No flooring option is perfect: We walk on it for goodness sake! Hardwood flooring is no different, but you’ll find that the negative aspects of hardwood flooring are vastly outweighed by its advantages. Hardwood flooring is as close to perfect as you can get for just about any home.
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The advantages of hardwood flooring are numerous, and its disadvantages are no more than any other flooring option. Few flooring options can match the beauty and longevity of a hardwood floor. Read on for some pros and cons about installing hardwood flooring in your home.
Con: It Can Be Expensive
It is no secret that hardwood flooring can be costly. Depending upon factors such as the species of wood used, the cut, and any special treatments such as distressing or hand–scraping, hardwood flooring can cost anywhere from $5 a square foot to $17 a square foot, or more. The cost to install hardwood flooring in a 10–foot–by–10–foot room can be from $500 to $1,700 or more in the price of the flooring alone.
Additionally, there are also other installation costs. You probably need to remove your old flooring, and you also have to buy other materials such as nails or glue. If you hire someone to install your flooring, then you can add a few hundred dollars to thousands of dollars to the overall cost.
Pro: It’s Worth Every Penny
Hardwood flooring is also highly valued for its superior feel underfoot. Many assert that it feels softer and has better sound qualities than other flooring options like tile. It won’t freeze your feet in the winter or bother you in the heat of the summer.
Hardwood flooring is also a good choice for the environment, as wood is a renewable resource that is replenished faster than it is cut down. According to the National Wood Flooring Association, hardwood flooring uses less water and energy in production, it can be recycled, and it needs to be replaced less often than other types of flooring.
The life of carpeting can be as short as five years, but hardwood flooring can last for decades and beyond if it’s well cared for. Just the lifespan of hardwood flooring alone makes it well worth the higher cost.
Additionally, solid hardwood flooring also increases the value of any home.
Con: It Is High Maintenance
Many feel that the maintenance involved with hardwood floors is too much work. Hardwood floors certainly must be kept free of water and liquids, as water damage will mar the beauty and integrity of any hardwood floor. Spills and leaks must be cleaned up or fixed immediately.
Furthermore, hardwood floors should also be kept free of dirt and grit, as they act like sandpaper every time you walk on a dirty floor. Over time, the small abrasions from dirt and small particles can dull the finish of hardwood flooring.
You also need to use special cleaning products at times; you can’t just use any old cleaner. You should utilize felt pads on furniture legs, mats in front of doors, and rugs and runners on the floor to minimize wear in high–traffic areas. Furthermore, pets and kids can also add additional scratches, dents, and dings, so it is advised that homeowners try to minimize damage from such sources as much as possible.
Pro: It Can Last for Years
Hardwood flooring can certainly be high maintenance, but all of the above cleaning techniques help with wear prevention and with the protection of your flooring. If you think about it, it really isn’t that much work. You work to keep your whole house clean on a daily basis, and hardwood flooring might need just a bit more attention.
Every flooring option in your home should be kept free of dirt and debris and as dry as possible. Certainly, you aren’t leaving pools of water and dirt on your tile flooring because it can take it.
Hardwood flooring also cleans up much easier in terms of liquids and debris than other flooring options. If you get a stain on your carpet, you can’t just wipe it up like with a hardwood floor.
