Hardwood flooring provides a classic and warm ambience. It feels good underfoot, and can be refinished if need be. Oak flooring is the most common, though maple, birch and other species are also available.
Hardwood flooring is available in narrow strips in random lengths; planks in various widths and random lengths, and wood tiles laid in blocks or squares. Hardwood flooring may be factory-prefinished or unfinished to be sanded and finished in place. “Floating” flooring systems have several veneered strips atop each backing board. A recent innovation which is more budget friendly than real hardwood is “laminate flooring” which is high pressure laminate that look surprisingly like real wood planks or tiles.
Cost is moderate to high, depending on wood species, grade and finish, and whether or not you are using laminate flooring. |
Moisture damage and inadequate floor substructure are incompatible with quality hardwood flooring and need to be addressed before the hardwood is installed. Hardwood is fairly high- maintenance, not all surfaces can be mopped or waxed, and generally special cleaning products are needed. Laminate flooring in particular cannot get wet as it will quickly warp. Bleaching and some staining processes may wear unevenly on hardwood flooring, and are difficult to repair.
Large dogs and high-heeled shoes tend to damage the finish of hardwood flooring, by leaving scratches and scuff marks that are difficult to repair. Real hardwood (but not laminates) can be refinished, but that is not a project to be undertaken lightly due to the work involved. |
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