Tips For Choosing Hardwood Flooring

Evaluate The Sub-Floor

You need to evaluate the sub-floor before installing a hardwood floor. This is the next step in the process after determining your budget. The sub-floor, as the name suggests, is the floor beneath the floor you see in a finished home. It is usually made of panels laid over joists and trusses. The thickness of the panels depends on the maximum rating of the joist span. The most popular materials are oriented strand board or plywood. Oriented strand board is less expensive than plywood and does not tolerate water as well.

Although the panels are the most common type of sub-floor, there are others, including concrete. In addition, sub-floors can have double layers. It is vital to evaluate your sub-floor since you may need to prepare the floor before installing the hardwood. This can include sanding panels until they are flat, making sure they are clean, and repairing or replacing them if necessary.

Learn about more tips for choosing the best hardwood flooring now.