A floor can really tie a room together. The type of flooring you choose can help dictate the floor and decor for the rest of your house. The natural beauty, tones, and grains in a hardwood floor are hard to beat. But before you make that decision, here are some pros and cons of hardwood flooring.
A well-maintained hardwood floor will last, sometimes over a hundred years. While you may find yourself with a bigger upfront cost, that will pay for itself by not having to be replaced every 15-20 years as you would with other types of flooring. The downside is the upfront cost. If you’re dealing with a limited budget, the asking price of hardwood flooring may put it outside your reach.
Another great thing with hardwood flooring is the amount of variety. You’re only limited by the number of types of hardwood trees. The difference between different types of wood is only second to the difference between each plank; No two are alike. On the other hand, a natural product like hardwood is not without its natural predators, so to speak. While it is rare as modern homes are built with termites in mind, keep an eye out for small holes, or hollow sounds in your floorboards. These can be signs of termites!
When you think of dated looks in flooring, you often picture carpeting and linoleum flooring. The looks and designs can easily conjure up images of decades long-passed. This is not the case with a well-maintained hardwood floor. The look, feel, and tones of a hardwood floor have lasted decades and continue to give us a timeless look. The downside is, while it looks great in bedrooms, and living rooms, you are limited to mostly those spaces, as a hardwood floor can be easily ruined in a kitchen or bathroom.
Maintenance for a clean hardwood floor is simple; Vacuum, mop, and keep it dry. If spills are cleaned quickly, a hardwood floor is pretty resistant to spills. That being said, a hardwood floor can stain if spills aren’t taken care of immediately, and they are also prone to scratches, and dents.
So while in many cases a hardwood floor is a great choice, be sure to understand what you’re getting, and ensure that it fits your family’s lifestyle.
