Why You Should Consider Hardwood Flooring
Hardwood flooring is often seen as a luxury. While hardwood flooring indeed is more expensive than other types of flooring, it does offer several advantages that justify its price tag. The classic look provided by hardwood flooring never goes out of style. Installation is best left to the professionals but your investment is guaranteed to be worth it. Here are the main reasons why you should consider hardwood flooring for your home:
Acoustics
When properly installed, hardwood flooring does not produce hollow sounds or vibrations. Next to carpet flooring, hardwood floors have the best acoustics because they need to be installed over a subfloor.
Beauty
The natural beauty and elegance of hardwood flooring, as mentioned above, never goes out of style. There are many choices available including American Cherry, Brazilian Cherry, Hard Maple, and Red and White oak. No other type of flooring can suit any decoration, in any area of the house, the way wood can, as it comes in a variety of colors, grains, species, stains, and styles. Hardwood floors can be made to look like new by refinishing and sanding. They also provide the illusion of space.
American Cherry is a fine grained wood that features a deep color when properly finished. Brazilian Cherry is very strong wood with a beautiful reddish brown color. Maple is a dent-resistant wood with uniform texture. Red Oak is durable and pleasing with its strong open grain. White Oak is known for its uniform straight grain that is tighter and less pronounced than Red Oak.
Cleaning
Contrary to popular belief, hardwood floors are not difficult to clean because they do not trap a lot of dirt, debris, or dust. Maintenance can be as simple as keeping the floor dry, sweeping, and mopping. Make sure to only use cleaning agents that are suitable for your wood type.
Durability
When properly installed and maintained (and depending if the wood is solid or engineered), hardwood floors will last between 20 to 100 years. Other types of flooring have shorter lifespans. Hardwood floors are very resistant to wear and tear and can withstand a high amount of foot traffic. They are usually nailed through the subfloor to the joists, increasing the structural integrity of your home.
Indoor Air Quality
Hardwood floors are ideal for indoor spaces. Wood does not have embossing, fibers, or grout lines where allergens, dust, fur, mildew, mites, particles, pet urine, pollen, and other indoor air pollutants can accumulate.
Sustainability
Wood is among the most popular renewable flooring choices available. Hardwood floors that come from regulated plantations and sustainably managed forests help minimize the ecological impact of lifestyle and interior design choices. Engineered wood floors have base layers of either recycled, scrap woods or a type of wood that grows faster, which is then covered by a more expensive and beautiful type of wood.
Value
Hardwood floors become more valuable as time passes by. It is the only type of flooring that increases the resale value of your home. It is a good long-term investment and the value it brings to your home exceeds the initial installation cost.
Ryan Garcia writes for LSCarpetAndFlooring.com, provides flooring products such as laminate flooring, hardwood flooring, ceramic and porcelain tile, vinyl and area rugs, located in Los Angeles, CA.
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