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There’s a lot to consider when shopping for new floors. Every type of flooring has its own unique features and benefits. Hardwood floors, for instance, can be a great choice for a variety of rooms, homes, and lifestyles. If you’re considering putting hardwood in your home, here are some pros and cons to weigh before you make a decision.
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When installed and cared for properly, hardwood floors will last you a long time. Solid hardwood can be sanded and refinished multiple times. Engineered hardwood can sometimes be sanded and refinished, but not as many times as solid hardwood.
With so many different species, stains, cuts, grades, plank sizes, and patterns, there’s a hardwood flooring option for every decor.
For the most part, hardwood flooring won’t need much maintenance beyond routine sweeping and vacuuming on the bare floor setting. Remember – no types of wood flooring should ever be wet-mopped, and all spills should be wiped up as quickly as possible to prevent water damage.
Hardwood flooring is not cheap. With some products running upwards of $15 per square foot, putting new hardwood floors into an open-concept first floor or large master bedroom can set you back thousands of dollars, especially when you consider installation costs. However, engineered hardwood products tend to be less expensive than solid hardwood.
Solid hardwood is especially susceptible to water damage, and should never be installed below grade or on top of a concrete subfloor. Engineered hardwood, while less prone to moisture damage, is still a natural product, and can still be damaged or grow mold if exposed to too much water.
Depending on the species, hardwood flooring can be easily scratched, scuffed, or dented. If you’re installing your new floors in a high-traffic area of the home, consider choosing a wood flooring type with a higher Janka rating – or a faux wood product like laminate or vinyl.
Some species of hardwood have higher levels of photosensitivity than others, meaning the color can change if it’s exposed to sunlight for too long. If the room you’re putting the flooring in gets a lot of sun, opt for a species of hardwood with less photosensitivity, or consider a different type of floor covering that won’t fade or change color when exposed to sunlight, such as wood-look porcelain tile.
If you’re ready to get some personalized help, find a flooring store in your area!
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This post may contain references or links to products from one or more partners of our parent company and/or subsidiaries of our parent company. For more information, visit this page. February 20, 2023 SPC, also known as Stone Plastic (or Polymer) Composite flooring is marketed as an upgrade to ordinary luxury vinyl plank and tile flooring, […]
Thank you for talking about how easy to clean and maintain hardwood flooring can be. Part of the reason why my sister is doing home renovations is because of how hard it currently is to clean her house. She’s been making sure that all the materials she gets for her renovations are extremely easy to maintain, so I’ll definitely look for any hardwood flooring contractors she can contact to get some installed in her house.
Hi Afton,
Our pleasure, and we sympathize with your sister! When it comes to ease of cleaning, there are actually a couple of hardwood floor alternatives we can’t recommend enough. Feel free to check them out here and here—we’d love to know what you think! And of course, thank you so much for reading!
I like that you talked about how hardwood flooring would last you a long time when installed and cared for properly. We are renovating our house right now and we are thinking of replacing our current flooring. So with that in mind, we should definitely call for some flooring specialists to help us out with the installation.