Installing wood flooring is a great way to improve the look of your home and increase its value. There is a reason why wood floors have traditionally been associated with elegant spaces and the warm, natural atmosphere they lend to a room continues to make them a popular choice in both family homes and luxury environments.
If you still need convincing, here you’ll find a few of the top reasons why wood floors are a wise investment, along with some tips as to how you can protect and care for them, so you have beautiful floors for years to come.
1. Unbeatable beauty and value
Truly, the biggest benefit of wood flooring is how unique and beautiful they are. They can completely transform a space and really make a house a home. When you go with hardwood, you can also rest assured that you’re picking a flooring option that will never go out of style.
Wood floors have stood the test of time both practically and aesthetically, meaning that, if you can afford it, they are always a wise investment that will inevitably pay off.
2. Variety
Thanks to the large variety of trees and wood types available, there are endless possibilities when it comes to selecting the perfect hardwood flooring for the home of your dreams. They are many different colors, consistencies, designs, and grain patterns available, opening up a world of customization that will allow you to get creative and really make a space your own. You can also have the floor refinished if your preferences change or you’d like to enhance its look, but chances are you won’t be so inclined.
If taken proper care of, a wood floor can truly last a lifetime, unlike carpet, for example, which will likely need to be replace every 10-15 years.
3. What to use to protect your floor
Speaking of last a lifetime, if you want your floor to continue looking beautiful following installation, it is important that you take some time learning about what the best way to take care of it is. For example, you should not use abrasive or harsh chemicals to clean your wooden floor.
These substances are corrosive and will eat away at the flooring. This means that you should not use anything containing ammonia, vinegar, detergent, oil, or any type of wax or silicone based product on your floor.
4. Be aware of moisture and limit water
We all know that moisture if not good for wood, so it is important to remember that the same is true for your floor. This means that in addition to not using steam mops on your hardwood floor, you should generally limit water in all its forms to the highest possible degree.
The heat from steam mops can also be problematic, as the heat serves to thermally break down the floor’s protective layer over time, making it more susceptible to damage.
5. Don’t slack when it comes to refinishing
Regardless of the quality of the wood and the finish you choose, any wood floor will inevitably begin to show some wear patterns and surface scratches with time and use. When you begin to notice this, the dulling of the wood in high traffic areas, it is probably time to start thinking about re-coating your floors.
Keep in mind that this isn’t a huge undertaking. Re-coating can be completed in one day and costs much less than sanding and refinishing. If you stay up to date with re-coating your floor, you will be able to avoid more costly procedures down the road.
