Appearance

• Elegant - Class
• No two floors are ever identical due to variance in wood grains
• Numerous installation patterns and designs can be created

Additional information on hardwood flooring patterns and designs

• Numerous board widths
• Domestic & exotic woods
• Array of stain colors, gloss factors, edge details
• Ornamental insets available

• Glazed and non-glazed
• Thousands of surface colors, designs and patterns
• Numerous installation patterns and designs can be created

Additional information on ceramic tile flooring patterns and designs

• Variety of shapes and sizes

Typical Warranties

• Prefinished:

Structural Integrity - Lifetime

Finish - 3 to 25 years

• Unfinished:

Varies dramatically

• Better quality ceramic tiles will have warranties for surface fading and stains of 10 to 25 years.
• Lower quality tiles will not carry any warranties.
• No warranties available for cracking on any ceramic tile.

Note: Warranties vary dramatically between on and off-shore manufacturers.

Life Expectancy

• Pending no damage from external sources, the hardwood itself will last for hundred's of years.

• Reasonable quality tiles should last at least 50 years.

Child Friendly

• Can be scratched
• Liquid spills can damage surface and cause boards to warp and rot

• Very hard surface that can bruise knees and elbows.

Pet Friendly

• Can be scratched
• Pet urine can damage surface and cause boards to warp and rot

• Very pet friendly

Care & Maintenance

• Vacuum & mop using non-wax cleaners
• Recoat with polyurethane as needed
• Can be refinished - refinishing required every 15 to 25 years

• Sweep & mop using manufacturer's recommended cleaners

Installation

• Nails, staples or glue

3/4" or 5/8" thick: Nail to wood

5/16" thick: Staple or glue to wood, concrete or existing floor with the exception of carpet

• Adhesive, thinset mortar and grout

Thinset mortar or adhesive is spread using a notched trowel

Grout is applied to fill in gaps between tiles.

• Sub-floor must be sound and stable

Grade Levels

• Below grade only in very dry regions
• On grade
• Above grade

• Below grade
• On grade
• Above grade

Room Installation

• All rooms with following exceptions:
• Full & half bathrooms - not recommended - hardwood is very sensitive to humidity fluctuations and water
• Below grade basements - not recommended - hardwood may buckle or warp with fluctuations in moisture level

Note: As hardwood scratches consideration should be given to installations in foyers as dirt brought into the home can scratch the surface.

• All rooms no exceptions

Budgeting

• Material cost $3/sq. ft. to $30/sq. ft. - very dependent on quality and dimensions of hardwood boards, finish and species.
• Installation cost (contractor):

Prefinished - $2/sq. ft. to $6/sq. ft.

Unfinished hardwood, finished on site - $6/sq. ft. to $10/sq. ft.

Note: Sq. ft. installation prices do not include the material or installation costs of underlayment, or repairs to sub-floors.

Note: Installing hardwood flooring on steps is not included in the pricing.

Additional information on budgeting for hardwood flooring

• Material cost $0.75/sq. ft. to $20/sq. ft. - dependent on quality
• Installation cost (contractor):

$2/sq. ft. to $6/sq. ft.

Note: Installing ceramic tile flooring on steps is not included in the pricing.

DIY Complexity - Scale 1 to 5 with 1 being the easiest.

• 3/4" or 5/8" thick, with nails - 4
• 5/16" thick, with glue or staples - 3

• Simple patterns - 3
• More complex patterns - 4 to 5

Hardwood /

Engineered Hardwood

Laminate

Vinyl Sheet

Vinyl Sheet /

Hardwood

Linoleum

Vinyl Tile

Laminate /

Engineered Hardwood

Hardwood