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You'd be hard-pressed to find a homeowner who doesn't want hardwood floors. Wall-to-wall carpeting is out, and hardwood floors are in. But are they worth the price? Let's face it: at $8-$10 per square foot (installed), wood flooring is more expensive than carpeting or the increasingly common laminates that offer a similar look.
If you're on the fence and can't decide whether to install hardwood floors, we may be able to help. We're going to take a look at a couple of the benefits of hardwoods:
1. Longevity
Thanks to durable finishes that are easy to repair, solid-wood floors can last for a hundred years or more. There are very few flooring materials that have been around as long as wood. Over the centuries, it has shown itself to be a lovely and durable floor choice. Other newer materials have yet to prove themselves.
2. Coziness and Warmth
Not only is hardwood more pleasant to walk on than laminate (which always feel cold and a little "plastic" underfoot), but it is naturally warm. Wood is an excellent insulator, thanks to its thousands of tiny air chambers per cubic inch, which hold in heat.
These are just a couple of the benefits of hardwood floors. We didn't even mention the aesthetic value: at the end of the day, they just look better than the alternatives. If you can afford to pay an extra couple dollars per square foot, go with hardwood.
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