Hardwood floors are popular, versatile, and timeless. They come from different types of wood, such as oak, maple, cherry, and pine. Hardwood floors come in different patterns, textures, and colors, thus making your floor unique.
All About Wood Flooring
Wood flooring is flooring made of natural or synthetic wood. Natural wood is known as solid wood, made of solid planks. Synthetic wood is engineered, where multiple layers of wood and wood products make up the planks.
All About Hardwood Floors
Hardwood floors are extremely durable. The popular choices are oak and sometimes bamboo. Solid wood floors can be refinished repeatedly. The price of hardwood floors depends mainly on the species and thickness of the wooden planks.
All hardwood flooring requires a good level of care and maintenance. Avoid using wet and steam mops. Spills should be wiped immediately. Do not use abrasive cleaning products.
Not all of the hardwood floors in your house have to be the same. You can use a combination of solid and engineered wood, depending on the footfall and location.
Hardwood floors are a good investment to make as they will never go out of style. Choose the species, pattern, and color that serves your needs the best.
If you’re looking at flooring replacements, almost no option can provide the beauty, value and wide appeal of hardwood. In fact, homebuyers are willing to spend, on average, $2,000 more for a home with hardwood flooring. Here are some ideas to consider if you want hardwood floors in your home:
- Reduce, Reuse, RefinishIf you live in home that was renovated between the 1970s and the 1990s, you might be surprised at what could be underneath your ratty carpets: beautiful hardwood floors. Even if the boards look a little rough, it’s highly likely they can be sanded down and stained such that they look like new again. If your home is historic, refinishing rather than replacing hardwoods preserves the quality, character and value of the home, so it’s a good idea to get bids from flooring companies who specialize in historic or high-end refinishing projects.
- Planet-FriendlyIf you don’t already have hardwoods in your home and want to renovate with the environment in mind, then you should look at flooring companies that offer green options such as bamboo. Since bamboo is actually a grass, rather than a wood, and grows rapidly even without replanting, it’s considered a sustainable resource. Bamboo flooring, either laid in strips or made into engineered boards, gives the same classic look as hardwood, and can be stained almost any color; its use needn’t be restricted to modern designs. Bamboo’s cost varies depending on the quality of the planks, but low-end bamboo will probably be in the neighborhood of oak flooring when it comes to pricing.
- Borders and InlaysIf you’re laying new hardwoods, your choices aren’t restricted to the width of the boards and the color of the stain: There are many different types of floor designs that can contribute an elegant, European air to your home. Floor inlay designs range from simple borders incorporating darker boards to elaborate herringbone patterns. You can browse flooring companies’ portfolios for ideas if you’re not sure how much is too much for your personal taste. Keep in mind, of course, that floor installation costs will rise for a more work-intensive pattern. But since these patterns are complex and unforgiving, it’s best to invest in a skilled craftsman; as long as you use good materials, the results will last for many years.
What other ideas can you contribute to homeowners considering hardwood flooring? Join the discussion in the comments.