Krystin Krebs 8/16/17 Krystin Krebs 8/16/17

How to Choose the Best Wood Flooring for Your Home

There are many types of wood flooring options that come in many different sizes, shapes, and variations. Wood is durable, and can help absorb sound.

Hardwood comes in many different types of species, board widths, colors, textures, hardness, finish. Hardwood typically costs $3- $10 a square foot. The following are some of the most common wood floor species:

Ash
Beech
Birch
Cherry
Maple
Walnut
Teak
Oak
Pine
Cork
Bamboo (is actually a grass, not wood, but is often categorized as wood flooring).

You can paint wood floors using traditional oil-based enamel wood paint, or latex enamel wood paint. Try get a paint that contains polyurethane. This chemical adds strength and is great for slightly humid environments. If you can’t find one, you can always apply a coat of polyurethane afterwards so don’t worry about it. There are four levels of sheen for wood paint and each has a different reflective quality defined by the percentages below. Starting from the shiniest, they are glossy (75%), semi-gloss (55%), satin (40%) and matte (20%).

Krystin Krebs 5/31/17 Krystin Krebs 5/31/17

How to Choose the Best Tile Flooring for Your Home

Tile comes in many different sizes, shapes, variation, grout, and accents and it it durable, scratch resistant, and water resistant- perfect for wet areas.

Ceramic Tile. Crafted from a mix of clays. Because the material is porous, it is finished with a protective glaze. Ceramic tile is slightly more prone to wear, cracking, and chipping than porcelain tile.

Porcelain Tile. Made by firing finely ground clays and minerals at extremely high temperatures, is harder and denser than ceramic. Porcelain is better at resisting water and stains and is often used outdoors as it won't crack in cold temperatures. However, it is harder to install than ceramic tile.

Natural Stone Tile. Usually made from travertine, limestone, marble, granite, or slate. Stone is the most durable, improves with ages and lasts a lifetime. However, it is the most expensive option.

How to Choose the Best Wood Flooring for Your Home

Hardwood comes in many different types of species, board widths, colors, textures, hardness, finish. Hardwood typically costs $3- $10 a square foot. The following are some of the most common wood floor species:

Ash

Beech

Birch

Cherry

Maple

Walnut

Teak

Oak

Pine

Cork

Bamboo (is actually a grass, not wood, but is often categorized as wood flooring).

How to Choose the Best Tile Flooring for Your Home

Ceramic Tile. Crafted from a mix of clays. Because the material is porous, it is finished with a protective glaze. Ceramic tile is slightly more prone to wear, cracking, and chipping than porcelain tile.

Porcelain Tile. Made by firing finely ground clays and minerals at extremely high temperatures, is harder and denser than ceramic. Porcelain is better at resisting water and stains and is often used outdoors as it won't crack in cold temperatures. However, it is harder to install than ceramic tile.

Natural Stone Tile. Usually made from travertine, limestone, marble, granite, or slate. Stone is the most durable, improves with ages and lasts a lifetime. However, it is the most expensive option.