Where Beauty Meets Technology: Modern Hardwood Flooring

Boy, am I glad that I didn't live 500 years ago - at least as far as homes are concerned. In those days, most folks had nothing under their feet except dirt, when it came to their home floors. Hardwood flooring has been around for centuries, but in actuality it is one of the more recent inventions in the history of the human race. Before the advent of power tools (and the electricity that powered them) all floors had to be constructed by hand, oftentimes requiring weeks and weeks to individually craft, and then place, all the boards. Thankfully, modern technology has saved us from much of this backbreaking labor!

Perhaps the first obvious question that needs answered is this: "Since there are so many flooring materials available today, why should I install a hardwood floor?" The obvious answer? Durability. Many synthetic materials are very cheaply made and will not last very long - they crack and crumble - especially in high traffic areas. Hardwood floors, on the other hand, are very durable.

Versatility? Hardwood flooring is one of the most versatile flooring materials available today. Whether you need it in the den, kids playroom, bedroom, kitchen, home office, hardwood flooring is a great choice. In fact, with modern technological advancements, you can install some types of hardwood flooring below ground - like in a basement - where the ground underneath may be damp.

Perhaps you are objecting that hardwood flooring is much more expensive to purchase and install than other flooring materials. While that is certainly true, you need to look at the bigger picture. Once your hardwood flooring is installed, and your overall home value increases in price, so will the value of your flooring. And, as many homeowners have themselves discovered, if you take care of your hardwood floors, they can raise the value of your home property significantly!

Two types of hardwood flooring are the solid floor and the engineered hardwood floor. The solid floor type has floorboards made from solid wood, whereas the engineered hardwood floor is not a single piece of wood, but is actually a layered wood product with a veneer layer on the topmost surface.

Hardwood floors can be purchased in strips, or planks (which are much like the traditional strips, but are significantly longer) -- or you might purchase the 'parquet' type, where the wood pieces are arranged into a very pleasing design.

Another set of choices you will need to make is whether to choose prefinished or unfinished hardwood floors. The unfinished flooring will require sanding and staining after it is laid. (Tip: let a pro do all this work.) The prefinished type of hardwood floor requires no sanding or staining - you simply install the flooring and you are done!

When it comes time to choose the wood type for your floor, try to choose light-colored woods for floors that are in high-traffic areas. The lighter colors will not show the wear as much. Also, choose woods like oak, hickory and maple for high-traffic areas, as these woods are higher in density and will wear better. Mats and rugs are also a good way to prevent excessive wear on your hardwood floor in those places receiving a lot of foot traffic (such as doorway entrances, hallways, and on stairs).

Article Source: http://publisherscloninghouse.com

The author of this article, Simon Harris writes about home repair issues and Hardwood Flooring Repair Learn more about how toRefinish Hardwood Floors by visiting his website.
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