Beautiful floors can often make the difference between a nice home and a breathtaking one. Nothing can add to the aesthetics of your home like the natural beauty of exotic hardwood floors. Installing exotic hardwood floors to your home is also an excellent way to increase the value of your home. Installing hardwood flooring in your home provides a solid return on investment (ROI) of about 70-80 percent on average.
Exotic hardwood floors are made from hardwood species that are not found in the United States. They most commonly come from Australia, Africa, Brazil and Asia. Types of exotic hardwood floors include bamboo, eucalyptus, cork, Bolivian mahogany, Bolivian teak, Bolivian rosewood, Brazilian cherry, Brazilian walnut, Brazilian maple, and Brazilian koa.
Installing exotic hardwood floors is a project of low to moderate difficulty that many homeowner will be able to do themselves.
Exotic Hardwood Floors
First, you’ll want to decide where you want to install the exotic hardwood floors. Do you want to install them in the entire home or just in select rooms? Then measure the square footage you will need.
Once you know the square footage you will need, do some research online and in local home improvement stores to find the type of exotic hardwood you want and the best prices. When you find the type you want and a good price, buy however much you need. You’ll want to find out from the merchant what methods of installation are feasible with the particular type you buy.
After obtaining the hardwood, you are ready to begin installing it. There are 5 main installation methods. They are nail down, staple down, glue down, glue less, and floating.
Depending on the subflooring you have, concrete slab, wood, etc., some options may not be feasible. The quickest, easiest, and cleanest method is floating, but not all types of exotic hardwood floors can be installed in this method.
Installing exotic hardwood floors is a great way to dramatically increase the aesthetics and value of your home. The project is relatively simple and can be accomplished by most homeowners. There are virtually limitless combinations of installation methods and exotic hardwood species. With so many combinations, you’ll be able to find the right one to match your style.
