You’ve decided to invest in a hardwood floor. Excellent choice! Hardwood floors are an exquisite upgrade to any room. They transform kitchens, bedrooms, living rooms, and more into sophisticated and homely spaces. There’s just something special about the warm beauty and glow of a freshly laid floor.
Plus, they’re pretty easy to clean!
Like any flooring, however, there are a few things to bear in mind. Here are some dos and don’ts when investing in a hardwood floor.
The Dos
- Consider the durability of your planks. Not every room needs the hardest, most durable planks. But, if you’re investing in a hardwood floor for a busy hallway, the harder the plank, the less wear you’ll notice.
- Appreciate that the colour will change with time. Planks come in all different kinds of styles and finishes. And, of course, there are many kinds of wood available. When weighing up which hardwood floor fits the style of your room, remember, the colour today isn’t necessarily the colour tomorrow.
- Do your research. There are more than a few hardwood floors available. From oak to beech, short to long, planks come in all shapes and sizes. Try to find the one that best suits your room’s style. Lighter woods, for instance, go well with greens and yellows, whereas darker woods often complement neutral beiges, browns, and whites.
- Hire a professional installer. Attempting to install a hardwood floor yourself – especially if you’ve never done it before – is a recipe for disaster. Leave it to the professionals.
The Don’ts
- Forget to protect your wood. Hardwood floors can be a costly investment. That’swhy you need to take the necessary steps to protect them. Put felt pads under the legs and base of your furniture. If you have a pet, cut their nails to avoid scratching. You’ll also want to not walk on the floor in athletic spikes or high heels.
- Get the hardwood floor damp. Installing a hardwood floor in an area subject to excessive moisture is a major no-no. Places like bathrooms or basements are often “below grade” for a hardwood floor. Moreover, don’t get the hardwood floor excessively wet when cleaning. Steam mops, for instance, can damage the floor.
- Let the sun fade your floor. Sunlight is a significant problem for hardwood floors. In time, it will cause the wood to either darken or fade. The simplest solution is to use curtains or blinds to avoid most of the sun’s damaging rays. You can also use sheer curtains to filter out some sunlight but still keep the room light enough for use.
- Install floor over radiant heat. Heat causes planks to warp. It’ll damage the floor irreparably over time. If you have no alternative, engineered hardwood flooring options are designed to tolerate radiant heat temperature variations.
Did you catch one of our latest articles “How to dress your wood floor this Spring.“?
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