Time to renovate your home’s interior? Why not focus on the floors first?
There are a vast number of flooring options on the market today. So many, in fact, that it can be confusing to consider every choice. Would ceramic look good in the kitchen? Would marble work in the bathroom? What about hardwood flooring? They are all valid questions, and the simplest solution is to choose something that instinctively appeals to you. Find something you love on sight. After all, you will be living with your choice for a long time.
You may find yourself falling in love with a hardwood surface. Many people love how elegant hardwood flooring looks. It offers beauty, durability and class. Hardwood adds inviting warmth to the atmosphere and works to pull a room together in a very visceral, visual manner. If you have an open floor plan, hardwood may be the perfect choice. It is versatile and warm on the feet. It can be refinished without too much effort and, should you ever choose to sell your home, its resale value will bring your investment back to you.
Just be aware that hardwood does contract and expand in response to the level of humidity in the air, so it’s not a good choice for bathrooms, laundry rooms or the kitchen unless it is properly sealed. If you do choose hardwood for a high-humidity location, expect to reseal the floor every six years or so.
Not sure you want the work of sanding, refurbishing or sealing? You might want to consider engineered wood flooring. These surfaces are hardwood, but they come in layers. Their cross-grain construction makes them even stronger and more durable than solid pieces of wood on their own. Engineered wood flooring offers more structural integrity: it does not gap, buckle or warp. Engineered wood is perfect for the kitchen, and it can be laid directly on concrete without a subfloor if you are finishing your basement.
You might also consider bamboo flooring, especially if you are environmentally conscious. It does cost more than hardwood, but it is even tougher. It offers an excellent walking surface, and it acts to muffle sound. Bamboo is an excellent choice for high humidity locations, but it must be sealed. Be aware that if you plan to revamp your own floors, it can be tricky to cut bamboo. You may particularly wish to hire a professional installer for this job to avoid losing material to waste.
