Despite the popularity and proliferation of various materials such as ceramic and vinyl, many homeowners prefer hardwood flooring over other options. There are hardly any other materials that can match the timeless elegance and classic look offered by maple or oak. Aside from sheer aesthetic appeal, the resale value of your residence increases by a margin when hardwood flooring is installed. However, you must choose the right type for your home. For this, it is necessary to take into account specific aspects.
Thinking about the budget
Unless you were born with a silver spoon in your mouth, it makes sense to budget before installing a hardwood floor. The price is highly dependent on the type of lumber. You need to calculate the total area that will need to be covered and think of areas that will require other materials such as laminate.
Thinking about use
This is another important aspect to consider before contacting a logging company. Not every room in a home will witness the same amount of foot traffic. For homes with a lot of people, children, or large pets, durable flooring materials are recommended. On the contrary, for families with few members, it is fine to use less durable wood. This also applies to the color of the wood. Lighter shades are more prone to picking up dents and scratches than darker shade variants.
Thinking about general aesthetics
If you like the symmetry and aesthetics of the interiors, think about the furniture and decoration of your rooms before buying wood. In general, rooms decorated in a traditional and formal way look pleasant with dark-toned wood. The contemporary style interior blends well with lighter colored wood. For sleek, modern interiors, choose variants such as maple, Australian cypress, and beech. Traditional-style rooms look great with variants like walnut and Brazilian cherry.
Choosing the right type of wood
Each type of wood has specific characteristics. Maple is ideal for high traffic areas. However, it is not suitable for dyeing. Northern red oak is another popular choice for homeowners. If you want something more durable, choose walnut or Brazilian cherry. Brazilian maple is another durable variant, but the hardness makes it difficult to cut and polish.
Choose wood wisely and use it with caution
You can choose from various types of wood for the home. Even when choosing variants that focus on color, durability, and use, some precautions can go a long way toward increasing the life of your wood. For the entrance area, choose a durable wood. It makes sense to use large area rugs in such parts of the house to minimize damage to the floor. People generally don’t use wood for kitchen surfaces. However, in case you want it, choose a variant that is very durable and apply a protective layer over it to protect yourself from water spills.
Additional but important aspects
If wood is used on the upper floors of an apartment, soundproofing may be a requirement. You should also think about the ventilation and the condition of the subfloor. The subfloor must not be damp before you can install wood on top.