The floors in your home are one of the most essential fixtures that stabilize the entire structure of your house. Your home’s aesthetic and basic appearance hinges on what your floors look like, which is why many homeowners opt for hardwood floors due to their variety of vibrant colours, timeless look, and natural beauty that will improve the appearance of any room in a home. But like any new installment to be added to your home, researching before making a large purchase is imperative. Floor installation can be expensive, gruelling, and incredibly time-consuming, but when you choose the right flooring for your home, this home renovation project will prove worth the effort.
Find out all the information you need about hardwood floors, whether or not they are right for your home and the merits and disadvantages that the material could bring to your home.
Pros
When you’re carefully weighing out the pros and cons of acquiring wood floors for your home, the benefits will become quickly apparent. Some of the pros of getting hardwood installed include the following:
- Variety: Hardwood is one of the best floors in design and style. Hardwood comes in many colours: oak, hickory, walnut, and cherry. More so, you can utilize different stains to create the colour you want that will match the decor and general interior of your home. You can also choose exactly how you want the wood planks to be arranged on the floors for further creative variations.
- Durable: If you make an effort to maintain your wooden floors, they will prove to be very durable. Depending on the hardwood floor material you select, it can last up to 100 years. Unlike other flooring materials, replacing your hardwood flooring won’t be necessary every few years. Although hardwood is one of the more expensive flooring materials, because they are unlikely to deteriorate after so many years, they are a great investment despite its daunting price tag.
- Overall improvement: Hardwood flooring will do wonders for your home in almost every aspect, from appearance to cleanliness, due to how easy it is to maintain, and it will also upgrade the value of your home and property. Potential buyers find hardwood an attractive feature in any home, and it will help the home to sell much quicker if you ever choose to do so.
- Maintenance and allergies: When you have certain flooring installed, such as carpet, it can easily attract danger, which will worsen allergies for any household member who is susceptible. More so, unlike carpet, hardwood is much easier to clean and maintain. With wooden floors, you don’t have to worry about a large attraction to debris and accidental spills permanently staining the floors.
Cons
Like any flooring material, hardwood isn’t immune to its disadvantages. Before you make the investment to get this attractive floor, keep in mind the disadvantages associated, that can include:
- Sensitivity: Although hardwood is sturdy and can last for many years in a home, it can also be easily damaged through scratching and moisture. Refrain from installing your hardwood in rooms that gather moisture, like the bathroom, where the boards can begin to deteriorate, warp, and even buckle. More so, your hardwood floor can appear much more worn with an abundance of scratches over its surface, and because this floor can easily scratch, this will be a factor you’ll have to consider.
- Cost: Unfortunately, if you are working with a limited budget to do a home renovation that includes a floor replacement, getting hardwood could be unattainable due to its high cost. Unlike carpet or tile, the material itself can be pricey. Because the installation process is a bit more complex, hiring professionals to install it will only be an additional cost that will inflate the total price.
- Wear and tear: Because hardwood is such sturdy flooring meant to last decades, you can expect it to wear and tear after a while. When it begins to visibly wear, repairs or repolishing will be needed to spruce up the floors, depending on the damage inflicted. After years of wear, you’ll also notice that your floors might have a distinct creaking sound that will be heard when walking over the wooden planks. While some homeowners may not mind these sounds, they can detract from the floor’s natural beauty for others.