There is a reason everybody loves wood. Granted, wood looks fantastic and is easy for craftsmen to work with when it comes to carving and shaping, but there are many other reasons why wood is the number one choice for building material, doors, and flooring.
If you set aside the versatility of wood alone, you're still left with dozens of great reasons it is so beneficial. One reason is simply because of renewability. Wood is a renewable resource, so it is virtually impossible to run out of it. Every time a tree is used, one or more trees are planted in its place. It takes a very long time to return to those planted trees, giving the area time to grow again before its resources are required.
Wood can also be reclaimed from any number of locations. Reclaimed lumber will carry with it a lot of character that can really add to a home's design. Reclaimed wood also attests to the longevity of wood even when it has not been strictly cared for after a time, such as old barns or abandoned cabins. Even wood that may not seem suitable initially, such as trees that have been killed by insects, still have useful pieces in them that can be crafted into stunning doors or flooring.
When it comes to load-bearing capacity, strength-to-weight ratios, and insulation, wood scores high on all counts. This is why wood homes can stay warm in winter and cool in summer. Wood doesn't allow a lot of conductivity through its structure, which is why doors made of wood are great at holding hot summers and freezing winters at bay. And anyone who has been inside of a toasty cabin will acknowledge how cozy it can be!
Technology is better than ever today, which means that we are better able to cut and dry wood to ensure the best in a smooth feel with no cracking or warping. Wood also performs wonderfully when it comes to taking stains and overall finishing techniques. Inside or outside, when treated properly, wood can look amazing for many years to come without any worries of warping, cracking, or other types of damage.
Naturally, wood looks wonderful as well. That is one of the prime reasons that people love wood. It's comfortable, homey, and adds a sense of the outdoors - even if only a little - to any home. It can convey strength, elegance, hospitality, and so much more; it's all in how it is crafted and what you want it to do within your home.
Wood craftsmanship is extremely important when it comes to installing a new wood floor in your home. There are different ways that floors can be constructed and crafted depending upon where they are to be applied, the amount of traffic, and so forth. You will want to find professionals that fully understand wood craftsmanship and can give you the best in the business.
There are a lot of aspects that go into wood craftsmanship that many people may not even realize. Where is the wood gathered from? Are the planks going to be made in the USA? Do you need solid wood or engineered flooring? Are the forests that supply the wood considered sustainable and responsibly managed? One final thing to think about is whether or not the provider of your flooring is a member of the National Wood Flooring Association. Being a member means that you can count on their standards being high and well-maintained.
If the business you are considering working with can answer all these questions with ease, you can feel more comfortable about their wood craftsmanship. It means that they know exactly where all their wood is coming from. They will be able to tell you if they craft the flooring themselves and whether or not they can offer you variations on texture and so forth. They will also be able to let you know their options for solid wood and engineered wood.
Solid wood is just what it sounds like. You will find that solid wood flooring is often for at or above ground applications. This is for a multitude of reasons. One such example is that below grade applications mean that the flooring is in a location such as a basement where the moisture levels can be significantly higher and thus affect the wood. Solid wood is also not recommended when it comes to directly gluing the floor to concrete or when the floor includes radiant heat below where the floor will be installed. All of these can affect the integrity and resilience of the wood.
Engineered wood is recommended for all the locations that solid wood cannot go because it is actually built out of separate parts that are able to withstand these elements. Engineered wood is made of various layers, such as a veneer layer on the top and bottom, and a material core with alternating grains. Engineered wood is made to withstand much more than traditional solid wood and can mean installing a wood floor where you may have thought it impossible before.
Craft Kitties is a Home&Office Accessories brand based on design innovation. Craft Kitties always adheres to the design concept of minimalism + function and is committed to designing and producing high-quality solid wood products with nature as raw materials.
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