| Building a hutch or putting down wood floor for the | | | | mar them. |
| living room are two jobs that can be completed with | | | | Aspen soft and it takes only 350 pounds of pressure |
| relative ease. The most important question to | | | | to mar this wood. Hard maple needs 1450 pounds |
| answer is what type of hardwood lumber you want | | | | before it is marred and white oak needs 1360 |
| to use. First you will want to learn a few things about | | | | pounds. This is a good way to gauge which woods |
| hardwoods. Then you will be able to make an | | | | would work best for flooring. Since floors must stand |
| educated decision. | | | | up to a lot of traffic and pressure from furniture, the |
| Hardwood is wood that comes from broad leaf trees | | | | harder one are best for this application. |
| or two that produce nuts. Walnut, Maple and Cherry | | | | All wood alters even after it has been turned into |
| trees are the ones that are used mist frequently in | | | | furniture or flooring. Hardwoods contract and expand |
| North America. The climate in North America is | | | | in order to adapt to the environment. Trees are living |
| perfect for the trees so they grow in great | | | | things and they live on, in a sense even after they |
| abundance. Lumber from any of these trees is | | | | are in floor form. Before the lumber is used it is kiln |
| labeled hardwood. | | | | dried to take out as much of the moisture as |
| However, this generic label is somewhat misleading | | | | possible in an attempt to stabilize it. That is why the |
| because there are major differences in the types. | | | | finished product holds a truer size and shape during |
| Industrials groups have worked hard to give rating to | | | | manufacturing. |
| various lumbers to help differentiate between them. | | | | Top manufacturers of lumber are aware of the |
| Different strengths and grades are defined to let | | | | alterations in the wood. They take that into account |
| consumers know which ones are the hardest and | | | | when they are manufacturing the wood. This is why |
| which are soft. Knowing the difference between the | | | | you will find certain woods designated for certain |
| grades is extremely important because it should be | | | | purposes. Pay attention to this. Do not choose |
| taken into account when choosing which wood will be | | | | woods for applications that they will not hold up well |
| used for which applications. | | | | under. Windsor plywood is used for sub-flooring and |
| The hardest hardwoods are hickory and Pecan. | | | | interior wall bases while Drum, Carter, Lowes and |
| Hardness is measured by how many pounds if | | | | Siegel lumber have rough cut lumber for all jobs. |
| pressure it takes to mar the wood. These two | | | | Other retailers, like Lumber Liquidators keep lumber |
| woods require about 1,820 pounds of pressure to | | | | for finished flooring applications. |