Hardwood flooring continues to grow in popularity, and it is by far the preferred flooring type for homes.
And additionally, hardwood flooring will never go out of style. If you're looking to replace your flooring in your home, hardwood flooring may be at the top of your list. Of all the flooring trends in recent years and historically, hardwood flooring has become a mainstay in homes all over the world.
Blonde wood flooring
While dark finishes like ebony and espresso have their place among 2021 trends, lighter colors have a way of making rooms feel larger, which complements the open floor layouts that are popular today. This effect has increased demand for more natural tones, including blonde wood finishes.
Dark stained hardwood flooring is by far the best selection when it comes to overall popularity and resale value. Some of the best darks stains for wood are espresso, dark walnut, and antique brown. These darker colors often give way to more color combinations since they do not lean towards a yellow or orange tint.
“Any home built before 1966 that had FHA or VA loan approval most likely has hardwood floors,” said Stephen Guenther of Wood Floor Wholesalers in Orange.
Carpet can be installed over hardwood floors with minimal damage and without ruining it. By using tackless strips with thinner nails around the room, limiting the use of staples, avoiding the use of adhesives, and careful carpet installation, you can minimize any damage done to your hardwood floor.
Make sure to check floor vents wherever you see them. A house may have wood floors in one or two rooms but not throughout. Don't assume there are hardwood floors everywhere based on seeing them underneath one vent. If a house doesn't have an accessible floor vent, go to the basement and look up.
White oak floors have been used in homes for many years, proving they won't be going anywhere any time soon. This white oak engineered hardwood floor is a timeless option that showcases the raw beauty and graining of white oak with its light color.
A choice of timeless hardwood floor colors
Brown Maple floors have hues of rich gold, amber and brown. Cherry floors feature a burnished auburn color that will darken over time. Hickory offers hues from lighter blonde sapwood to cocoa brown and beige heartwood. Red Oak comes in deep, salmon tones.
When it comes down to finding the best flooring to increase home value, it all boils down to your market. Hardwood will likely give you the highest return, but laminate and luxury vinyl plank flooring also offer plenty of perks to buyers.
Dawn Wilson, Keller Williams: “Most buyers prefer hardwood. For selling purposes, it is better to have hardwood. If there is not hardwood in the home already, and it is cost prohibitive to put hardwood in, then in most cases, new carpet should be put in prior to resale. Buyers like tile flooring in the bathrooms.
The big question is, should flooring be the same throughout the house? The quick answer is YES! Using the same flooring throughout ties rooms together, improves flow, makes the home seem larger, simplifies cleaning and maintenance, and is often easier on the budget.
The answer is – no! The oak trim and oak flooring finish (the golden color known in the industry as “honey”) will never come back in style. Today, there are many beautiful versions of stained oak on the market that allow it to appear more contemporary and aesthetically pleasing.
Hardwood Floors
No matter the decade, no matter the furnishing style, hardwood floors have always been prized. Like most natural materials, the organic texture of wood never loses its appeal.
With dark hardwood floors, you'll enjoy: Long-lasting color: Its color makes dark hardwood prone to absorbing sunlight, while light hardwood reflects it. Over time, you'll find that your dark flooring results in less sun damage, retaining its dark sheen for longer.
American maple hardwood flooring is a classic, and is a solid investment as it has great longevity – not just in actual terms because of its durability – but because it is a popular choice that is unlikely to go out of fashion.
How Long Will Grey Last? The Trend Is Ending. Prominent grey colored hardwood floors have been strong the last 6-7 years. With hardwood floors, strong trends usually last five years, then something else comes along or so it seems.
The contrast of the simple, pale planks with darker furniture is a timeless way to not only make a room seem more spacious, but more welcoming as well. A light floor also counters any psychological effect of the dark furniture making the room seem small or crowded.
Although gray is extremely versatile and perfectly complements any neutral décor, it is not as timeless as traditional hardwood tones. However, it is now possible to blend gray with brown to achieve a more greige look which will likely stand the test of time.
Most timeless hardwood floor colors
Dark Brown Hardwood floor colors have always attracted higher valuations for homes in past years. Buyers describe the finish as durable and high-quality, and it complements different types of furniture colors well.
In the 80's and 90's, hardwood floors became trendy again. In the 80's, popular carpeting styles of the 60's and 70's (e.g., shag carpeting) began to look dated, and many homeowners were ripping out carpeting and finishing hardwood floors underneath.
1950's and 1960's
Although other products such as linoleum were starting to get popular, houses in this era still predominantly used hardwood for flooring. As a result, 1 1/2″ red and white oak strip flooring was by far the dominant trend. The floors are either strictly red or white oak or a mix of both species.
Cool patterns like herringbone, chevron and basket weave were popular with wealthier homeowners… as well as parquet and strip flooring for 'average' homes.