Why Wooden Flooring is a Good Investment for Your Home

Wooden floors bring nature inside and that is their biggest charm. Hardwood flooring is particularly popular in open floor house plans.

Though more expensive, wooden flooring tends to last a lifetime and that makes it cost effective. Ceramic tiles are still the most popular flooring materials for homes. Hardwood flooring is also gaining popularity. In fact, the number of homeowners who get wooden flooring has consistently increased over the last few years.

The impact of great flooring

When you walk into a home, the first element that catches your attention is indeed the flooring. Flooring creates the ambience and binds the different parts of the home together. The flooring used in kitchens and large rooms is particularly important.

When you run wooden planks of the same color and the same species along the length of a room, the result is simply spectacular. For an open floor plan, it creates a seamless look.

Hardwood is still less popular than ceramic tiles because it is more expensive. However, its popularity is steadily increasing. Hardwood flooring is more common in high-end, luxury homes. Entry level homes, too, have started using hardwood flooring.

Why wooden flooring is better

Wooden floors last forever. That is the main reason people get them. If you install flooring that doesn't last for a long time, you will have to take it out at some time. This is a major disruption and it will cost you dearly. On the other hand, when you install wooden flooring, you can rest assured that the floor will outlast your home.

The housing market in the US is showing signs of recovery. The value of homes, too, has appreciated over the last few years. Many people now have considerable equity in their homes. And they are eager to further increase the value of their homes. As a result, they opt for materials that last a long time and have good resale value. Wooden flooring provides good return on investment. Appraisers too have started recognizing its value. This also makes it more popular as a flooring solution.

People now use wooden floors of all kinds. They mix raw finishes with polished one and dark hues with light hues. The black and brown shades are now giving way to lighter ones. That said, the grays aren't going away.

As far as the finishing is concerned, more and more people are getting matte finishes probably because they are better at hiding imperfections. When you use matte finish, you do not have to worry about the scratches on the surface of the wood.

Interestingly, the planks aren't just getting lighter; they are also getting wider. However, before installing a wide plank, you need to examine the quality of the wood.

Solid or engineered?

Solid hardwood tends to be more popular than engineered hardwood. Nearly two-thirds of homes that have wooden flooring use solid hardwood. One-third uses engineered hardwood. Laminates and vinyl sheets can also provide the wooden look. Bamboo and cork are also good alternatives. However, when it comes to wooden flooring, the challenge is to produce the effect that attracts the homeowner to hardwood. Wood exudes comfort and warmth. It brings the nature inside and that is its biggest plus point. Look-alikes can't beat its charm.