Benefits of Wood Flooring

Some of these benefits of wood flooring are:

• Good quality wooden floors last for decades – Whereas many people find themselves replacing carpet every 5 years, due to stains, holes, or shabbiness from everyday wear and tear. You will find that with a minimal maintenance program, these floors actually look better as the years go by.
• Wood floors are easier to clean than carpets. The reasons for this are fairly obvious. A simple brush or light vacuum keeps your wooden floors looking great. If dogs or children have dragged mud through the house a damp mop removes this muck with ease. Carpet owners at this stage would be screaming.
• Wood flooring is more hygienic than carpets. There are some fairly horrifying reports out there detailing the parasites that carpets can harbour. If you were to read these reports you would not go anywhere near a carpet. These allergen producing, dust mites, fleas or dust play havoc with allergy sufferers, a floor from wood eliminates this saving you money and extreme discomfort. This is particularly relevant to dog and cat owner’s.
• Not only are wooden floors more hygienic, but carpets also trap in unpleasant odours from animals or things that have been spilt. The aroma of a polished wooden floor is a delight and will make your home more inviting.
• Wood provides a great medium to install under floor heating, which these days is considered by far the most efficient way to heat your house.
• If after a few years your wood floor has been scratched or is a bit damaged due to heavy wear and tear. A simple sand and seal will bring it back to new again. This is a lot less costly than refitting a new carpet.
• One of the most important advantages of a hardwood floor, that many people tend to overlook is the timeless appeal that wood has. Carpet, linoleum and tile patterns and colours definitely go in and out of fashion – think of what we had in the 70’s. Wood’s appeal has lasted centuries and in my belief that is not about to change infact wood is more popular now than ever.
• Wood was always considered only available to the very wealthy. Modern production methods have now meant that some types of flooring can be produced cheaply making wood floors available to all budgets.
• Stone and tile floors although as hygienic and easy to maintain as wood, don’t have the same warmth and feel that timber floors have.
• Estate agents state that houses with wooden floors sell twice as easily compared to houses with other floor finishes. And there is no doubt that the value of your home does directly increase as a result of fitting a wooden floor.

The bottom line is that hardwood flooring has an array of benefits over other types of flooring. It may cost a little more upfront, but in the long run they are vastly more economical as outlined in the many ways above. Think carefully before you choose your floor finish as not only is this a big investment but it affects your family’s health, your time, the aesthetics and value of your home. Ask any owner of a wood floor and I think you will find they say it was the best decision they ever made!!!!!