Live it Up with Wooden Flooring

Nothing really beats the lustre of fine wooden flooring. But there are several other factors that make wooden flooring such an attractive option for your home:

• Wooden flooring is affordable: Not merely that, it also adds value to your residence at resale time because it increases in value as your home does
• Easy to maintain: All it takes is a simple sweep and vacuum run, but make sure that your wooden flooring is protected from moisture and heavy wear. Preventive maintenance like area rugs, floor protectors (on all items of furniture), and a routine polish with a floor cleaner should always be carried out
• Ecologically sound: Unlike most flooring, wooden flooring comes from a sustainable natural resource. That is, most timber is cut from forests that are carefully managed to ensure continued future resources. Which in turn means that there is more standing hardwood timber today than there was 50 years ago, according to federal government surveys
• Healthy: At home or elsewhere, wooden flooring contributes to a healthy living environment. Most hardwood floors do not rap or harbor dust mites or molds. The hard surface of wood floors also does not absorb artificial substances and toxins such as pesticides
• Variety: With technologically advanced manufacturing, stains and finishes, hardwood floors come in many sizes, styles, colors, finishes and species. These many choices can light up any home or office

Common questions on wooden flooring

• Is it expensive? Not really, if you consider that wooden flooring is a lifetime investment. Besides, homes with wooden flooring hold their value better, sell faster, and fetch higher prices, according to surveys, than carpeted houses.
• What species and color should I choose? The most popular colors are red oak natural and maple natural. Darker colored wooden flooring suits formal or traditional interiors, while lighter colors complement country, casual and contemporary settings.
• Which rooms can I install wooden flooring in my home? Any room except a full bath. With the variety of products available and a choice of installation options, hardwood flooring can now be installed in any room of the home. Also, because of potential moisture problems, solid hardwood is not recommended for installations below grade, such as in a basement
• Engineered wood floor versus solid wood floor: Engineered products, available in planks and strips are manufactured of hardwood using a cross-directional laminated construction, with a top layer of premium hardwood. This offsets the natural tendency of wood to expand and contract with changes in temperature and humidity. Solid products, available in planks, strips or parquet, are manufactured from a solid piece of wood
• Prefinished versus unfinished wooden flooring: Most hard wooden flooring sold today is prefinished, or factory finished with several coats of UV-cured polyurethane or aluminum oxide. These factory finishes are tough and durable. Installing a prefinished floor eliminates the time, the dust and the odors associated with the on-site sanding and finishing of an unfinished product. A prefinished floor can be installed in a day. An unfinished flooring installation may require twice as much time!
• Is wooden flooring hard to maintain? No. A factory-finished hardwood floor has a tough, durable and smooth no-wax surface that is both luxurious and easy-care. Under no circumstances must you damp mop wooden flooring, as we said earlier, but make sure to use maintenance products and procedures recommended by the manufacturer.

Which wooden flooring for which room?

• Entry/foyer: Foyers tend to be more formal than not, so make a design statement using outside walk-off mats and area rugs. These also help in keeping wear down
• Kitchens/family rooms: Dark and white/bleached wood floors do not fare well in this area because of high foot traffic and spillages of food and water. It is best if kitchen wood floors are lightly sanded and recoated as needed. Even so, clean regularly, and always wipe food and water spillage immediately
• Living & Dining Rooms: Choose darker wooden flooring with a combination of Oriental carpets. Design considerations for this area often will be compatible with the furniture
• Bathrooms: A bathroom that receives daily use would not take wooden flooring well, owing to moisture exposure. On the other hand, wooden flooring could work very well in a guest bathroom, provided you wipe off any moist areas immediately
• Home offices/bedrooms: Office settings favor traditional darker colors, while bedrooms partially depend on colors

For more information about wooden flooring or related products, choose from one of the following links:

Wood Flooring | Bamboo Flooring | Hardwood Flooring