About Wood Flooring

Wood flooring fills your home with incomparable warmth and enduring beauty that never goes out of style. With hundreds of choices in woods, colors, and finishes available, you are sure to find wood flooring to fit your budget and taste. To discover why wood is the right choice for your home, read on.

The Real Value of Wood Flooring

Wood flooring is undeniably pricier than cheaper flooring like carpet – until you examine the hidden costs. Wood flooring, even engineered floors, can last from 60 years to more than a century. Carpet and other less durable floorings begin to wear out within just a few years, and deteriorate further with each cleaning. In 10 years, they are worn and dated as styles, pile, and color trends change. Compared to the very least durable wood product, you’ll change your carpeting at least six times over the life of a wood floor.

During the years your carpeting is becoming increasingly shabby until you can’t stand it any longer, it’s collecting dirt, dust, crumbs, allergens, and bugs. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) lists the quality of indoor air as one of the top health concerns in the nation. Carpet is a wonderful home for dust mites, bed bugs, and mold – pests and allergens that can’t burrow into wood floors and thrive. Wood floors provide a better indoor air quality for everyone, but it’s especially important to the approximately 35 million Americans with allergies. Reducing the allergens in your home has a direct effect on your health, which can also have a direct effect on your wallet. Fewer doctor visits and less time out sick means more money in your pocket.

Green Initiative

Concerned about the environment? Wood is one of the most sustainable choices on the planet. It grows everywhere, and the responsible logging practices demanded by today’s laws make it an environmentally friendly choice. Today’s timber forests are carefully managed to restore and replace harvested wood. According to U.S. Forest Service, more hardwood trees are growing today than fifty years ago. To ensure that you’re buying a product that complies with environmental laws, read the label. Look for FSC certification and compliance with the Lacey Act.

Ease of Maintenance

When your grandmother was a girl, wood floors represented a lot of work…not so today. New technology in finishes makes wood floors easy to clean and maintain. Regular sweeping or vacuuming and an occasional damp mop with a mild solution of water and vinegar or a product recommended by the manufacturer are all that’s necessary.

Installation

Wondering whether you can install a wood floor yourself? The answer to that question depends on a lot of factors, including the type of wood floor you choose, the condition of the subfloor, and your own experience and skill. Some products, like click-lock engineered wood flooring, are made for DIY projects. Solid wood installation may require more tools, additional considerations and more skill than an average handyman can bring to the table, but if you have the desire to do it yourself, we have the advice to help.

Resources

To learn more about choosing the right wood flooring for your home, check out these articles:

Is Wood Flooring Right For Me? – Determine whether Wood Flooring is the best choice for your home

Types of Wood Flooring – Learn about the different types of Wood Flooring

Buying Guide – Make an informed Wood Flooring purchase decision

FAQs – Find answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about Wood Flooring

Glossary – Familiarize yourself with common Wood Flooring terms