Questions to Ask When Choosing Hardwood Flooring

PLEASANT HILL — When choosing hardwood flooring for your home, make sure you’re getting a quality product that’s also right for your home. One of the best ways to do this is to ask plenty of questions. Here are a few to consider:

“Where is it made?” Since different countries have different regulations for harvesting and manufacturing flooring materials, it’s important to find out where flooring products come from. For instance, while the United States has strict regulations regarding sustainability and safety, China’s lack of regulation leaves room for unsustainable harvesting practices and unsound manufacturing methods. In fact, some Chinese-made flooring products have been known to off-gas toxic fumes, due to the materials used in manufacturing. To prevent such health hazards, it’s best to choose a flooring product from a well-regulated region.

“What kind of finish does it have?” There are different types of finishes used on hardwood flooring, but the best by far is aluminum oxide. An aluminum oxide finish gives the hardwood a top layer of protection against scratches, stains, fading and oxidation. The finish is layered on each board, with more layers representing better quality. Most premium wood floor products have five to 10 coats.

“How long is the acclimation period?” Just about every hardwood flooring product needs time to acclimate to its new environment—usually about a week. Failing to give new flooring materials time to acclimate before installation may result in expansion or contraction after installation, so don’t neglect this crucial waiting period.

“What kind of maintenance is required?” Hardwood flooring products vary significantly in terms of maintenance needs. For example, most engineered hardwood flooring products are virtually maintenance-free, whereas solid hardwood flooring requires regular cleaning and re-sealing because it’s a natural product. Prior to choosing a flooring product, find out what kind of maintenance it requires and determine whether you’re prepared to follow through with that.