Whether you are looking for ways to increase the value of your home or just want to create the perfect haven for you and your family, buying a wood floor imbues a timeless elegance. There is something very tactile and warm about using natural materials in the home, you simply cannot get that “warm cosy” feel by using lots of stainless steel and plastic.

Durability

Wood is extremely hard wearing and should not only last years but hundreds of years. Wood can be used throughout the home and although many people will advise against installing it into bathrooms and kitchens due to the moisture content, we had wooden flooring in both those rooms of our old house without any problems. You just have to make sure that any spilt water is quickly wiped up.

Wood Choices

There is a huge range of wood types to choose from and which one you choose is up to personal choice. Woods can include oak, cherry, maple and walnut. You will also need to decide whether or not you want to stain the wood. Some woods such as cherry and walnut already have an amazing colour tone you may feel that you want to keep it’s natural colour.

Finish Choices

It is very important that any wood that you lay on the floor is treated to keep it looking it’s best. If you are pushed for time or want to do as little work as possible then buying wood which is pre-treated is the best option, albeit the most expensive.

The other option you have is to treat the wood after it has been installed. You will need to apply several layers of urethane making sure to sand in-between each coat. This will obviously take several days to complete as you will have to make sure each layer has dried before sanding and applying the next layer.

If your floors are looking a bit old and battered or you just want a totally new look you may consider painting your wood floors.

Other Options

Because solid wood floors can be very expensive then the next best thing is to buy laminate. You might think that laminate flooring is made of plastic but you can also buy laminate flooring where the top layer is made from real wood. The only downside of laminate is that you cannot sand the floor in future years.

As long as you take proper care of your wood floor there is no reason that it can’t last more than a lifetime. Simply wash, sweep and vacuum the floor on a regular basis.