091522_SW_Taste The Town_DIGITAL EDITION

woods even come with an oil or wax
finish for a soft, hand-rubbed look.
Finish is really a matter of personal
taste, but you are more likely to see
imperfections with a higher gloss.
Several manufacturers also offer
texture options such as wire brushing,
which lifts the grains to give the
wood a 3-D look. It’s very on-trend
and hides a lot of sins.
• Local climate. Hardwood can
work in any climate, but you have
to take your location into consideration.
Wood swells in high humidity
and shrinks as humidity falls. Your
installer can explain how to mitigate
any potential issues. Homes in lowerhumidity
areas may need to a humidifier
run during the winter. In areas
with sticky, hot summers like Florida,
you may need air-conditioning to
maintain a more consistent level of
humidity. Miller said engineered
flooring is more stable and adapts to
changes in temperature and humidity
better than solid wood.
• Hassle factor. Make no mistake,
installing a wood floor is invasive
and disruptive. Even before
installation begins, wood planks
may have to “acclimate” to your
environment. That means stacks of
boxes will sit in your home for up
to two weeks, so the wood can adjust
to the temperature and humidity.
Existing flooring must be ripped
out. Furniture must be removed.
Unfinished wood must be cut to fit
and sanded, producing enormous
amounts of sand dust. Then, you
have to stain the wood, wait for it
to dry, and then sand and seal the
wood three times, allowing for the
finish to dry between coats. You
can’t walk on the floors, and some
folks are sensitive to sealer fumes,
so you may have to move out of
your home for a week or more. Even
though it also has to acclimate, prefinished
wood does cut the installation
time by one-half or more. Once
it’s down, it’s ready to go.
• Cost. Engineered wood tends
to be a bit cheaper than solid. For
example, 3-inch-wide traditional red
oak costs about 20% more than engineered;
however, the installation
costs are the same. ª
Southwest Orlando Home & Real Estate x September 2022 x 5
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YOUR BUSINESS ALIVE
Data released from the Industrial Fabrics
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• Print magazines outperform all other media in
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For Advertising, Сall
407-351-1573
P.O. Box 851, Windermere, FL 34786
Unlimited Flooring LLC
Formerly known as SCS Hardwood Floors Inc.
Mon-Fri 8:30am - 4:30pm | Sat 9am-2pm
WWW.SCSUNLIMITEDFLOORING.COM
150
of orders over
$1,500
10/15/2022