Regardless of whether you’re familiar with wood flooring or not, pinewood flooring is one of the most common (and affordable) types of wood flooring on the market, and is also sometimes referred to as “redwood flooring”.
Ranging all the way from white all the way to red (hence its alternative name) pine wood flooring is known as being one of the softest types of hardwood flooring available and is known as being both resilient and long-lasting, despite being softer than other types of hardwood flooring choices.
Generally speaking, even though pine wood is not deemed as being one of the hardest of all wood types for flooring, it is considered to be one of the most resilient softwood floorings in the world, and for this reason is often used by people who want to achieve a hardwood flooring look, without actually having to deal with the hefty price tag that often comes with oak hardwood flooring and others.
Thanks to this, it means that pine wood flooring is durable enough to be exposed to regular, high-impact activities, as well as being able to withstand general wear and tear.
Not only that, but pine wood flooring also requires very little upkeep, which makes it an absolutely wonderful choice for those who are on the search for quality wood flooring that isn’t going to require regular cleaning and maintenance!
Most types of hardwood flooring will require regular cleaning and TLC, however, pinewood flooring requires very little cleaning – with most people opting to clean their pine wood flooring one every two weeks or so.
Besides being affordable and low maintenance, pinewood flooring is also known for getting patina as it ages, which many people find desirable due to its aesthetically pleasing look.
However, it is worth noting that despite the fact that pine wood flooring is known for obtaining character and color as it ages, many people who install brand new pine wood flooring often find that their pine flooring appears quite dull and light in color which can stand out from the rest of your home interior.
For this reason, you might need to consider purchasing a wood dye in order to help bring on the patina a little sooner, although this is entirely a matter of personal preference.
On top of all of that, even though pine wood flooring is a relatively inexpensive and durable flooring option, it should be noted that due to it being a softwood, there is a chance that the pine may scratch over time or become water damaged if exposed to too much moisture when cleaning or otherwise.
Due to this, if you are considering installing some pine wood flooring in your home, we strongly recommend that you take the time to seal your pinewood floating with a protectant, as this will help to ensure that your pinewood flooring stays in pristine condition for longer.
Is yellow pine a better option?
Even though yellow pine flooring is a type of softwood flooring, it just so happens to be the strongest of all types of softwood pine flooring – so it’s one of the most popular softwood flooring options on the market!
Seeing as pine is a softwood, it means that it grows fast and is more readily available than hardwood flooring, which means that it is usually more affordable than other types of wood flooring. This makes yellow pine flooring a good choice for those who are on a budget or simply want to renovate their home without breaking the bank.
Wondering what else makes yellow pine a good choice for flooring? Well, as we have already mentioned above, yellow pine is one of the strongest types of pine flooring on the market, which means that it is best suited to those who are looking for flooring that is going to be able to withstand general wear and tear, as well as high impact activities or heavy furniture without any damage.
Despite all these great features, it’s worth keeping in mind that pine wood flooring (which is also commonly referred to as redwood flooring) is a type of flooring that can come in a variety of different colors, including shades of white, yellow, orange and even red.
For this reason, if you are planning on installing yellow pine flooring in your home, it’s important to note that, due to the fact that it is a softwood that comes from a family of wood prone to additional shades of orange and red – there is a strong possibility that your yellow pine flooring will undergo an aging process known as “patina”.
Patina is an aging process that can occur to a variety of other types of material (including metal and leather) and is where a tarnish is produced due to oxidation, or a variety of other chemical processes caused by things such as cleaning. Also, if you use Pine Sol cleaner, check out what we think of it.
For this reason, it is important to consider the fact that yellow pine is prone to tarnishing over time, as this is something that is extremely likely to happen at some point or another.
Do they scratch easily?
Yes, just like other types of softwood flooring, pine is at risk of becoming scratched. So, if you’re the type that would prefer wood flooring that isn’t going to become damaged or show signs of wear and tear – then pine floors might not be the best choice for you.
Nevertheless, even though pine floors are at risk of becoming scratched up more easily than other types of wood flooring, pine is still an exceptionally durable softwood and will be able to last a long time before needing to be replaced.
Needless to say, if you are considering laying down some pine flooring in your home and would like to prevent scratching for as long as you possibly can, then we recommend that you make sure to protect your pine floors as soon as you have installed them to ensure your pine floors stay in tip-top condition for as long as possible.
There are a variety of different finishing products that you can opt to go for on the market, however, for the best results we recommend going for a finishing gloss with polyurethane within the formula.
The main reason for choosing to use a finishing gloss with polyurethane inside the formula is simply due to the fact that they are considered to be the strongest out of all protective finishing products available, and will help to keep your soft pine floors in pristine condition for as long as possible.
Should pine floors be stained?
No, pine floors do not necessarily need to be stained, although some people do opt to do this if they are going for a particular look. Why? Well, softwoods such as pine usually tend to appear very light in color when new, and this is completely normal.
Over time, pine flooring will undergo a natural aging process known as patina, due to both oxidation and general wear and tear. However, some people do not like to wait for the tarnish layer to form across the surface of the pine flooring, so they opt to stain or dye their pine flooring instead.
If you are interested in staining your pine floors, then there are a variety of ways that you can go about doing this. One of the most popular (and easiest) ways to stain your pine flooring is by using Minwax Wipes, which will allow you to stain your pine floors in just a few seconds!
Can you make them harder?
Though there is no way to make the actual pine wood harder, there are ways that you can strengthen it! If you currently have pine floors or are simply considering installing them in your home, then you should consider multi-layering your pine floors with polyurethane.
If you’re not overly familiar with painting, then most types of floor finishes on the market will use polyurethane in order to coat floors, as it is one of the most resilient and durable types of finishes on the market.
Besides ensuring that your pine floors will be protected from general wear and tear, polyurethane is exceptionally good at helping to prevent pine flooring from becoming dented or scratched – so we strongly recommend that you use a polyurethane finish if you are planning to install some pine floors in your home, or simply want to protect your existing ones.
Need a recommendation? If you’re interested in trying out multilayering with a polyurethane finish but aren’t sure where to begin, then we recommend trying out the Varathane Water-Based Ultimate Polyurethane Gloss Finish! Unlike other types of polyurethane finishes on the market, this one features an innovative water-based formula that will be able to dry super fast, while also ensuring that it is easier to clean with water and soap.
In addition to that, this particular finish will leave a glossy sheen to your pine flooring, which will help to both protect and elevate the natural beauty of your particular pine flooring.
How do you waterproof them?
As a softwood, pine is at risk of becoming damaged from exposure to high levels of humidity and moisture. For this reason, it is recommended that you take the time to coat your pine flooring in a polyurethane finish, as the multilayering will help to ensure that your pine floors remain protected and pristine.