Depending on if you are starting a remodeling project for your new home or starting a gut renovation on a fixer-upper, there are several types of Flooring styles to choose from. Traditionally, when laying down wood floors, wood planks are lined up next to each other, but newer styles might include a herringbone pattern, a floating design, or other technique that can not only increase the home’s value but make it attractive to potential buyers who view it.

Use these helpful tips on professional wood flooring techniques to help you decide which flooring style you might want to select and how a flooring fitter can help with your design ideas and your budget.

Flooring Types, Finishes, and Working with Subfloors

One of the reasons that Hardwood Flooring is so popular is it offers a clean look that’s easy to maintain and it comes in several styles and finishes.

Types of Hardwood Flooring

Hardwood flooring can include red or white oak, cherry, Brazilian cherry, pecan, birch, hickory, maple, pine, and other types.

Hardwood Flooring Finishes

Floors can be finished with a seal to help protect them for several years, or they can be left unfinished if you want to stain them a particular color or leave a rustic look for a room. Finishes can include quartersawn, plainsawn, and solid with a plain finish, a custom finish, or an engineered wood.

Oil-Based Finishes

Another type of finish is oil-based which can serve as a cost-effective method to help draw out the beauty in the wood. With this method, the wood absorbs the oil-based product and it compliments the grain in the wood.

Swedish Finishes

Other popular finishes can include a Swedish finish which is alcohol-based and very durable. There’s isn’t a lot of cleaning or waxing required with this type of finish.

Water-Based Finishes

According to SF Gate, an additional method to consider is a water-based finish which is environmentally friendly. With this finish, there are no volatile compounds used in treating the wood. It can be a bit expensive, but when a few coats are applied, it’s hard to notice the difference between this type of finish and that of a Swedish finish.

Assistance with Sub Floors

When considering your subfloors, keep in mind that you will have three options. There are above ground level subfloors, ground level subfloors, and below ground level subfloors, like in the basement.

With hardwood flooring installation, there are various techniques to help give a floor a bright finish that allows it to show well and can increase the home’s value. When looking at wood subfloors, there are a few points to keep in mind and we turned to Juan Rodriguez with The Balance for tips.

• Juan suggests that with subfloors, it’s important to consider concrete flooring which should be 30-days old as it will need to pass an inspection and moisture test.
• When installing hardwood flooring over a radiant heat, use the manufacturer’s recommendations before adding the wood over the radiant heat system.
• Another key point he makes is that with subfloors that are wood, remember, they must be sturdy and structurally sound without movement. Use OSB boards or plywood.

Because there are various flooring installation techniques, it’s important to decide if you want the floors to have a glue down method, a nail down installation, a locked-in method, a glueless installation or a floating engineered install, which we’ll explore next.

Hardwood flooring is a wonderful way to change a home’s décor and it can open a room dramatically if you don’t want to add carpet flooring, tile flooring, or linoleum flooring. Even if you have a fixer-upper, by selecting a quality wood with a pristine finish, it can be attractive and welcoming to everyone that views the home.

Freshome suggests that while a traditional home may have original hardwood floors, newer homes usually have specific price points that are lower. That’s why it’s important to consider the various types of wood that can be installed, as well as the wood techniques that are available with hardwood flooring installation.

When you select your flooring, there are various ways to install your hardwood floors:

Glue Down Installation

With a glue down system, the glue is laid in the subfloor with a troweling technique and then the hardwood planks are applied on top of the glue.

Nail Down and Staple Installation

When you use a nail system, you can complete this type of hardwood flooring installation yourself or contact a flooring installer. The nails are used to lock the wood into the subfloor and when you use the right technique, you can hide the nails into the groove of an adjoining floorboard. This helps make a seamless flooring that will be aesthetically pleasing to the eyes and increase the value of the home.

If staples are used, it’s a similar process, but a staple gun is what locks the wood into the sub floor area.

Floating Engineered Technique

With this technique, the wood is installed in a way that makes this ideal for a fast DIY project. There’s no glue, staples, or nails that are required and you won’t need a floor fitter for this method.

When you order this kind of flooring material, ask about Armstrong flooring which sells this type of hardwood floor. It features a tongue-and-groove technique with a simple and seamless locking mechanism.

Locking Wood Installation

With a locking wood floor installation, this type of hardwood is an engineered wood that can lock in with a system that uses a tongue-and-groove technique. This is the simplest technique and it’s ideal for any person that’s thinking about installing the wood flooring themselves as no tools are used in adding this type of flooring.

A flooring specialist or wood fitter isn’t required for this option either. You would just simply lock your wood planks into place and then add a moisture sealing barrier beneath them to minimize the moisture to the floors.

Hardwood Flooring Styles – Think About Your Buyer

When you’re ready to remodel a home, it helps to go room by room and explore how you would like to change the flooring in each room.

