Hardwood Flooring Tips

Posted by admin on

November 15, 2008

Hardwood flooring has a stylish, distinguished look and the range of different tones and textures available in today’s market can suit all types of room design from traditional to modern. For example traditional hardwoods such as oak create rich grain effects, which can be emphasized with beautiful staining that adds a real sense of depth and character. Maple is a traditional wood, but has a clean, more contemporary finish and like bamboo can be used to enhance modern and minimalist living spaces.

There are many benefits to hardwood flooring. It is a very practical material that is easy to keep clean and free from dust and pet hairs, and also helps to prevent dust mites and ease allergies. Wood flooring is also very hard wearing and has a timeless elegance, so that it can actually improve with age and wear and tear. This type of flooring is an economical choice for your home, as it does not cost much more than quality carpets but can last for many years and actually add value to your property. Real wood flooring is also a very warm material and retains heat and prevents drafts to create a cosy, well-insulated living space.

It is important when choosing hardwood flooring to select wood that is from a sustainable source. Look for woods that are from carefully managed forests, indicated by a Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) logo, which covers a really good range of timber such as cherry, maple, birch, ash, and oak. You should try and choose woods from an European source wherever possible as these are protected by legislation, and avoid woods from sources like Asia, Africa and South American unless they have a FSC logo, as they can be from ancient forests that are not managed, and just cut down ruthlessly for profit.

There is also a lot of really good quality hardwood available from reclamation yards, which have been recovered from old domestic and industrial buildings and other sources. The additional benefits of using reclaimed wood are that it would normally just go to landfill, and it has already been aged and often has a wonderfully antique, mature appearance.