Benefits of Solid & Engineered Hardwood Flooring
When it comes to flooring, you have a lot of options at your fingertips. From carpet and tile to laminate and hardwood, there is a wealth of flooring options available. With an investment this big, you want to make the right flooring decision for your home.
They’re Safe.
Unlike carpet, these floors do not harbor harmful dust and debris. With just a quick vacuum, mop or sweep, you’ll have clean floors. You’ll also have clean air. Without fibers or grout to trap in allergens, such as pollen and animal dander, you’re able to breathe easier in your home. Hardwood flooring is the best choice for allergy sufferers.
They’re Easy to Clean.
If cleanliness is a top priority with you, than hardwood floors are a great option. Routine sweeping and occasional polishing with a wood cleaner will keep your floors looking beautiful. Just be careful of excess water with your cleaning! Find out more on how to care for hardwood floors here.
They Look Good.
You don’t just want clean floors – you want a beautiful home. Hardwood flooring is elegant enough to add a sophisticated look to any room and timeless enough to work perfectly with any décor. This versatile style makes hardwood flooring one of the most popular choices among homeowners.
They’re Durable.
It doesn’t matter how good flooring looks if the quality and durability doesn’t last. With hardwood, you don’t have to worry.
Ways to Use Recycled Old Hardwood Flooring
It certainly was a great selection of articles and in fact the first one, featuring a remodeled kitchen with an island unit made from reclaimed floorboards, inspired me to think about different ways to use old hardwood flooring on new projects. A few hours of Internet research later and I had discovered a whole world of incredibly great ideas for recycled wood flooring, from designer credenzas to simple kids’ toys!
Of course just about any kind of wooden object can be made from repurposed wood flooring, but there are two important factors that need to combine to really make something of beauty. First you need to have some pretty decent woodworking skills. The better your skill the more “finished” a recycled wood project is going to look, and don’t be fooled: even those shabby-chic distressed wooden items require some fairly solid understanding of how to properly manipulate, glue and finish wood
Reclaimed Hardwood for Cabinet Refacing/Cladding
Perhaps one of the most effective ways to recycle old wood flooring is by using it to reface or clad your kitchen or bathroom cabinets. Depending on how much reclaimed wood you use in your space you can create very different looks: if you want to go rustic then use repurposed wood flooring throughout, or use it on just one element of your space (like this kitchen island below) to create a more quirky, laid-back feel.
The type and nature of the old reclaimed wood will also dictate to certain degree what kind of overall style your room will have. This breakfast bar has been made with unfinished, paint distressed reclaimed floorboards and adds to the shabby-chic feel of the space; whilst the combination of old wood slats set on the diagonal with the metal frame on this kitchen island adds visual interest to an otherwise quite pared down design.
Reclaimed hardwood flooring doesn’t only have to clad cabinets. Many contemporary interior designers are using this unique material to clad feature walls. The key is to keep the cladding just to one focus wall of the space, using the most interesting pieces of wood to add texture. Wood clad walls can work with either rustic, minimalist or urban loft themes – it’s all about how you match the wood to the furnishings that makes the difference as the images below aptly demonstrate!
Hardwood Floors
Buying a rental home with a carpet already installed may give you a great surprise. Some homes have beautiful hardwood floors covered by the carpet. But should you let it stay hidden, or should you remove the carpet? There would be property owners that would benefit best with retaining the carpeted floors. It would be a more economical and efficient choice for them. Yet, there are others that would get higher rental income and better tenants if they decide to reveal those hardwood floors. The bottom line is not to rush to a decision but to consider both the pros and cons of exposing your rental property’s hardwood floors
it’s important that you think about some things. Hardwood floors can be an attractive feature in a rental home. They have beauty and durability that few carpets can match. However, this doesn’t mean that hardwood is always the best option for rental homes. You’ll need to look into the type of tenant you have, the resale value of the property, the neighborhood, and the cost of preparing and maintaining each flooring type. All of these things should be considered carefully before choosing to permanently remove your rental’s carpeting.
