Five  Basic Tips for Hardwood Floor Selection Tips

Timeless beauty, clean lines, strength and durability as well as the ease of cleaning and the classic look make hardwood flooring the perfect choice for your home. Home buyers are looking for hardwood floors as a first choice these days. You will add a lot of value to the home by installing hardwood floors especially if you plan to sell. Here are a few hardwood floor selection tips.

No matter what your personal style is, there is a flooring choice for you because of Hardwood Floor Selection Tipsthe unlimited selection available. But before you rush out shopping for your hardwood flooring, keep these tips in mind.

Before you head off to the renovation stores, measure the rooms that you plan to cover with hardwood flooring. If you decide to also place hardwood on the stairs, measure these as well. Stairs are generally more expensive than flooring due to the extra cutting and shaping that is required. This is especially true of stairs that are curved which require a great deal more custom work to prepare the risers.

Hardwood Floor Selection Tips

Set a budget for yourself. Having a wide variety of flooring to choose from is great, but the downside is that it is easy to get overwhelmed quickly, and this makes you very susceptible to overspending. Remember to balance style with quality with your budget when you make your final choice.

Tip #1 – Hardwood in Appropriate Rooms

You will be wise to match the room with your choice of flooring, whether hardwood or otherwise. Many people place hardwood flooring in kitchens, only to regret it due to damage from dropped dishes, moisture from spilled items and generally increased traffic. Also for example, do not try to put hardwood flooring in a bathroom, due to the high levels of moisture a bathroom receives.

Tip #2 – Color of Wood

Different areas of the house demand different types of wood. For example, wood floors that have very light or very dark finishes typically do not fare well in the kitchen. If you want a bright home, dark wood will not accomplish this for you. It may give your home a more rich look, however it will be darker than you may prefer.

Tip #3 – Hardwood Floor Finish

Choose a hardwood flooring that has an appropriate finish to match your lifestyle. A sitting room that is seldom used will let you get away with a lighter finish. However a hallway or living room will get continual traffic and requires a choice that offers a tougher finish that can stand up to a lot of wear and tear. Once you make a choice you may also want to carry this forward into the rest of the home.

Tip #4 Floor Installation

Consider installation – doing it yourself or having a professional installer do it for you? Many people successfully install their own flooring, but only after they have done their homework. Many renovation stores will offer installation courses for those about to install hardwood flooring. It is often easier to hire a professional, but do you due diligence when selecting a hardwood flooring installer. You will want to be sure that it will be installed correctly.

Last – Hardwood Floor Selection Tips

Tip #5 – Choosing the color

Choosing the color and style of the floor can be the fun part. Choose a hardwood that fits your personal taste and your lifestyle. The comparatively high cost of the flooring and installation demands choosing a wood that will not go out of style quickly. This last point is very important. Selecting a current fad can be detrimental to your home’s value and make it difficult to sell. Select color and style of hardwood flooring that will appeal to a wide audience of potential home buyers and colors that are easier to match with furniture.

These are five basic tips that may help many people when they are embarking on the selection of flooring. Once you have hardwood you will wonder why you ever considered carpet in the first place!

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