What Every Homeowner Should Think About Before Hardwood Floor Installation

Hardwood floor installation can transform a lackluster home guaranteed to bore even the most excitable individuals into a wonderland of rustic charm and elegance. If you're thinking of making the switch, you are not only adding beauty to your decor, but worth to your resale value. Since a home is an investment, this should always be in the back of your mind when you want to make improvements or changes of any kind. Of course, this isn't just a temporary improvement. Some floors have been known to last for more than 100 years, which is certainly much longer than any carpet company would guarantee. As there are many things to keep in mind while planning this type of home improvement project, planning is key and this guide will help you.

Price

Hardwood floor installation can be expensive, but there are some things you can do to keep the costs reasonable. You'll need to spend money in two major areas: labor and materials. Some might advocate saving on the former by doing the project yourself, but this is probably not the best idea unless you are a professional. It would be folly to say that no amateur has ever done such a project justice, but without the skillset possessed by the professionals, one takes the risk of making costly mistakes. If you're going to go forward with such a project, unless you have the magic touch of Bob Vila, you should plan to hire a contractor. With materials, you don't want to skimp, as this could affect the beauty and durability of your flooring. At the same time, you don't always need to go with an expensive, rare wood just to get the results you want.

Green Living

While the kneejerk reaction to anything made with trees is to complain about deforestation, host hardwood floor installations are not only environmentally friendly, they are more green than carpeting. Using domestic wood, you are using a renewable resource, one which many companies involved in the business are highly interested and involved in renewing. If you want to feel better about the project, do some research into the background of these lumber companies and find out what they are doing to aid reforestation. What are they doing to give back to the environment they are taking from? Once you have these answers, you'll be able to make an informed and responsible choice.

Lifestyle

While a hardwood floor installation will set you up for a much more easily maintained home than you had with carpeting, the flooring must be treated a bit differently. Take the time to learn how to care for your new floors. Spilling wine on your floor isn't going to be the catastrophe it would be with carpeting, but running moving heavy furniture across it could do it harm. Once you know what to do and what to avoid, you should be able to enjoy your flooring without incident.