Your timber frame home offers lots of opportunities to express your individuality. As you design and build your new home, you’ll gain insights into the flexibility that timber frames offer. Is your taste elegant? Does it lean toward traditional or even rustic? Your new home will be whatever you wish, just make selections carefully and design it to be the home of your dreams.
While many, if not most, timber frames feature wood flooring, the types and finishes available in wood floors are almost as varied as the styles of timber frame homes. There is antique flooring, fine clear flooring, and everything in between. You can choose laminates, hardwood, or even softer pine.
We decided we needed a durable hardwood that would withstand not only people, but dogs without looking worn. So what better choice than to distress the floor before it went down and not dread that “first scratch”. Pam and Neal had installed amazing hickory floors in their new timber frame and they guided us on the techniques used so we could enjoy a similar floor.
Starting with a utility (economy) grade hickory, we ended up with an amazing floor that looks as though it has suffered through generations. It is warm and inviting and handles traffic easily. The cats, dogs, and human traffic only add to the patina.
The dark color compliments the clary sage walls and lighter timber. The contrast is stunning and grounds each room. With rugs (chosen with Pam’s input) defining the different living spaces, this flooring is never overlooked.
While we opted for tile in the bathrooms and mudroom, this warm flooring is used throughout the rest of our home. It works well even in the kitchen, where spills don’t cause concern.
In using utility grade material (the stuff that didn’t meet the grade for “real” flooring), we feel that we made a step in the sustainable direction. These trees didn’t die in vain. Finished with water based stains and polyurethane, the floor offer a non-toxic alternative to many of the products available on the market today.
So, begin thinking about your flooring early on and know all of your options. Go with the floor that will compliment your home and your lifestyle. There is something out there for everyone and your wood floor should last for a long, long time. Why “wood” you use anything else?
For some other ideas on designing and building your timber frame home, check out Timber Frame Magazine .
See you soon.
