When you are looking for hardwood flooring in Michigan it is important for your wood flooring installation company to understand the construction of your home. Homes built at different times and in different areas all have different materials used as base flooring.
There are many things to consider when it comes to selecting the installation method to be used when installing your floor if you expect it to last a lifetime. You may receive information from many sources regarding installation method and it is always wise to refer to your manufacture for instructions. However I will talk about 1woodfloors.com preferred methods of installation. It is important that subfloor type is considered before choosing your hardwood floor. For instance CDX plywood does not provide the same hold as some OSB types of subfloor. Refer to our subfloor types page for more insight.
Now this does not mean a whole lot until you consider you may want a wide plank hardwood floor. If you have a subfloor that does not hold a fastener as well as the other then install a floor that uses less fasteners then this could have a effect on the way your floor hold together. Installing hardwood flooring in a state like Michigan can present many challenges because of changes in the climate. Unfortunately most of the issues result after the installation of your Michigan hardwood flooring project is completed and the first seasonal change has taken place.
Now if you have a 4 inch wide plank floor installed over OSB using nail down method with cleats would the floor hold together under climate changes as good as a old 2 1/4 oak hardwood floor nailed over cross plank into the floor joist with spiral nails?
Have you seen a house from the 1950′s or earlier with a floor that stays together better than that floor in your new home?
Have you ever heard from your parents saying “I never had that problem with my floor”?
The short answer is most people we know have not had wide plank hickory flooring installed in a new home and that less has been done to see the test of time.
Did you know that selecting Hickory is also selecting a product that is more prone to movement than Oak hardwood flooring. You can see very easily that the type of floor you select, installation method you choose, area your home is in and your subfloor type can play a big part in how long your floor withstands the test of time. I hope this information is helpful for those who would like the floor to withstand the test of time.