Hardwood floors are resilient and long-lasting. With proper maintenance and care, they can last centuries. The greatest advantage of hardwood flooring is that it is easy to clean and maintain. While spills and stains on a light-colored carpet can be a disaster, on a hardwood floor you can simply wipe them away.
As CNN reported, hardwood floors can also increase home value by 3-5%. This makes them a very attractive prospect for anyone looking to sell their house in the near future. However, even if you don't plan on moving any time soon, hardwood floors may still be a good investment.
Installing hardwood flooring averages between $6 and $12 per square foot. On average, wood flooring costs between $3 and $7 per square foot for materials and $3 to $5 per square foot for labor. An estimate for installation of 1000 square feet of hardwood flooring runs between $6,000 and $12,000.
Not Resistant to Humidty: Wood can be damaged by spills, standing liquids, and humidity which is why wood floors are not recommend for areas of high moisture and humidity such as full bathrooms.
Wood Flooring will scratch. Being a natural product there is truly no way of getting away from this fact. Scratches however need not necessarily be looked at as a bad thing with wooden flooring. Many believe that these markings very much add to the character of the flooring - taking away from the pristine nature.
While it is not as soft as carpet, the traditional bedroom flooring choice, hardwood is still a warm, welcoming feature when used as a floor surface for bedrooms. Its natural beauty, durability, and ability to stand the test of time for both style and durability make it a wonderful long-term flooring material.
1. Durable: Wooden flooring is extremely durable and with the right kind of care, it can last a lifetime. 2. High Resale Value: Apart from adding a rich and luxe look to your home, wooden flooring will also increase the value of your home if you ever plan to sell it.
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.
“Hardwood flooring is stylish and sustainable, comes in a variety of natural colors, and doesn't absorb dust or debris, making it easy to clean and maintain,” he says. Murphy says it is also a good choice for the kitchen because you rarely need to replace hardwood flooring.
Carpet vs Hardwood: The Final Verdict
According to the above, hardwood and carpet flooring are equally healthy. However, carpets are harder to clean properly, making them less ideal for people with allergies or asthma.
Nails scratch a typical hardwood finish.
Over just a few months, your wood floor will begin to look dull and worn just because of all the scratches on the finish from dog nails. Unlike cats, dogs do not fully retract their nails, so they are always clicking on the floor when they walk.
Generally speaking, the hardest wood for flooring is Ipe (or Lapacho). However, this is very hard to find, due to its rarity. This also makes it a very expensive flooring product. Therefore, more widely available, and hardwearing are Hickory and Maple flooring.
On average, a hardwood flooring finish lasts approximately ten years. But with proper care and maintenance, it can last much longer.
Hardwood floors are one of the best flooring options for homeowners looking to increase the resale value of their home, with hardwood typically yielding around a 75% return on investment.
Typical costs: Installing a standard solid-strip hardwood floor averages about $8 a square foot for materials, insulation and site finishing, and up to $12 a square foot for wide pine planks, or $1,150-$1,750 for a 12x12-foot room.
Ceramic, Porcelain and Glass Tile
Ceramic, porcelain and glass tiles are durable choices for solid-surface flooring and are good for rooms with a lot of moisture, like bathrooms and kitchens. For a sustainable choice, look for glass tiles made from recycled materials.
Solid Hardwood
Hardwood floors are consistently rated as one of the most allergy-friendly choices on the market. When properly installed and sealed with an allergy-friendly polyurethane-style clearcoat, hardwood floors do not harbor microorganisms like dust mites or trap dirt, dust, or other tracked in allergens.
While new styles of luxury laminate flooring look beautiful, hardwood tends to be the best flooring to increase home value. Made of natural materials, hardwood exudes a luxurious aesthetic in any home whether it's old or brand new.
One thing to keep in mind is that when using a wide hardwood plank, long generally looks better than short. If you're using a wider plank, you try to stick to lengths of 7-11′ if at all possible. The length and width combine to give your floor an elegant look.
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.
Floor Mat Company notes that a well-made rubber mat can protect your flooring and reduce the amount of noise your refrigerator makes. You can also find thinner plastic floor protectors to use, or spare laminate flooring panels can work as well.