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You have questions, we have answers. Explore the most frequently asked questions about hardwood flooring below. Need assistance or want to know more? Contact Carlisle or call 800-595-9663 today to get all your inquiries answered.
When it comes to low-maintenance flooring options, homeowners have a wealth of options. Harder surfaces like natural stone, porcelain and ceramic are resistant to water, stains and scratches. Materials like laminate flooring or luxury vinyl planks offer softer services that are highly water-resistant and need little attention. And hardwood floors – still the most popular flooring option – are fairly low maintenance, especially when compared with carpet. Hardwood flooring has the advantage of being one of the most durable materials, often lasting many decades. In recent years, many homeowners have chosen engineered hardwood floors that deliver the look and feel of solid wood but are less prone to warping, gapping or cracking when exposed to higher levels of humidity.
Explore and select from our gallery of our most popular finishes, specially categorized by the personalities and traits of the floor designs.
ExploreThe boards of an engineered floor are made with a top layer of hardwood – called the “wear” layer – that’s glued to multiple layers of backing material, where the grain in each successive layer runs in a different direction. Backing material may be plywood, high-density fiberboard or another hardwood like Baltic Birch. This multilayered, cross-grain construction creates a very stable core that is less likely to expand or contract when exposed to higher levels of humidity and moisture. For this reason, it’s an excellent option for rooms like bathrooms, kitchens, bedrooms and laundry rooms. Engineered flooring is also ideal for installation in basements, over radiant heating systems and on concrete slabs.
Engineered floors will not scratch more easily than solid hardwood floors. Regardless of how the floor is constructed, a hardwood floor made of softer wood like Cherry or Walnut will scratch more easily than floors fashioned from harder wood like Maple or Hickory.
Maintaining a hardwood floor is fairly easy. Sweeping and vacuuming can remove the dirt, dust and debris that will cause scratches. Avoid wearing shoes inside, especially high heels, which can scuff or dent softer wood floors. Be sure to keep the claws and nails of pets trimmed. Avoid dragging heavy furniture or objects that could scratch the floor. Be sure to clean spills on a hardwood floor right away. Use protective mats or runners in high-traffic areas. To clean stubborn dirt and grime from a floor, try lightly mopping with a solution with 1 or 2 ounces of vinegar to 2 gallons of water – an eco-friendly and effective cleaning solution.
Both engineered hardwood floors and luxury vinyl planks are easy to maintain by regularly sweeping and vacuuming. Luxury vinyl planks from Carlisle are made with four layers of synthetic materials that are adhered together. A decorative layer features the beautiful, authentic appearance of a hardwood floor and is fade resistant. A top ultra-thick “wear layer” provides ultimate wear resistance. An ultra-stable core is twice as thick as the industry standard, and a built-in underlay of cork offers antimicrobial protection while providing a quiet and comfortable experience. Luxury vinyl planks are more affordable and more resistant to water, while engineered hardwood floors are more eco-friendly and longer lasting. The choice between these two options boils down to the homeowner’s preference for look and feel. While a luxury vinyl plank will resemble a hardwood floor, it will feel much different to the touch and will feel softer when walked on.
Just like a solid hardwood floor, an engineered floor can be distressed or textured to re-create the appearance of a surface that is much older. Flooring craftsmen use a variety of techniques to distress engineered floors. Wire brush techniques wear away the softer grains to make a floor appear timeworn or footworn. Hand-scraped edges re-create the look of antique floors where the edges of boards were smoothed with a knife to ease the transition from one board to the next. Craftsmen can also apply saw marks that give new floorboards the appearance of boards that were cut and milled at sawmills more than a century ago.
Yes. Whether it is made of solid wood or engineered floorboards, a prefinished floor is sanded, stained and sealed within the manufacturer’s facility. This enables craftsmen to apply stronger sealants like aluminum oxide that provide greater protection and can help increase the longevity of the floor. Prefinishing a floor also lets homeowners avoid the mess of sawdust, the odor of sealants and the inconvenience of needing to vacate their homes for several days as the floor is finished.
Because prefinished floorboards can be treated with stronger sealants to resist scratches and wear, a prefinished floor may require less maintenance than a floor finished on site.
Wide plank wood flooring is made with floorboards that are as much is 20” wide and up to 16’ long. Wider, longer planks creates a floor with fewer seams and greater elegance, where the personality and beauty of the wood are allowed to shine through.
Carlisle Wide Plank Floors offers a broad array of options for solid wood flooring and engineered floors and luxury vinyl planks. Our expert design consultants work closely with customers to choose the best hardwood or Pine species, as well as the choices of stain colors, finishes, patterns, and distressing techniques that can help to create a one-of-a-kind floor that will delight and inspire for generations.
