Homeowners Moving Back To Wood Flooring For Durability

Some of the most durable and appreciated materials for floor covering is wood and despite years of carpet use wood flooring is begin to regain its popularity. Even with laminate materials become more available and affordable, many are opting for the appearance of wood flooring to increase the value of their home. While true hardwood floors can time and special expertise to install, laminate materials that resemble wood are taking up space in many more homes.

The initial investment of wood flooring may be higher than many other types of flooring material but its durability makes it a viable investment. Additionally, the value of the house will increase significantly with a properly installed floor. It is the one material that actually improves in appearance over time as it can take a few years for the wood flooring to reach its full maturity and shine. Care for wood is also easier than many other types of flooring, but if proper cleaning is ignored, it can take some time and effort to return it to it original beauty.

If, for some reason the wood flooring loses its shine it can be refinished to bring back its original appearance, something other materials cannot do. Most manufacturers recommend refinishing the floors about every five years, depending on the amount of traffic in the room, but in many cases a polyurethane coating will last much longer.

Humidity A Concern With Wood On Floors

Installing wood flooring below the grade of the house is seldom recommended as the humidity can have an adverse affect on the wood. Additionally, installing it in a full bathroom is not recommended due to the frequent changes in temperature and humidity. All wood flooring will be affected by humidity and expansion and contraction can loosen joints in the flooring.

While many synthetic wood materials may have scratch resistant surfaces, natural wood flooring does not and can be easily scratched. Although repairs to a scratched wood floor surface can be made rather easy, it can take some work to feather in the surface protection to maintain an even appearance. Foot traffic, pet nails and small stones and gravel clinging to the shoes can cause damage to the surface of wood flooring.

Since many wood flooring materials are thicker than other adjacent floors in the house, there may be issues during the transition of wood to other flooring materials. Thinner wood can be used as well as transition joints that can make it more even, but in some cases there may be a trip hazard produced when the wood floor meets other floors.