Hardwood floors are one of the most popular options for flooring, offering a timeless and classy finish that will never go out of style. But how much do you know of the process from a tree to your kitchen?
Read on to find out more about the process of wood flooring.
Wood flooring begins as trees, either in the wild or growing in controlled spaces specifically for harvesting. Most reputable log suppliers around the world work to plant more trees for every one that they harvest, making the practice as sustainable as possible. Raw logs are harvested and then sawn and air dried.
They are then refined and graded, using air drying to naturally remove moisture. The process of doing this can take serval months depending on the type of wood and the climate it is being harvested in. After air-drying, they are kiln dried in heat controlled chambers to bring them to the desired moisture content.
Once the timber has its desired moisture content it is separated into different grades and prepared for cutting. Different grades include rustic, character or select and better, with different appearances to each. It will be reduced to whatever width, thickness and length is needed. It is usually cut in 3 ways; plain sawn, quarter sawn and rift sawn. The cost of the wood will depend on how it has been cut, with plain sawn usually the most popular as it is the least expensive.
After it has been cut, tongued, grooved and regulated, the wood is sanded. A sanding machine is used for this, which is capable of sanding up to 100sqm of flooring per hour. Sanding is sometimes the last step before it is sent out, but some food types require further finishing. Some are brushed to enhance the grain or distressed to create a used look. Lacquer or oil can be added to protect the wood or enhance its appearance. Coloured finishes can be used to give the wood a different colour than its natural look. With these finishes, they can be removed and changed if you want to try something new.
Now that you know about how wood flooring is made, it’s time to work with a hardwood flooring specialist for your floor refurbishment. Just Wood Flooring has decades of experience in refurbishing existing wood or transforming a space with brand new wood flooring.
Our range of wood flooring includes ash, beech, maple, jarrah, oak, walnut, merbau, cherry and jatoba.
With many types of wood flooring to choose from, call us today on 01243 827888 to talk through your project with one of our skilled team. To browse our full wood selection and virtual showroom, visit our website now.