Are you sick of vacuuming and scrubbing stains from your carpet? Or perhaps you just prefer the look of hardwood floors? Maybe you’re putting your home on the market soon, and you want to make it more appealing to prospective buyers. Whatever your reasons, you might consider a hardwood floor installation. But since making major changes to your home can induce anxiety, changing your flooring is not an issue you take lightly.
It might help to consider some of the pros and cons of hardwood flooring, before making the decision to renovate your home.
Hardwood floors are pretty. Most people are primarily attracted to hardwood flooring simply because it is beautiful. With its nearly unlimited color choices, hardwood flooring can be designed to flow with a variety of styles, from rustic to traditional to contemporary.
Hardwood floors are easy to clean. If you spill grape juice or wine on your carpet, you’re in for a cleaning adventure. Hardwood floors are a different story; you can pretty much just wipe up spills. Otherwise, you just need to sweep and mop them occasionally.
Hardwood floors add value to your home. Homes with hardwood flooring tend to sell faster than those with carpeting. Adding hardwood floors to your home is one of the best ways to increase resale value.
Hardwood floors do need some maintenance. After some time, your hardwood flooring might need to be refinished, due to scratches and scuffs. This is particularly true in high traffic areas, and if you have children or pets. Of course, you would have similar issues with carpeting, which is much more difficult to clean.
Hardwood floors can be noisy. Some people are concerned with the noise generated by walking across hardwood flooring. This could be less problematic for those who use area rugs, remove their shoes in the house, and live in detached single-family homes without downstairs neighbors.
Hardwood floors can be expensive. For many people, the hesitation around installing hardwood floors centers on the price. Of course, keep in mind that materials (and their costs) can vary widely. More common, less exotic types of wood can carry a much more affordable price tag, and you can stain them just about any way you want.
Even though we’ve presented some “cons” here, there are certainly ways of getting around any negative points. Give us a call, and we can help you identify hardwood flooring options that fit your budget and aesthetic requirements.