HOME SERVICES: The pros and cons of hardwood flooring – Trussvilletribune

Hardwood floors are one of those amazing little features that can really encourage a home buyer to sign off on buying a home. While having hardwood flooring in your home is easy if you had it from the start, converting your floors to hardwood is a whole different discussion. Hardwood floors can be pricey to pay for and install in existing construction. Their upkeep calls for a good deal of care and attention.

Something that interested parties may not know is that hardwood flooring is generally available in three forms.

If you happen to be considering whether or not to add hardwood flooring to your place, please look over the list of pros and cons weve provided below.

Hardwood gets its name for a reason. With the proper level of upkeep and attention, a hardwood floor is easily capable of lasting for over a century. If you are curious about the sort of upkeep and attention involved with a hardwood floor, dont worry at all. Its much easier to maintain than carpet. You should make sure to have a good vacuum and some quality wood floor cleaner. Thats all you need and if you suffer from indoor allergies, youll probably have to deal with less dust mites and pet dander after the install.

As mentioned earlier in this article, a hardwood floor is a major draw for home buyers. Not only do these sorts of floors tend to fetch a home seller more money, they also tend to sell more quickly than carpeted homes. Carpeting is considered the default floor aesthetic for a home. WIth added durability and resistance to stains, its no wonder that hardwood flooring is considered an upgrade by manufacturers and realtors alike.

Hardwood flooring can suit any style of room decor. When looking into hardwood, you have several options including the specific type of wood, different patterns and texture options or if you want to stain the wood a certain color. You can also change the look of these floors if you decide to change the look of your home later on.

When the cost of unfinished oak planks goes for as much as $12 per square foot, its definitely not the most affordable option for renovating a home, though you might save a bit by buying locally from a company. Flooring has to be installed over subflooring and the installation process can be a pain for some. That makes labor costs a factor in the final price of converting to hardwood, and may be the biggest variable price for the average homeowner.

Any scuffs or scratches in your hardwood floor require refinishing. Further, the softer your wood, the more easily it will become distressed. Obviously high-traffic areas, like floors where children and pets regularly travel over, are going to be more frequently marred. A professional refinishing can range anywhere from $1.25 to over $4 per square foot of work and this price can depend on factors like material, the layout of the room and even the sort of finish involved. The process of refinishing a hardwood floor also generates dust and fumes that may agitate individuals with those specific allergies.

As every new parent with hardwood floors quickly finds out, its excellent at making noise when you want to sneak out of a room and get some rest! You can almost always tell when someone is walking across a hardwood floor and this fact may be especially frustrating if you happen to have people living on the level beneath you! The good news is that this is the one drawback to hardwood flooring that can be somewhat mitigated. If you want to travel across hardwood without disturbing others, a quality rug, placed over your foot path is just the thing you need. Not only will a rug be a good investment for homes with children and pets, it can also be quite the lifesaver for your feet.

And thats another drawback to hardwood. Not only can it be rough on your feet if youre up and moving around a lot, but it also tends to be cold in the winter. If you have that problem and rugs arent enough to keep your feet warm, Holmes Flooring suggests it may be a good idea to insulate your crawl space before the next winter. This will help warm your floors up a bit and will also cut down on your winter utility bill.

If youre thinking about making the switch to hardwood, consider all the pros and cons carefully. If you plan to be in your home a while, it may make sense to upgrade now and not have to worry about replacing carpet every few years. On the other hand, the added material and installation costs just might not be the best fit for you.

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HOME SERVICES: The pros and cons of hardwood flooring - Trussvilletribune