5 Things To Consider Before You Buy Hardwood
Are you thinking about upgrading your flooring? Many homeowners believe that hardwood is the first choice if you're looking to add value to your home. Consider these five points to make sure that hardwood is, in fact, the perfect choice for your flooring renovation.
1. Color/Shade
If you're reading this article, you may already have a shade of hardwood that you're craving. Do you love the look of rich chocolate hardwood planks? Or maybe you have your heart set on a light pale blonde that will compliment your kitchen cabinets. Knowing this one detail will help steer you to the hardwood that's the perfect species and stain for your home.
2. Species
Do you have a general idea of whether you'd like a darker or a lighter floor? Browse through our hardwood images to see styles that catch your eye, and you may notice that you're looking at the same species over and over. Each species of hardwood comes with its own unique characteristics. Color and grain patterns are determined by species, and natural variations from plank to plank are to be expected.
3. Engineered or Real Hardwood?
Learn more about the differences between engineered and real hardwood here. Our Flooring Guide article touches on resiliency, cost, material breakdown, and how it all affects the life span of your floors.
4. Effects of Weather
The climate you live in may directly affect whether or not hardwood floors are for you. Natural hardwood planks can fluctuate in size, expanding and contracting from changes in moisture and temperature. These changes may result in your hardwood splintering, or swelling from too much moisture. This can be controlled through maintaining the humidity levels in your home, and it's definitely something to consider before you purchase!
5. Cost
The "cost per square foot" of your hardwood floor is just one aspect of the entire price tag of a new hardwood floor. Why not get a free quote? This way you can make an informed decision with the following expenses in mind: furniture removal and replacement, disposal of old flooring, any sub-floor preparation that may need to be done, and labor costs.
Know that End Of The Roll Flooring Centres has great financing options; talk to a Flooring Advisor about OAC.
Content provided in part by the World Floor Covering Association
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