Choosing Hardwood Floors for your Vancouver Home – From your Vancouver Mortgage Broker

Choosing Hardwood Floors for your Vancouver Home – From your Friendly Vancouver Mortgage Broker

As a Vancouver mortgage broker, we can tell you that hardwood floors are very appealing to many buyers because of the character and panache they can give your home. Harwood floors are very stylish and, depending on their finish, can be very decorative and a homey contrast to how you have decorated the room.

As a renovation project you can also get a decent ROI for the money you invest. Make no mistake though, choosing the right hardwood floors should be planned carefully and be well thought out before you take on this project.

Hardwood floors generally come as two choices. You can opt between either a multi-layered (also known as engineered), or a single-layer which is solid hardwood.

Choosing between the two different types also depends on the location of the room and the amount of moisture to which it might be exposed. Additionally it may also depend on what sort of sub-floor exists beneath.

Below grade installation such as a basement floor will also likely require a vapour barrier.

Multi-Layered Harwood Floors

The multi-layered or engineered form of hardwood is comprised of strips which have a hardwood surface that is glued on backer board. The most solid type has 2 or 3 layers using a Baltic Birch. The upper layer is called the ‘wear layer’ and should ideally be a minimum of 5/32 inches thick.

This type of floor is not like laminate flooring which only looks like wood but is not real wood.

Multi-layered flooring is able to resist contraction and expansion from both changes in temperature and the affects of moisture. You can use it for either above grade or below grade. It is very suitable for basements and can be easily applied by gluing it directly onto concrete on, an acoustic underlay, or a sub floor. 

Single-Layer or Solid Hardwood Flooring

This is how floors use to be done in olden times and can often be found in older homes. These are solid planks of wood and are not engineered. These types of floors are generally applied by either being stapled or nailed to a wooden sub floor.

These types of floors should not be used for below grade floors. They will develop warps, cups or have gapes in between if exposed to areas which have high concentrations of moisture, and are best maintained in areas of the home which are largely climate controlled. 

You can buy these types floor planking as either finished or unfinished. Ideally they should be at least ¾ inch thick and already sanded. This type of flooring is cheaper than the multi-layered and can be relatively easy to install.

However, the refinishing of these floors must be performed where the work is being done and can take several days before the finishing is completed.

Using Hardwood Floors Decoratively

You will also have to decide on what kind of species of tree to use as the grains vary considerably, as do the grades and cuts of the lumber used. You also have the option to select from different types of grains and vary the stain which can be used to give each room its own unique style and character.

Another thing to consider when selecting the flooring is to consider the traffic to which it will be exposed and the elements, or how the room is used.

No matter what you decide, you can take it from your Vancouver mortgage broker and can add a lot of character and style to your home with hardwood floors.