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6 ResultsBenefits of Hardwood Flooring
Hardwood flooring has many benefits, including the fact that it looks simply exquisite in almost any room or home. Its classic style looks good and elevate any décor. Hardwood flooring also adds real value to your home as well—it’s a much-in-demand floor covering that will never go out of fashion!
The upkeep for hardwood floors is straightforward, and the ease of cleaning is definitely one of its selling points. Simply sweep, dust, or vacuum (without the beater bar) on a regular schedule. Occasionally, use a manufacturer-approved cleaning solution to keep your hardwood flooring looking its best.
What rooms can my hardwood floors go in?
Hardwood floors can go in most rooms, and they work well with any design style and color scheme. Hardwood flooring comes in solid and engineered planks, and between the two, you should be able to find the right hardwood product for all the different spaces within your home.
Solid hardwood is one solid piece of wood that has tongue and groove sides on each plank. Solid wood floors are sensitive to moisture and are not recommended for installation below grade. (Below grade means the floor is below the earth’s surface, such as a basement or the lower level of a split-level home.) Solid hardwood works well on or above grade, which is any floor of the house that is at least 18 inches above the ground.
Engineered hardwood is typically manufactured from multiple thin sheets of wood laminated together to form one plank. This construction makes engineered hardwood much more dimensionally stable (less likely to warp or cup). Most engineered floors can go places where solid hardwood might have moisture concerns—including bathrooms, finished basements, and kitchens.
Can hardwood flooring be refinished?
Yes. Over time (normally many years), hardwood flooring can get scuffed and scratched, and you might want to refinish them. Professional hardwood floor refinishing involves sanding down the top layer of the hardwood and then applying fresh stain and lacquer over the newly sanded top.
Both solid and engineered floors can normally be refinished, but there is a difference between the two. Engineered hardwood floors can usually be refinished once or twice, but you’ll need to make sure that the top layer of hardwood is thick enough to sand down without reaching the layers below.
Solid hardwood floors can usually be refinished up to four or five times over the years because the solid hardwood surface has more depth to sand down.