Home is where the heart is, and the fun of keeping your home warm, comforting, and functional involves many factors. Whether you’re thinking of how your kitchen will look in the winter or how your bedroom will gleam in the summer, these are some considerations before installing hardwood flooring.
Your Style
The exciting thing about selecting from an array of flooring options—from maple to engineered oak flooring—is that your choice can complement your unique style. A lighter wood such as white oak offers a naturally sandy color to complement a bright room with outdoor views. The elegance of a dark natural walnut highlights the soft grays and whites of an open, spacious area. Each flooring option will provide a different feeling depending on how you play to its strengths and its effects on a properly adjusted room.
The Wood Grain
Traditionally, the flooring is aligned along the longest wall in the room, so it’s important to note how the room will look with the grain of the wood. This isn’t the first thing that comes to mind for many people, but it can have a lot to do with your final flooring decision. Grain will affect the sense of unity within a home. The most popular flooring options tend to be red or white oak, which have relatively noticeable grain patterns. On the other hand, maple has a less noticeable grain pattern and can provide a more uniform look to a flooring plan. Using a dark stain on a floor will make these patterns less noticeable.
Sustainability
The issue of sustainability is often at the forefront of people’s minds. Many people who desire beautiful homes don’t necessarily wish for them at the cost of the environment’s health. Ensuring that the wood you choose for your flooring is from ethically sourced areas with reforestation programs will allow for peace of mind. Responsible suppliers know various methods to keep the industry alive without negatively affecting the environment. These companies have everyone’s best interests in mind, from cutting techniques for seeding to leaving smaller trees for future logging.
Hardwood flooring is an essential part of a home’s story, and it will provide you with a calming coziness every time you walk through the door. When you think of these considerations before installing hardwood flooring, making a confident decision for your home will come naturally and with no regrets.