What Are the Advantages of Hardwood Floors?

Hardwood floors have several advantages over other floors.

Hardwood floors have been one of the floor coverings of choice for generations. While some people choose to lay ceramic tile, carpet, linoleum or laminate flooring in their home, hardwood remains one of the most popular choices. It's not hard to figure out why. Hardwood floors have some of the biggest advantages in flooring options, which ensures that this will be a common type of flooring for a long time to come.

Easy to Clean

Compared to carpets or grouted tiles, the hardwood floor is among the easiest types of floor to clean. Using a damp mop to clean the floor following a quick sweep or vacuum is generally all the floor needs on a regular basis. Occasional conditioning may be in order for some homes, but this basic care is usually all that is required. Carpets can stain easily and grout in between tiles often gets discolored and is difficult to clean. People with wood floors do not worry much about floor stains, even if they have spills or have pets in the house.

Durable

Hardwood floors are among the most durable floor surfaces available. These floors can maintain a high level of aesthetic appeal despite years and years of high foot traffic. Many homes with wood floors will have the same flooring throughout the life of the home. Some wood floors still in use were installed more than a century ago and still look great and function well. Some other types of flooring have long life, but carpets and linoleums cannot compete with the longevity of hardwood.

Variety

While it is not an exclusive advantage of hardwood, it is a significant one. They say variety is the spice of life, and you can have plenty of variety in the appearance and texture of your wood floors. A virtually endless set of options exists for stains; and there are various types of wood textures to choose from. You can even buy a less expensive wood and then stain and texture it to look like a far more expensive type. You can literally let your imagination run wild with the appearance of wood flooring, and you can always change your mind later though stripping, sanding and refinishing.

Increased Home Value

Wood floors are a desirable feature in real estate. If you are building a home that you plan to sell at a profit one day, you could do much worse than hardwood flooring. Hardwood retains its value well and can add value to a house much more than other floor coverings. A house with beautiful hardwood floors throughout is likely to sell for a significantly higher price than the same house with an outdated carpet throughout. According to the Build Direct website, houses with hardwood floors also tend to sell faster on the market.

Air Quality

It's possible you never considered the type of flooring you have to be related to the air quality in the home. With wood it is definitely related. Hardwood floors are the best bet for someone with allergy problems. Hardwood floors have no fibers or grout lines where allergens can be trapped. Pollen, dust and pet dander sweep up easily instead of being trapped in the house like it can be with carpet.

References

• Professors House: Advantages of Wood Flooring
• Build Direct: Main Benefits of Hardwood Flooring