Best Woods For Floor Decking

The floor is one of the most important components in a building. There are many types of floors, some of which are made of earth, ceramic, granite, and even wood. 

The top layer of the floor varies. All types of the outer layer of the floor, whether in the form of metal, bamboo, stone or other materials, have clearly been tested in order to support the load as expected.

The floor has an important function in a building. Apart from being a stepping place, the lower part of the floor also has many uses. 

In modern buildings, the lower part of the floor usually holds many functions, such as a place for water pipes, electrical wiring, and many more. 

Because storing important objects, building a floor should not be careless and must be carefully calculated.

As explained above, the outer layer of the floor can be made of various types of materials. The material used for this outer layer will usually give the floor structure and impression. 

Besides giving a neat impression, choosing a good outer layer can provide a dual function, namely an aesthetic function in a building.

If described in more detail, there are many materials for floor coverings. The floor can be simply covered using vinyl, linoleum, or carpet. 

However, for a sweeter and more elegant look, there are several other options, such as wood, laminate, stone, ceramic, granite, and many more.

Everyone has a different choice for their residential floor. Usually, there are several factors that are considered before choosing a floor. 

Things like material costs as well as maintenance costs, endurance, comfort, and ease of cleaning are some of the things that people usually think about.

Types of best wood which are suitable for floor decking

Currently, wooden floors are one of the floors that are increasingly being looked at not only in countries in America and Europe but also in Asia. The popularity of wooden floors has indeed increased year after year.

Wood floors are widely chosen because they give the impression of being elegant, expensive, and natural. 

There are many types of wood that are used as floor decks. Each type of wood has a different color, pattern, and hardness level. 

Examples of some materials that can be used for wooden floors are bamboo.

The many types of wood make a person have more options for being creative with the floor of its house. 

Each type of wood has a distinctive character that is different from one another. Natural nuances and a warm impression can be obtained if the floor of a building uses wood. 

Therefore, wood is the choice of many people to be used as the outer layer of the floor.

Bengkirai

Bengkirai wood is one of the most popular types of wood for floor decking. This wood is also widely known by the public as a yellow balau. The original place for bengkirai wood is Kalimantan. 

Even so, this type of wood can also be found in countries closest to Kalimantan, such as Malaysia and the Philippines.

Bengkirai trees grow big and strong. This tree can reach 40 meters high. The diameter of the bengkirai tree can reach 120 cm. 

The wood color of this tree is brownish yellow and has a solid and strong wood character. 

Before making floors, bengkirai wood should be dried. The drying process for this tree can range from 12 days to one month.

Bengkirai wood is wood that has a heavyweight, even the weigh is more than teak wood. Even so, the wood from the bengkirai tree actually can cracks easily. 

The solution that can be done when the wood is cracked is by applying wall putty or special wood filler so that the cracks do not get worse.

Ulin / Ironwood

Ironwood comes from Indonesia and Malaysia, as well as in small islands in the Philippines. 

Ironwood is wood that is starting to be difficult to find because ironwood trees are becoming scarce in their habitat. 

In countries such as Indonesia and Malaysia, ironwood shipments abroad are no longer allowed. The reasons for this prohibition are a large number of illegal smuggling.

Ironwood is mostly found in hills and lowland areas near rivers. Ironwood trees are not like other trees that like fertile soil, this tree tends to like a dry land, such as clay soil, rock soil, or limestone soil. This tree is usually found in groups in an area.

According to research, ironwood is a wood that is included in category A. Why does this happen? This wood is considered the strongest, and heaviest wood in the world. 

Unfortunately, because of this advantage, ironwood trees are overexploited. Slow regeneration and the difficulty of cultivating this tree make ironwood trees rare and expensive.

Ironwood has become rare because it is difficult for ironwood trees to be cultivated. 

Ironwood tree growth seems slow, only around 0.5 mm in one year. Despite its slow growth, ironwood is still much sought after because of its strength. 

This wood is suitable for use as an exterior as well as a floor decking.

Merbau

Merbau is a type of wood that has many color varieties. The color of Merbau wood varies from deep brown to almost black to light golden yellow. 

In general, the color of Merbau wood is spread between red to dark golden colors.

Merbau wood has one unique feature where on each sheet of wood there are small golden spots that have a size of approximately 1 to 4 mm. These spots are one of the main characteristics of Merbau wood. 

Apart from the golden color, Merbau wood also tends to have dark brown spots that can be wiped off if you clean it with water. The spots on the wood of the Merbau tree give this tree the nickname Bloody Merbau. 

To avoid the appearance of specks on the wood of the Merbau tree, a preventive action that can be done is to apply oil to polish the tree wood.

Merbau is a very hardwood. The wood is considered very strong and durable as well as stable in several dimensions such as extreme weather. 

Therefore, this wood is very well known for its long-lasting durability. This wood also has one of the unique features of having natural oils which naturally make Merbau wood inert to water and termites. 

With its strength, Merbau wood is suitable for use in outdoor and also as floor decking.

How to care for the wooden floor

The three types of wood above are three types of wood that are in great demand for house floors. 

This wood began to be known and in great demand by people all over the world, including us. If you want to have a house with wooden floors, it doesn’t hurt to learn about how to care for the wooden floor.

Some of the tips below will help to maintain the color and durability of wooden floors at home.

Immediately clean up any type of liquid spilled on the floor

If you accidentally spill liquid, immediately wipe off any liquid that is on the floor. Even though wood floors have a layer to repel water, if exposed to fluids continuously, the floor can become damaged and rotten.

According to a survey, many wooden floors are damaged due to frequent exposure to fluids. 

According to science, wood also has the property to swell and shrink when humidity changes. Humidity can be caused by water contained in the air or spilled liquid. 

Therefore it is highly recommended to clean up any liquid spilled on the floor as soon as possible.

Use protectors on the legs of furniture

Scratches can occur at any time and this can be a big problem. Small scratches are not a problem, but if they happen repeatedly, of course, it will cause marks on the wooden floor. 

To avoid scratches that can damage the wooden floor, you should use protectors to prevent injure the wooden floor. Give a cushion to each furniture which directly rubs against the wooden floor.

Sweep the dust every day

It cannot be denied that everyone sometimes feels lazy to sweep every day. But it turns out that this method is a very effective way of maintaining the durability of wooden floors at home. 

The extreme treatment of not using shoes at home can also help reduce the dust that is there so that sweeping is not necessary every day.

Vacuum the floor weekly

To sweep may not be the best way to get every dust off. Vacuuming the floor weekly is an effective way to keep dust from sticking. 

In addition to cleaning more optimally using a vacuum, it will not scratch the floor surface because the vacuum works by sucking the sticks up to the sidelines which cannot be reached using an ordinary broom.

Use wood polish once a month

After paying attention to the cleanliness of the floor, there is nothing wrong with giving extra care by wiping the floor using a special liquid. 

Buy a special liquid to keep the wood floor maintained and stronger