that you should never ever skip. Neutralizing the bleaching agent after the last round of bleaching helps get rid of any lingering bleach that may react with any sealant that you’ll apply to the wood. Just wipe it down with a 50-50 solution of water and white vinegar and wait for the wood to dry before applying any sealant.

8. Don’t Use a Metal Container to Hold The Bleach

Bleach can damage metal. So instead of a pewter or copper bowl, use ceramic or glass to hold the bleach.

9. Don’t Work In a Poorly-Ventilated Space

Some bleaching agents release toxic fumes that can damage not just your skin but some of your internal organs too. So when bleaching your wooden floor, make sure to open all doors and windows. When there’s none, make sure there’s exhaust ventilation somewhere in the room.

10. Don’t Mix Bleach Ahead of Time

Once the bleach is mixed, the bleaching agent is activated. You are now in a race against time before it dissipates altogether. So don’t mix your bleach in advance if you don’t want your money to go down the drain.

3. Opt For A Lower Sheen Finish

A lower sheen hardwood finish is much better than a glossy finish, which only magnifies the marks. A lower sheen finish, however, does not eliminate dents and scratches. But it can make dents and scratches less noticeable. (Related: The Amazing Benefits of Olive Oil on your Wooden Furniture)

4. Apply More Coats Of Finish

Applying finishes on your hardwood means the dents and scratch will happen in the finish, not in the wood itself. The more coats you put in the wood, the less damage it will get from dog scratches.

5. Put Some Rugs And Carpet

Place some mats or runners in hallways or in places where your pets stay the most. Putting rugs in front of entranceways and dog doors also helps in minimizing scratches and dents on the hardwood floor.

6. Keep Your Pet’s Toenails Clipped Or Apply Nail Caps

Applying nail caps or regularly clipping your pet’s toenails will help in preventing nail scratches on your hardwood floors.

While these ways to dog-proof your hardwood floor are effective, you must know that it is the nature of the wood to get scratched easily. Minimizing damages on your flooring is one way to maintain its class and elegance. (Related: Buckled Wood Floors: Causes and Fixes)

Advantages of a Floating Floor Installation

Easier To Install, Easier To Remove

One of the main reasons why people choose the floating floor as a method of installing floor wood is because it is easier to install.

Floating floor installation can be done without the traditional nailing or gluing the wood planks into the subfloor. And since it’s easier to install, the floating floor is easier to remove as well. If you decide to renovate your flooring again, you will not find it hard to remove the floor wood.

Cheaper

The traditional or solid wood flooring installation is quite expensive. Installing it can be a daunting task, so you’ll probably end up hiring a flooring installer.

Whereas in floating floor installation, the materials used are way cheaper. Also, you can install it yourself and forget about paying for labor.

Eco-friendly

Most people, especially those who are environmentalists, love the idea of a floating floor simply because it uses less wood, which makes it eco-friendly.

Can Adjust to Weather Changes

One problem that most homeowners have is the buckling of wood floors. Buckling of wood floors happens when there is too much moisture in the room, causing the wood to buckle. This occurs more often in areas with humid weather.

In the floating floor installation method, the woods can easily adjust, such as expand or contract itself in response to the changes in the room’s humidity.

As you can see, you can benefit a lot from using floating floors. However, it is still best to seek advice from a professional to see if floating floors best suit your home.

If you need assistance in choosing which type of floor you should use, we’re more than happy to help you. We offer the best vintage and specialty woods and timbers personally inspected by our team of experts who can also provide unbeatable craftmanship skills for your intricate wood projects. Browse our gallery of past projects to know more about the work that we do or contact us to get a free consultation.