Selecting the Best Hardwood Flooring for High Traffic Areas

Having hardwood flooring installed in your home makes a lot of sense, as an investment and also for adding comfort. Wood adds warmth, in ways that other flooring options simply don’t. Second only to carpet in terms of coziness, wood floors can be installed throughout living space, with the exception of potentially wet spaces like bathrooms. What about areas that see a lot of wear and tear from foot traffic? If you choose properly, you won’t have to worry about your floors being damaged by whatever life throws at them.

Hardwood Floor Species

A good starting point in selecting an appropriate floor for your situation is to understand the hardness scale of tree species. Without getting too technical, good choices for wood flooring include hickory, maple and oak, rather than a softer species, like pine. The harder the species of wood, the better your floors will hold up to scratches and wear.

Hardwood Floor Finishes

If you have selected an unfinished floor, the next consideration is to determine how you will finish it. Leaving the wood unfinished may give your home a nice rustic vibe, but it is impractical in the long run. Finishing the floor with at least a protective coating which will seal the grain and the areas between the boards, as well as create a surface that will resist scratching and additional wear.

There are certain advantages to installing prefinished hardwood floors. They are factory stained and sprayed with a protective top coat that is typically cured by UV light, providing a superior durability. In addition, they are much easier to install, so the job can move quickly. There is also no sanding, staining, and then application of polyurethane or other protective coat, and so less mess and smelly fumes. Finally, there is no dry time and the floors can be used immediately.

Refinishing Hardwood Floors

When you have solid hardwood floors in your home, they can provide a lifetime of beauty and add resale value. If they are in rough shape, you can have them refinished by a professional who will sand down any damage, remove the old finish and top coat, then refinish them. It’s possible to change the look of your floors by opting for a different stain or sheen. Because hardwood flooring is solid wood, you don’t have to worry about permanently damaging your floors with normal day-to-day use. If something were to happen, you can have them refinished and they will be good as new.

Whether you have decided on hardwood floors for your home or you are still considering your options, our helpful and knowledgeable staff at Thornton Flooring is ready to help. They can review the style choices, discuss your budget and explain the installation process so there won’t be any surprises and you will know just what to expect as you add hardwood floors, and value, to your home.