Beautiful Trees to Hardwood Lumber

No matter what the project, it is important to know what kind of wood suits the project. It is important to know about the different woods and what they are used for. There are several different kinds of woods and their purposes vary accordingly. Hard wood lumber comes in many different strengths, colors, and grains.

Hardwood comes from trees that have broad leaves or produce nuts. Some of the trees that fit into this category include: Oak, Maple, Walnut, hickory, and cherry tree. These are the most common hard wood trees in North America, partially to do with the climate. Hardwood is the correct name for the lumber produced from these species. However, not all hardwood lumber is the same. To figure out what the characteristics, the industry has created a standardized code. The code is for the wood's strength and grade.

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Under this classification, the hickory and Pecan are considered the strongest. The classification measurements are derived from how much pressure is necessary in order to mar the wood. For the hickory and Pecan the measurement is approximately 1,820 pounds of pressure. The softest of the wood is the Aspen. Although it is considered a hardwood, its measurement lies at a bout 350 pounds of pressure. Somewhere in between the two extremes is the hard maple which is 1,450 in addition to the white oak which is about 1,360 pounds. A little closer to the soft end of the scale is the cherry at about 950 pounds. The hardest woods are best used for flooring.

When using hardwood it is important to note that it adjusts to its environment. This means that it does contract and expand depending on the surrounding environment. Because it was once living, it is good to think that it continues to do so even after it is cut down. The wood is dried in a kiln in order to minimize this adjustment. It is important to keep the wood in the same shape as when it was manufactured.

Manufacturers of hardwood lumber take into consideration the changes in wood as well as the purpose and design. Take Windsor plywood for example is used most often as sub-flooring in addition to wall bases. Rough cut lumbers that can be used for almost any job include: Dunn, Carter, Lowes, and Siegel. To find hardwood, online stores will typically supply it manufactured as a floor finishing product. However, some research and consideration should always occur before purchasing hardwood for any project. The measurement classification, color, and purpose should all be taken into consideration. Although, it is important to note that any hardwood can be stained or painted to better suit the décor and design of a house. The grain is perhaps the more important characteristic to pay attention to instead of color.

Beautiful Trees to Hardwood Lumber

Linden Walhard's detailed reports can be found on a large number of websites related to rough cut hardwood and working amongst rough lumber. You can find his writings on rough cut lumber at different sources for rough cut lumber tips.

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Easy Steps For Hardwood Floor Repair

Even the most expensive floors can have problems. Woods are prone to scratches than any other flooring. Problems can range to minor problems to the surface or to a major one which damage on the structure. You can seek for a professional who will repair the damage or try to do it yourself.

I would try to tackle normal floor problems and possible ways to repair those.

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1. One problem is the hardwood surface scratches which are very hard to avoid since this is natural wear and tear on every wood. If scratches on the floor are unapparent, color sticks or urethane touch-up kits available at most floor retailer stores can be used. If scratches are deep, you will need to change the damaged boards. I

2. Another problem would be buckled hardwood which is when boards rise up from the sub floor due to humidity levels. This should be repaired at once to avoid larger damage and the hazard of tripping. Expert help is sometimes required since the problem is beneath the floor. Fixing a screw into the flooring and the sub floor pulls down the buckled portion of the floor; cement block can also be used to deal with the problem

3. Hardwood plank gaps or separations of gaps are caused naturally by climate or by dryness. Woods will shrink or expand when wet or dry. The problem is seasonal so if the weather is humid, the floor is fine. Just be patient in waiting for the floor to return on its normal shape again, as long as the gaps are not that large, it is definitely okay.

4. Loose planks of wood can be fixed through nail and hammer set. Greatly loose boards can have deeper problems; this can be solved through replacement of the damaged strips on the floor.

5. Broken or split woods on the floor can also be repaired through hammer and special angled nails; larger splits may also need replacements.

6. Stained hardwood floors can be the most devastating problem on the floor since stains can mess up the beauty of the whole floor having dark colors. Refinishing the whole floor can be the only way to deal with stains but you can try this few steps:

a. Sand out the stained wood

b. Apply an acid mixture; this is a mixture of acid crystals (sold at retail flooring stores) and water on a clean white cloth. Let the mixture set on the floor for an hour.

c. Check if the stain is gone; if not repeat the process over again.

d. Once the stain is washed out rinse the area with vinegar and let the area dry completely.

e. Apply an oil-based stain that can match the bleached portion. Additional coats would be necessary to level the color of the floor. Once you have arrived at the color that you want, let the floor dry overnight.

Be sure to wear protection for your eyes when doing the whole process of floor stain removal.

7. Washboarding or cupping hardwood is a hardwood floor problem characterized by wood strips that are high on the edges but lower on the center. Cupping can be caused by moisture imbalance wherein more water is stagnated on the bottom of the wood than on top. The remedy for this problem is to stabilize the humidity levels of the wood surface first. Sand it out and refinish the hardwood.

8. Warped floors are floors that lose its shape. This can pose a serious problem; thus professional help is needed at once.

Cleanliness at home is still the best way to maintain the sturdiness of the hardwood floor. Vacuuming and mopping of the floor at least once a week is a good start. It has also been advice not to wax floors with polyurethane coatings because it will be very hard to recoat or refinish it again without sanding it wholly first.

Do not feel obliged to call the help of experts to make minor repairs on your flooring problems. There are those which are easy to deal with and you can try to solve it on your own. This can save you from a lot of hassle and money which can be used for bigger problems in the long run.

Hardwood floor repair takes a lot of time and patience. With appropriate techniques, tools and products, fixing of the floor will be as easy as 1-2-3.

Easy Steps For Hardwood Floor Repair

Lee Dobbins writes for www.refinishing-hardwood-floors.com where you can learn more about choosing, maintaining and refinishing hardwood floors [http://www.refinishing-hardwood-floors.com/Do-It-Yourself-Hardwood-Floor-Refinishing.html].

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