Purple Heart Hardwood Flooring
Description of Purple Heart Hardwood Flooring
Unlike most hardwoods used for flooring that are usually yellow, light or deep brown and black, purple heart is brown when freshly cut and turns to various shades of purple. The purple is only in the heart wood, since the sapwood of this tree is of a light, creamy color.
With ultra violet treatment, the wood can turn back to brown but retain the deep purple undertones, which is lovely to look at. Purple heart is lustrous and has a fine texture, with mostly straight grain, but it can also have irregular or wavy grains.
Benefits of Purple Heart Hardwood Flooring
Color is a number 1 benefit of purple heart wood, not only when used in flooring but as trims and inlays in the home. The purple color as flooring makes a bold statement and works perfectly in contemporary homes with light, metallic and white furniture, walls and other interior accessories.
It is also highly resistant to wood termites, even more than most hardwoods used for flooring. This combined with its acid resistance and hardiness make it ideal for rooms with high traffic in the home. Stains can be easily cleaned off the surface and signs of wear will take years to develop.
Potential Disadvantages of Purple Heart Hardwood Flooring
Purple heart flooring is not good for DIY projects because it is difficult to work with. Dull tools can make it produce an unattractive sap or resin, making it necessary to keep sharpening your power tools when cutting through the wood.
How to Maintain Purple Heart Hardwood Flooring
This type of hardwood floor is very easy to maintain because it sands very well to produce satisfactory results with minimal effort. It also takes finishes well so any task of refinishing the flooring will be hassle free, especially since it works best with water based finishes.
When installed properly, the purple heart planks can hold for many years without showing the nails or edges. Keep the hardwood floor clean and free of dust, and remember that it will darken even more with exposure to sunlight.
Installation of Purple Heart Hardwood Flooring
As mentioned before, purple heart is difficult to work with compared to other hardwoods, so an expert is always required for installation. Unfinished, prefinished and laminate purple heart planks are available to suit any type of floor. The installation process for purple heart is similar to other flooring, although it requires specialized cutting tools.
Price of Purple Heart Hardwood Flooring
Purple heart flooring costs $3 on average, while engineered purple heart goes for over $4 per square foot. Most hardware stores locally and online stock purple heart thresholds, quarter rounds, treads and moldings, so you have to make inquiries or order early to get actual purple heart planks for flooring. Talk to a flooring expert to learn more about this type of flooring before making the investment.
Unlike most hardwoods used for flooring that are usually yellow, light or deep brown and black, purple heart is brown when freshly cut and turns to various shades of purple. The purple is only in the heart wood, since the sapwood of this tree is of a light, creamy color.
With ultra violet treatment, the wood can turn back to brown but retain the deep purple undertones, which is lovely to look at. Purple heart is lustrous and has a fine texture, with mostly straight grain, but it can also have irregular or wavy grains.
Benefits of Purple Heart Hardwood Flooring
Color is a number 1 benefit of purple heart wood, not only when used in flooring but as trims and inlays in the home. The purple color as flooring makes a bold statement and works perfectly in contemporary homes with light, metallic and white furniture, walls and other interior accessories.
It is also highly resistant to wood termites, even more than most hardwoods used for flooring. This combined with its acid resistance and hardiness make it ideal for rooms with high traffic in the home. Stains can be easily cleaned off the surface and signs of wear will take years to develop.
Potential Disadvantages of Purple Heart Hardwood Flooring
Purple heart flooring is not good for DIY projects because it is difficult to work with. Dull tools can make it produce an unattractive sap or resin, making it necessary to keep sharpening your power tools when cutting through the wood.
How to Maintain Purple Heart Hardwood Flooring
This type of hardwood floor is very easy to maintain because it sands very well to produce satisfactory results with minimal effort. It also takes finishes well so any task of refinishing the flooring will be hassle free, especially since it works best with water based finishes.
When installed properly, the purple heart planks can hold for many years without showing the nails or edges. Keep the hardwood floor clean and free of dust, and remember that it will darken even more with exposure to sunlight.
Installation of Purple Heart Hardwood Flooring
As mentioned before, purple heart is difficult to work with compared to other hardwoods, so an expert is always required for installation. Unfinished, prefinished and laminate purple heart planks are available to suit any type of floor. The installation process for purple heart is similar to other flooring, although it requires specialized cutting tools.
Price of Purple Heart Hardwood Flooring
Purple heart flooring costs $3 on average, while engineered purple heart goes for over $4 per square foot. Most hardware stores locally and online stock purple heart thresholds, quarter rounds, treads and moldings, so you have to make inquiries or order early to get actual purple heart planks for flooring. Talk to a flooring expert to learn more about this type of flooring before making the investment.
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