Not all tenants would respond to the upgrade of a hardwood floor the same way. There are many tenants that may appreciate the beauty of a hardwood floor, and many of them are conscientious enough that you feel safe giving them the responsibility to keep the floor clean and dry. However, there are also those who would only end up damaging the floor. For example, tenants with pets and heavy furniture can easily scratch or gouge a wood floor. Some tenants may prefer hardwood floors for other reasons aside from its beauty. For people who suffer from allergies, carpets make life more difficult. Hard floor surfaces are very much preferred since they are easier to keep clean and free of dust. But if the tenant doesn’t know how to properly care for hardwood and uses harsh cleaning products or scrubs it really hard, they could easily damage it.
Beyond appearance, rental property owners should make their flooring choices based, at least partly, on the property’s current and future value. Because value is often influenced by a property’s location and nearby homes, it makes sense to find out if the other homes in the neighborhood feature hardwood floors or if they have carpet floors. If most of the homes have carpet, then it may not be a good idea to remove yours. On the other hand, if the neighborhood is improving and undergoing a renewal, offering upgrades like a hardwood floor may be the key that would make your rental house better than the competition.
Finally, think about the costs when you’re considering permanently removing your rental home’s carpet. While you may save on the cost of replacing the carpet every five years, you will meet additional expenses when you remove the carpet and prepare the floor for your tenant. For one, newer hardwood finishes are very durable when compared to the old ones, but it’s likely that the floor under your rental’s carpet is not exactly new.
ESSENTIAL WOOD FLOORING ACCESSORIES YOU NEED TO INSTALL
Hardwood flooring creates an attractive, luxurious atmosphere in your living space. The rich colors, warm texture and solid durability come together to provide a foundation for any room. Consider how the right wood flooring accessories bring this combination to another level, and allow the true beauty of your hardwood floor to shine.
Flush-in Bull Nose Piece for Wood Stairs
Some homeowners hesitate to invest in wood flooring accessories, but these elements represent only a fraction of the overall budget. Check out this list of three essential accessories, including their cost, importance and availability.
Vent Covers
Mechanical ducts run through your home, with heating vents and fresh air vents in various locations. Floor vents do not need to break up the smooth visual created by your hardwood floors.
Transitions
Moving from hardwood flooring to carpets, tile or vinyl is inevitable, and transitions help to make this smooth and attractive. You can find a wide range of transitions on the market, but try to avoid the cheap, unattractive brands that create an eyesore.
Good quality transitions match the tone of your wood flooring, both in color and texture. You can find sleek threshold pieces that finish the edge of your wood floor and transition cleanly to carpet or another style of flooring. Ask your flooring retailer about the availability of these products in your preferred wood.
Your Easy Install Wood Flooring (No Experience Needed)
If you’re reading this, it’s probably because you don’t have much experience installing hardwood floors and you want to find the simplest way to do it. You’re interested in installing hardwood for your home as an upgrade, a sound investment, and because it looks good.
I’m Installing Hardwood Floors!
It’s an easy decision. Hardwood is practical. Wood has natural insulating properties. If you live in an area where cold weather is frequent, hardwood floors just feel better under your feet than other hard surfaces.
Hardwood is beautiful. Every board is as different as a snowflake with interesting wood grain patterns, making every room in your home unique. Hardwood floors are as cozy as they are elegant. They’re a blank canvas for your decorating ideas. With so many wood grains and colors from which to choose, it’s a designer’s dream.
The Hidden Values of Installing Hardwood Floors
By properly installing hardwood, it adds value and quality to your home should you decide to sell. they found that 54% of home buyers are willing to pay more for hardwood floors. Most buyers prefer hardwood floors, with “25% of buyers under the age of 35, and 28% of those between 35 and 54, considered hardwood floors “very important” when looking for a home.”
Hardwood is easier to clean than carpets. Solid hardwood floors may need to be sanded and refinished every ten years, depending upon traffic. However, hardwood is still less expensive when you factor the cost of replacing the carpet, plus all the additional carpet cleaning.