Americans are in love with hardwood flooring. It’s timeless; it’s versatile; it’s natural; it’s beautiful. However, hardwood flooring doesn’t make sense for everyone. And it might not make sense for you.
Is hardwood for you? Explore these seven scenarios to find out.
1. Our dogs live in the house with us.
We Americans love hardwood. But we also love pets. And those two don’t always co-exist beautifully.
A dog’s claws can rip scratches into the surface of a floor. Small puppies or other young animals tend toward accidents. If you don’t clean up after them immediately, your floor’s odor will eventually tell on you.
If you own an elderly dog, smooth hardwood floors may be harder for them to walk on. The padding on an aging dog’s feet sometimes dries out, leaving them with less traction. Kylie Lobell on the blog oh furtroplis writes, “It may be cute to see your dog slipping and sliding on the floor, but it can cause some real issues. He could pull a muscle or tear a ligament, and if he’s an older dog with joint, spinal, hip problems, or arthritis, it could lead to permanent issues that will plague him for the rest of his life.”
Of course, there are things to make a hardwood floor more pet-friendly like throwing down some area rugs. But you might want to check into more pet-friendly floors first. At Eloquin, we’ve had pet-owner clients choose to install luxury vinyl throughout their whole house. They threw down a few area rugs and bedside rugs to warm up their space, and voila, a pet-friendly home!
2. We’re raising children.
If you are thinking about having kids or if you are in the joyful thick of raising a family, hardwood floors might need to wait. Otherwise, your hardwood floor may need a lot of maintenance to stay ahead of the kids.
Kids can be a bit unpredictable. They might not think before they rollerblade through the living room or before they track in copious amounts of mud with the soles of their shoes. Their toys can leave scratches. And they spill things.
Let your kids be kids and save your hardwood dream for when they’re grown. You’ll save yourself some stress and feel the freedom to enter into their games with them instead of looking out for your floor.
3. What does my budget say?
If you can’t decide what floor to get, your budget can tell you. Hardwood floors are some of the most expensive floors on the market. If you’re in saving mode, hardwood floors aren’t the best fit.
But that doesn’t mean you have to settle for something lackluster. New hardwood look-a-likes are steadily arriving on the market in the form of luxury vinyls, laminates, and engineered hardwoods. Stop by our flooring store and browse the options. We don’t think you’ll be disappointed.
4. It’s so loud in here.
If you love to sing and listen to the sound of your voice reverberating through the house, hardwood floors lend a lovely acoustic. That also means that every other noise is magnified as well. If you find yourself hosting friends and relatives more often than not or if you have an energetic family of your own, it will get pretty noisy.
Constant noise can be wearying. If you mind the noise, flooring materials like cork, carpet, and luxury vinyl have sound-deadening properties. For a cozy soundscape, go profuse with area rugs.
5. Whew! I didn’t know hardwood takes so much work.
Hardwood floors can last for decades if they are properly maintained. And there’s the catch- “properly maintained.” It takes time to keep a hardwood floor looking great, especially for decades.
Hardwood floors require a special wood cleaner and shouldn’t be cleaned with water. You will need to sweep them regularly. Experts recommend refinishing your floor every 7-10 years, a process that can take anywhere from a couple of days to a week.
If this sounds like too much hassle, forego the hardwood.
6. Hardwood flooring is hard.
If you walk and stand on your floors for extended periods of time, think about whether you want hardwood underfoot. Hardwood is just that–hard, and you’ll feel it if you struggle with joint or back pain. Put down some area rugs or choose a gentler floor like vinyl and carpet.
Also, kids love to play on the floor. A hardwood floor isn’t the soft romping ground of a carpeted room and won’t be as comfortable for their play.
7. Ready for some squeaks?
Have you ever wanted to sneak across a floor, but it turned out that the whole house could hear every footstep? Most hardwood floors develop some squeaks and groans as they age. The causes range.
– Expansion and contraction due to temperature and humidity changes.
– Uneven subfloors that give space for the hardwood flooring to move.
– Floor joists that are loose or warped.
If squeaky floors will get under your skin, you can find quieter floor options.
There’s more to life than hardwood.
Don’t be dismayed if hardwood just isn’t the right fit for you at this point. In today’s flooring market, you can find a multitude of options for lovely floors. Luxury vinyl leads the pack for water, stain, and scratch resistance while delivering a beautiful wood, stone, or tile aesthetic. Flooring companies are developing more durable, less stain-prone carpets.
Visit our flooring store and see for yourself what the options are. We can set you up with one of our experienced installers for a stunning installation.
About this Article: Steve Leid, owner of Eloquin, has years of experience in high-end construction and premium flooring. Steve provided inspiration for this article and collaborated with a copywriter to produce it.
Contact Steve at (419) 920-6210 with any questions about this article or your personal flooring needs.
