Hardwood is a wonderful material that can magically change the look of your home. It has the quality to even revolutionize the shadiest place on the planet. It offers an excellent opportunity to nature lovers to get something organic around them. However, there are some pros and cons that you should be aware of before you make a decision to get one.
Some might prefer other types of the floor over the hardwood but once you have taken a liking to the hardwood you’d never want to switch. The following is a good collection of pros and cons that you might want to consider while making your decision.
Pros:
1. Consider it a long-term investment
Once you set your mind to get a wooden floor rest assured that you are getting a long-term solution. A wooden floor can even last a hundred years if it is maintained well. Usually, due to lack of attention ten to twenty years is a common lifespan, which is great as compared to the other flooring options.
At first, you might consider the hardwood floor an expensive selection but it offers a true value for money. Thanks to the technology now you can even equip your home with the latest hardwood flooring because cheaper options are also available in the market. In any case, define your budget before purchase.
2. A variety of options to choose from
If you think that you are going to be stuck with a conventional wooden floor with classic wooden color, then you are completely wrong. Because technology and modern methodologies have made it possible to provide a variety of colors and materials. Finding an optimal solution that would suit your ambiance is not a problem.
All you need is clarity of mind and a good sense of styling, but you can also take some professional help to find something adequate. While you are at it, you might want to consider the following wood types for your floor.
- Santos Mahogany
- Brazilian Chestnut
- Australian Cypress
- Brazilian cherry
- Brazilian Walnut
- Tiger-wood
- Teak
- Hickory
3. Easy to install and maintain
Some are might reluctant to get a wooden floor because of a false impression that they are difficult to maintain. It is just a rumor but the modern hardwood floor can be installed and maintained with very little effort. Common cleaning methods, like mopping or vacuuming are quite effective if wood-friendly products are used.
People are also concerned with the spilling and the good news is that technology has made it quite resistant to the frequent liquid spilling. A hardwood floor is as efficient as any other commonly available flooring solution.
4. A hardwood floor doesn’t age
A wooden floor is not like any other common flooring solution that takes immediate damage and needs frequent maintenance or repair. You don’t need any sanding to refresh the look of the floor like you have to when you have vinyl or tiles floor. The grace of a wooden floor increases over time. it wouldn’t be wrong to say that it never ages but is groomed with time. That doesn’t mean that you can’t polish a wooden floor.
If you prefer you can do it anytime you want to. Usually, people do it by buying a commercially available product. Also, due to its non-electrostatic nature, it doesn’t attract much dust.
5. Offers better environment qualities
The wooden floor offers a great advantage by its nature not to attract any parasites, such as fleas, dust mites. It also keeps the allergens at a bay like a mold or animal dander. That’s why the wooden floor is considered extremely safe and preferred due to its qualities.
A wooden floor is also great for the kids because they aren’t exposed to unusual allergies. It is heat resistant and you can easily install an underground heating system unlike other types of floor that are vulnerable to heat. The wood has its own perfume and rejects any unpleasant smells completely.
Cons:
1- Cost of installation
Cost is one of the decisive factors while you are buying a flooring solution. The selection of floor is based on your budget and if someone has a tight budget, then probably a wooden solution would not be selected due to its cost. That’s right, this is a drawback, and several people back off from buying a wooden solution despite its benefits.
Basically, the hardwood requires another subflooring before the actual hardwood floor can be installed. This complicates the process and consequently, the cost of installation goes way beyond your imagination. So, get your pockets ready if you love a wooden floor.
2- Vulnerable to termites
The wood rejects most of the insects but the wood termites feed on the wood, that’s why it is one of the biggest disadvantages of having a hardwood floor. The problem with the termites is that they aren’t detected at the initial level, but suddenly you feel damp on the floor.
Once the termites are found you can never tell how much damage they have caused. However, the process is quite slow and if you hire a good maintenance company that checks the floor frequently, then you can act in time to save your floor.
3- Poor resistance to the scratches
The wood is quite solid, but since there are a variety of woods that you can choose for the flooring it can’t be told how much resistance a floor can offer to the scratches. It is a typical problem with families with kids and pets.
Once scratched, then you’d have to replace it because the fillers can be added but it will not be a permanent solution. However, if your floor has been installed in the panel’s form, then you might be able to replace it at a low cost.
4- It is not a universal solution
Wooden floors are awesome and have a truly fascinating look but there’s one problem that wood can’t be used in every room. For example, a wooden floor looks great in living rooms but it is impractical to install a wooden floor in the bathroom or in the kitchen where the risk of exposure to water is extremely high. Because no matter how resistant the wood to the spilling is still at some point it’ll be damaged.
5- Cupping issue
This is another vulnerability of the wooden floor. Like it is mentioned before that excessive moisture will eventually get to the core of wood. Once it does, you might encounter the cupping issue. It might not happen today but after years of use, you might start noticing that the edges of the floor have become higher as compared to the center.
This happens due to the moisture that is absorbed in the wood over time. So, make sure you look at the cons before you get into a deal.
Summary
The hardwood floor is an excellent choice and truly offers value-for-money benefits. Its unique features are so good that it will intrigue you to choose a hardwood floor. However, on the other end, there are some drawbacks as well that might stop you from doing it.
You will find some drawbacks with every kind of floor. That’s why there are always a few things good and a few things bad about every flooring solution. A good floor fits in the ambiance and despite its cons offers great usability. So, do your research before installing any kind of floor.
