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ARTICLE SUMMARIES - Click on a title to read the full article.
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Start discussing environmental issues in any social group, and passions quickly flare. Discuss them with people in the wood flooring industry, and opinions run the gamut. Given that situation, it can be difficult for consumers to know what to believe when they ask questions about wood flooring and the environment. Certain products, such as reclaimed floors, have obvious environmental value. Beyond that, the truth can be more difficult to perceive.
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In today’s construction market, “green” building is red-hot. Five years ago, the concept was outside the mainstream, with pockets of activity in stereotypically environmentally aware markets such as Portland, Ore., and Santa Fe, N.M. Today, more than 31 percent of builders report “more than moderate involvement” with green building, according to a study recently released by McGraw-Hill Construction and the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), and the activity stretches across all parts of the country.
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Floors get dirty over time, but you can keep your hardwood floors looking new for many years: with the proper care and maintenance they will outlast a lifetime. Regular attention is the key in keeping your hardwood floors looking their best.
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Exotic hardwood flooring is great choice for those who want something special, with unique wood graining and coloration, giving your home truly distinctive appeal as well as enhancing its value. Certified manufacturers of exotic hardwood flooring promote sustainable forest practices, so rational harvesting from sustainable forests assures the health and continuity of this most valuable resource.
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Floating hardwood floors are stable, quiet, durable and easy to maintain. Unlike traditional hardwood floors, which are nailed or glued down, floating hardwood floors are not attached to the subfloor. Because they ‘float’ like this, though being glued or snapped together, movement in the boards is spread across the entire floor, making gaps less likely to appear and improving stability. They can be installed over virtually any type of subfloor, such as concrete, plywood, sheet vinyl or ceramic tiles.
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With a huge variety of woods, finishes and designs, hardwood floors offer an endless choice of possibilities to suit any type of home. Beautiful and hard-wearing, a hardwood floor almost never needs to be replaced. They undoubtedly add character, charm, and value to a home.
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To restore your hardwood floor’s original beauty and richness, refinishing is the best option. When it comes to refinishing a hardwood floor, you can enjoy the satisfaction of doing it yourself rather than hiring a professional. While refinishing a hardwood floor is hard work and a time consuming process, the good news is that the steps are simple and you should be able to rent the necessary equipment.
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Compared to typical hardwoods, parquet hardwood flooring offers a distinctive and unique look. It consists of geometric patterns in tiles of wood, and originated from woods where many small pieces of exotic woods being arranged in intricate geometric patterns. The visual effects of parquet hardwood flooring can be quite stunning, and variety can be brought to the room simply by moving a rug of piece of furniture to expose or cover different patterns. Modern parquet hardwood flooring consists of solid tiles of wood pre-arranged in patterns, making it easy to install.
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It’s a fact, your hardwood floor is going to become scratched and dull through general wear and tear over time. However it’s best to recoat your floor while it still looks good, prolonging the life of your floor and reducing the number of times it has to be refinished. Recoating will revitalize the shine and get rid of any mild discolorations that haven't penetrated the wood. By committing to the proper care and maintenance of your hardwood floor, including recoating and refinishing when required, you can give your floor a life of up to 300 years.
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Combine economical heating with the beauty of hardwood flooring simply by installing hardwood floors over radiant heating. As a long-term economical investment, installing hardwood floors over radiant heating will enhance the value and aesthetics of your home and provide a warm, cosy and comfortable environment during cold winter months. Radiant heating is also a good choice for allergy sufferers who wish to avoid the dust blown about by forced air heating systems.
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Once you have decided to install hardwood flooring in your home, you then need to consider prefinished versus unfinished hardwood floors. Each has its merits and downfalls, and depending on the situation, one may be more suitable than the other.
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