Here are a few points to think about:

• You may want to consider where sources of light will come in so that you can take advantage of flooring that can handle direct light.
• Another point about room design is to confirm that the basement area isn’t damp, too humid or moist before installing hardwood flooring which can warp or cup.
• Think about the climate as that can also be a factor with hardwood flooring, i.e., will it be too humid for this wood type? Too dry?
• An additional point that you might want to factor in is how the future homeowners will use the rooms when you layout the hardwood flooring. In most homes, Berber carpeting is used in the bedrooms and den, while a vinyl flooring or laminate flooring is used in the kitchens and hardwood flooring is used in the living room and dining rooms.

These are just a few ways to think about laying out the floor plan that will make it helpful to a potential buyer.

A Buyer Needs to See Themselves in the Home

Remember, a buyer needs to be able to visualize themselves in the home. If for example, you add carpeting that’s plush in the basement and den, but they have pets, and the carpeting isn’t stain resistant, they might frown on the carpeting. They know they’ll likely have to rip it up or deal with stains, soiled carpeting, and pet odors. That’s why hardwood flooring is ideal for every room because you can always upsell to a potential buyer based on the “perceived” value.

For example, if you install new flooring and have a hardwood style like a distressed wood in the kitchen or a reclaimed wood in the dining room and living room, upsell how the flooring has been sealed and that the person can add large area rugs if they want.

For assistance with flooring styles that will attract potential buyers, contact a flooring store and ask about flooring options preferred for bedrooms, living rooms, and other rooms in the home. A flooring specialist can help you find hardwood flooring that’s both appealing and will fit your budget.

Professional Flooring Techniques

If you do a search online for “carpet stores near me with wood flooring fitters” or “flooring stores near me with free flooring installation”, a flooring specialist can help you with the type of professional flooring technique that you would like to use in the rooms.

Make sure you request an in-home estimate and walk them through the layout and design ideas you have in mind. Next, ask about the latest flooring sale and installation price quote and take advantage of new flooring offers and end-of-season discounts.

With selecting flooring techniques, a few styles are very popular. These include:

Straight Patterns

With a straight pattern style, the floorboards are laid side by side and are parallel to each other. This is the easiest design to replicate and it requires the least amount of time because it’s a fairly straightforward pattern.

Diagonal Patterns

When using a diagonal pattern, this is not the same as a chevron or herringbone pattern. Instead of laying the floor beams in a parallel pattern that’s in line with the room’s length, this technique uses a diagonal pattern that’s at a 45-degree angle. It’s a popular style that can give a fresh look to a room.

Herringbone and Chevron Patterns

When a herringbone or chevron technique is used, the wood panels are arranged in distinctive zigzag patterns to draw attention to the eye. It’s an easy design pattern that can be used in modern and contemporary homes, suggests Homed It. See their sample images in the link. As you can see, this type of finish can be commonly found in foyers, a dining room, or living room and in a kitchen when the floor is sealed.

While the chevron pattern comes from the herringbone family, it actually dates back to the 1600s. It’s a very popular style that is making a comeback because it provides a clean finish. The hardwood planks are glued to the subfloor or they can be nailed.
This type of project can take longer as strips of wood are used and the details are more time-intensive to ensure the patterns line up correctly.

Parquet Patterns

A fun way to install wood planks if vinyl plank flooring is used is to turn the patterns of the panels in a checkerboard manner. This is a way to give a clean look that’s sophisticated instead of the traditional pattern where all the tiles are facing in the same direction.

Unsure about how to set up a herringbone pattern, parquet pattern or another style for your wood floor remodel? Contact a flooring specialist today at (888) 512-9037 and ask for an in-home estimate and flooring sale and installation quote.

Schedule a Free In-Home Consultation

To help with the flooring design that you would like to start, schedule a free consultation. Scheduling a free in-home consultation is convenient and it can save you time and money. You can get a flooring sale and installation estimate and take advantage of discounts for seniors or vets, or an end-of-season sale or discontinued carpet or tile sale that will save even more money.

The added benefit is when you talk to a flooring specialist they may be able to offer discounted pricing you hadn’t thought of, like end-of-season sales, holiday sales, or in-stock clearance discounts.

Conclusion

Installing new flooring in a home can be a big project. Talk to a flooring fitter about the technique you would like to use. Then map out a timeframe, budget, and materials to ensure your expectations are met. By picking hardwood flooring with contemporary designs or the most trending styles, you can help upsell your property to potential homeowners who see the added value and time you took in redesigning each room.

Because hardwood floors come in different colors and design patterns, you’re limitless in the designs you come up with and how you coordinate colors from one room to the next. Not only can you transform a dated look, but you can increase your return on investment with these savvy wood fitting techniques that increase the home’s value. Research the looks you want to achieve and consult a flooring specialist for further assistance. They may have a few flooring ideas that will just floor you!

Need a price for flooring and installation? Express Flooring specializes in discount flooring, laminate flooring, vinyl flooring, and tile flooring for your residential remodel. Arizona residents can take advantage of flooring sale and installation deal offers like $500 off new hardwood flooring installation, a free in-home estimate, and next-day delivery. Contact Express Flooring today!