Hardwood floors have a number of benefits. Wood is a renewable resource, and FSC certified wood is eco-friendly. Wood floors are often beautiful, and they can be low maintenance. Good wood floors can last a lifetime, and that’s why they should be considered an investment. On the other hand, choosing the wrong type of wood flooring can result in cost overruns and cause unnecessary headaches. Here are three things to consider when getting hardwood floors.
The Existing Subbase
What surface are you going to be fitting the new wood floor to? This may be a concrete slab, wood batons, an existing wood floor or carpet. Fortunately, you generally have a lot of options regardless of the type of subbase you have. However, if you have under-floor heating, the only option is engineered wood floors.
How even is the floor? Wood floors can be made to fit an uneven or sloped surface, but you’ll need to make allowances for it. This is especially true if you’re installing wood floors in several rooms. In these cases, bevelled edges allow for slight height differences, though square edge boards have a more uniform appearance.
How Much Wear and Tear Will the Floors Suffer?
How much traffic will there be in the room? This includes pets as well as people. It should also include those who create higher than average wear patterns such as disabled individuals with wheelchairs or walkers. If the area is subject to high traffic, you may want to choose more durable flooring.
You also want to pick flooring that will survive the abuse it is going to suffer. For example, wood floors in kitchens and bathrooms are much more likely to get wet than flooring in the living room. The right flooring for these rooms will even have a different structure than the wood floors installed in a bedroom. For example, in rooms receiving a lot of sunlight, engineered floors are probably a better choice. It will be more stable as the temperature and humidity levels fluctuate.
Your Budget
Know how much you can afford to spend on the project before you go shopping for new floors. Remember to factor in installation costs as well as material costs into the budget. Let the supplier know your budget so they don’t try to sell you products outside of your price range. You may choose material that has a lower grade or lower quality of timber, or you could go with oak, a common wood, instead of more exotic hardwoods. We also suggest that you take a look at online retailers such as aflooringboutique.co.uk if you want to bring your costs further down.
You shouldn’t buy an unfinished floor that has to be finished on-site to save money. The higher labour costs will negate the lower material costs. If you want a faster installation, choose pre-finished floors that don’t require sanding after they’ve been fitted.
Know what factors you need to consider before you start shopping for your new wood floor. While there are many potential options, you can’t afford to make a mistake.
