"Having survived the introduction of more modern flooring materials such as vinyl, ceramic tiles and laminate flooring, hardwood flooring has retained its appeal and continues to be popular among homeowners and interior designers.
The rarity of wood coupled with the great demand for them however, has made wooden flooring materials considerably more expensive (has anyone ever really actually seen cheap hardwood flooring?).
As such, before you do decide to install hardwood flooring, you should always approach it with great consideration.
Before you hire a flooring service company to start working on your home for example, you have to first choose which kind is most suitable to your home.
You have to consider the design of the house and pick which one would be able to further enhance the look of your home.
Should you pick a dark-colored wood like Walnut or a light-hued one instead? The overall feel of the wood under your feet is another factor you should take into consideration when you are choosing which material to use.
You should select something that would feel comfortable and pleasant.
You should also think about on which part of the house you plan to install the wooden floors in.
It is not for example, advisable to use wood in areas that tend to have a lot of moisture (e.
g.
bathrooms, laundry area) as water damages wood.
Remember that you don't have to cover your entire house's floor with wood just because you can.
Lastly, you have to think of your budget and choose which kind of hardwood floor material you can afford.
You don't want to embark on a full floor renovation and find out after spending your entire budget on prime Oak wood panels that you were only able to buy enough to cover half the living room's floor, do you? After you've thought about all these and have your dream floor installed, then it's time to sit back and enjoy how your new floor makes your house even lovelier, right?Think again.
Your work does not end after you install hardwood flooring.
Taking care of your house's precious new feature is a must if you wish to maintain its beauty for a long, long time.
Expect the words "dusting" and "vacuuming" to be a regular part of your everyday vocabulary after having your floor covered in wood (this is specially true in areas frequented by a lot of people).
Dust and other dirt serve as fine abrasive and may cause scratches.
Spilled liquids and food must also be immediately wiped and cleaned if you don't wish your shiny new floor to incur permanent damages.
When you clean your floor though, remember not to use oil soaps, as these products tend to build up on the floor and make it harder to re-coat your floor.
Experts suggest using wood cleaners with a neutral pH instead.
Unlike carpets or ceramic tiles, wood scratches.
This means that you and your housemates need to put great effort in remembering to lift and not drag furniture when moving them, use brooms with fine bristles and avoid doing any activities indoors that might cause scratches (no indoor hockey, please).
Many consider having beautiful hardwood flooring to be a privilege not everyone is blessed enough to have and enjoy.
If you are one of those lucky enough to have beautiful pine or oak covering your floor, then be wise enough to remember to properly take care of it.