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Thinking about having wood flooring installers into your home to upgrade the look and feel of your property? Here’s what you need to know. There are various types of options to consider, and some are easier to work with than others. If you want to stain and customize your own color or pattern combination, it will take more effort and patience than settling for any pre-finished options that are much easier to install.
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Different Types of Wooden Flooring
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Many people go with a normal solid oak wooden flooring, however, there are other kinds such as maple, fir, walnut, birch, cherry and beech. One other alternative is pine, which can be used to create an old-fashioned feeling it’s dark stain color. The only downside to pine is that it can easily become dented and scratched.
In addition to those wooden flooring types, Bamboo is also another great option that has become popular in recent times. It grows fast, which is why bamboo is considered one of the best eco-friendly flooring options, and is also hard and durable.
Forms of Installation
After you decide which type of wooden flooring you are going to use, you also must choose which installation method is necessary. There are three basic forms of installation to consider:
- Strips: narrow tongue-and-groove boards cut in random lengths
- Planks: tongue-and-groove boards that come in various widths as well as random lengths
- Wood tile: most often patterned and laid in geometric patterns in a parquet style
When researching these options for installation, you might also find something called “floating” floor systems. These include multiple strips on top of a tongue-and-groove backing board. This kind of system is finished in the factory versus other floors that can be refinished after the factory. Although, most types of flooring can be prefinished or unfinished, and whatever comes after is then sanded down and finished after it is already in its place.
Advantages
One of the biggest perks of installing hardwood is that they look fantastic. It creates a homey and cozy feel within the home. When it’s clean it shines very nicely and feels great to walk on with bare feet as well. Many people will almost always agree that hardwood floors look amazing and in some cases cannot be beaten.
Besides looking amazing and feeling great under your feet, a lot of people will say that it is also easier to match carpet with. Other kinds of flooring such as carpet can be difficult to pair with nice furniture, but hardwood has a neutral vibe to it. Carpet also looks better with tile and usually is tougher to match up furniture with.Refinishing a wooden floor is most definitely an option when looking for something different after a couple years. If you start with a lighter finish and get tired of it, you can refinish the wood to a darker stain later.
Wood is also a brilliant insulator. This helps to keep the warm air in during the winter and the cold air in during summer. Hardwood floors are very resilient, and are known to last centuries as long maintenance has been properly upkept.
Out all of these advantages, the one that tops them all is its cleanliness. They are simple to clean because of how easily dirt and hair shows up. It also doesn’t trap in dirt and dust, which makes it essential for people with allergies.
Disadvantages
Now, we will look into some downsides. Moisture and humidity is a crucial part of keeping hardwood clean and shiny. Owners of wood floors must be ready with a mop or paper towels when something spills because even letting the smallest amount of moisture sit too long on the floor can ruin the wood. Leaks can be absolutely detrimental.
The most damage that could ever be caused to your wooden flooring would be if there was a leak between the boards and the subfloor. You might not know about a slightly leaking pipe for months, even years, and then all of a sudden you find out that water was leaking down through the walls, resulting in an entire section of floor needing to be replaced. Because of this, you should never have hardwood flooring in your bathroom or your laundry room.
Make sure to check your floor substructure before installing hardwood floors. If it is uneven or has any issues at all, the installation could become very problematic, leading to your wood floor bending and opening up if damage is severe.
Another disadvantage is the noise. It is without a doubt loud to walk on, especially with high heels or heavy boots. However, simply laying area rugs on the floor can immensely make a huge difference.
Some finished can be scratched easily, but if you use the right finish, such as a new modern hard-poly finish, this will be less of a problem. It’s the shellac finishes that are more scratch-prone. However, shellac finishes can be repaired right where the scratches are, whereas polyurethane finishes require the entire floor to be redone.
Costs
The largest downside is the price of installation and the wood itself. Wood can be anywhere from $8 to $13 per square foot. Depending on the finish, the price can go up even more, especially with floating wooden floor systems. You will also need to have your floors redone eventually, every 10 years or so is a good amount of time to leave before investing to restore the damages and get that beautiful shine back to the way it was originally. Also, if you do decide to go with wood flooring you must remember, think of it as an investment into your home, not an expense. Besides, It’s only going to increase your home’s value if you ever decide to sell.
