Timber - Buying Quality
When considering timber flooring, quality of construction is your primary concern. Basing a buying decision on price alone is not advisable. Not checking a product's durability means you could be tearing up strips and making replacements sooner than you should. You may end up spending more money in the end.
When choosing timber floors, try to choose the proper grades of board. Product review and consumer reports can give you the specifications on different manufacturers' products and the regions their timber came from. It's best to choose Select or Appearance grade timber. These two grades ensure that your floor is visually appealing, with little or no minor defects.
Engineered/floating timber flooring uses real timber and therefore the better the quality of the timber, the better the finished floor will be. Engineered/floating floors that are made from Australian hardwoods are extremely durable and long lasting. In comparison, other engineered/floating floors are made from Asian timbers that do not have the same hardness and so will scratch and wear out faster.
Also, the quality of the core board the timber is attached to is important. The best quality core board should be used as this will ensure your floor remains stable, will not shrink or contract with changes of weather and will last a long time.
The finish of the board will also determine how long the floor will stay looking good and the amount of maintenance that will be required.
In the end, purchasing the best quality timber floor you can afford will provide you with a beautiful and easy to maintain floor for many years to come.