Hidden Treasures – Hardwood Flooring

Hidden Treasures Hardwood Flooring

Hidden Treasures Hardwood Flooring

After recently moving into a new home, I stripped up the carpets to find beautiful hardwood flooring beneath. I got the floor professionally treated and restored and am now left with a beautiful oak flooring that looks absolutely stunning throughout my home. I began thinking as to why the trend for original flooring dyed out to be replaced with either carpets or laminates.

Obviously all flooring options have their benefits. I had both laminate flooring and carpet in my previous home. Carpet is warm and is excellent for sound proofing, laminate is obviously cheaper than hardwood flooring and can be easily to install. However I think that the overall benefits of hardwood flooring are great. Firstly, in terms of appearance laminate does not have the lustrous appeal of a real hardwood floor, and tends not to be as effective in terms of sound proofing. Carpet can be very aesthetically pleasing and it is certainly very comfortable and warm in winter weather however the main problem with carpets is the up keep. Generally, carpets do not come cheap and with changes in fashion have to be changed relatively regularly. They are not especially durable either and can look easily worn, particularly without regular professional cleaning. Traditional hardwood flooring does not have this disadvantage of changing trends. It can be easily adaptable to various different contemporary or classical style designs.

Hardwood flooring, although exceptionally durable does have to be well looked after to remain in optimum condition. If anything is spilt on the floor (a regular occurrence with 3 children!) then it has to be dried immediately to prevent it staining the wood. However, this is the same with carpets. Hardwood flooring is more easily damaged than laminate, in terms of scratches. If you are thinking of investing in oak flooring, avoid wearing stiletto heels on the floor and attach foam pads to the legs of any furniture. Equally be careful when moving the furniture not to scrape it across the floor. If treated with care a hard wood floor can be a real investment. I knew that I planned to be in my current home for some time, so wanted a flooring that could last through various design changes. Particularly with oak flooring, the colour is natural and bright, so I know that as I change my home over the years, the floor is not something that I will need to change or replace.

Opt for professional advice when rewaxing and realigning your floor, unless you are a real DIY guru. If not there are many reputable manufactures that provide hardwood flooring at competitive prices. These companies have experts on hand to assist with any planning or installation of you floor, so you can ensure that you will get the right fit and sound and heat installation along with it.

I am glad I thought to rip up that old carpet; I found a permanent long term flooring solution that I really love! Perfect for if you find yourself being a bit DIY lazy sometimes...!

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