Home Improvement and Hardwood Floors 2011

Hardwood flooring has made an enormous comeback over the last twenty years Home Improvement Floors along with the home improvement surge. No longer do we find those making improvements finding small areas for hardwood, such as the foyer or dining room. Today many are replacing not only carpeting but ceramic tile in lieu of beautiful hardwood floors. Why?

A sizable portion of the renewed interest today has to do with longer lasting floor coverings and health reasons, not to mention increasing a home’s value or improving to sell. In very recent years hardwood has proven effective in selling a home quicker; likely to be more important than adding dollar value in today’s trying real estate market.

Easy To Care For Finishes

Now that many have recognized carpeting as a large cause of allergy problems in our homes, hardwood floors have gained traction as an alternative source of flooring. Ease of maintenance and cleaning are also contributing factors. Today's finishes are more durable and easier to care for and generally require only light sweeping and swiffering. Gone are the days our parents and their parents labored over keeping hardwood floors looking nice while dealing with waxed finishes.

Hardwood floors also have their own unique beauty. Besides being beautiful and hard wearing, hardwood floors are environmentally friendly as well. Solid 3/4" hardwood floors will last a lifetime if proper care is applied. Not one single piece among a few possible thousand will be the same. This is not true of laminate floors as they all have repeating patterns in how they are manufactured.

For those seeking more than the general straight lay hardwood floor you can add a variety of options such as borders, medallions, and inlays already preassembled; unfinished and prefinished. Diagonal installations also (flooring installed on a 45 degree angle) offer a unique look and will stand out next to any common installation.

Labor costs on these unique applications will vary, but worth investigating. A ballpark labor rate for basic one strip/plank border work would average $3.00 per lineal foot where smaller medallions may run $200 for installation and $600 for material. Anything goes, as custom made medallions and borders are also a possibility.

Where To Install Hardwoods?

Square foot averages have shot up considerably as we're seeing hardwoods nearly everywhere. Generally speaking, a more common layout would include hardwoods in the foyer, great room, dining, dens/libraries/office and hallways leading to bedrooms.

In many cases powder rooms are an option. We don't recommend hardwoods in bathrooms that have showers or baths, nor areas where it may be damp, wet, or humid. Kitchens? Looking through many decorator magazines they're there. However expect some problems if your household is not a careful one and spills are not cleaned up right away. Character grade, distressed and hand scraped hardwood floors are extremely popularity in kitchens and elsewhere.

It's best to consider potential water damage problems associated with hardwood floors and kitchens then make an informed decision. Kitchens and water damage from failed plumbing is second to that of washing machines and hot water heaters. Updating older plumbing could provide peace of mind.

Finally, considering hardwood floors make up a large portion of home improvement expenses, we suggest doing your homework first to learn of all the options available today. Unfortunately your average carpet store and hardwood floors don't go hand in hand. The more uncommon applications will only be found with a specialty hardwood flooring retailer.