CNN reported that hardwood flooring in a home could increase its value by 3% to 5%. Other research also showed that 80% of homeowners that installed wood floors enjoyed staying home more.
Whether you plan on selling your home or not, installing hardwood in your home is a no-brainer. However, choosing what type of hardwood flooring to install can be quite challenging because there are so many options.
Unless you’re an interior designer and know exactly how you want your floors to look, you could probably use some guidance during the selection process.
Fortunately, you’ve come to the right place. Our team at SVB Wood Floors are flooring experts with years of experience in the industry. Let us help you determine the best hardwood flooring choice for your home.
Keep reading to learn more about the different hardwood flooring options available.
Prefinished vs. Site-Finished
When looking at the different hardwood floor types, there are prefinished and site-finished. Let’s take a look at the difference between the two.
Prefinished Hardwood Flooring
SVB Wood Floors offers unfinished hardwood flooring that allows you to achieve a custom look.
After the unfinished hardwood is installed, it’s stained to a color of your choosing. This allows you to pick a hue that compliments your home decor. Additionally, you have the option to pick a finish for your floors. You can choose a high sheen or a more matte finish.
Installing unfinished hardwood flooring is a great option for people who are trying to match existing hardwood flooring in their homes.
Pre-Finished Hardwood Flooring
Pre-finished hardwood flooring comes already sanded and sealed.
Pre-finished flooring is ready to be installed and does not require additional work. This means you won’t have to wait for the stain or finish to dry.
It’s important to note that pre-finished hardwood flooring comes in a wide variety of wood types, plank widths, stains, and finishes to match the style of your home. Pre-finished flooring can also come in multiple platforms, this can include solid material or engineered materials.
Different Types of Hardwood Floors
Now that you know more about the different hardwood floors, you need to consider the wood species.
Some people are more relaxed about this detail than others. But it is worth considering it since different types of wood have different qualities that can affect the look of your home.
These floors also vary in price and installation depending on where you live and the availability.
American Walnut
One great flooring option is American walnut. It is dark wood with large and straight grain patterns. This species creates a beautiful wood floor that makes a statement in your home rather than fading into the background.
This softwood is best suited for low to medium-traffic areas.
Cherry
A very popular option amongst homeowners is cherry wood. It has a beautiful reddish-brown color and swirled grain.
The downside is that it is photosensitive and may darken slightly if exposed to bright sunlight. It is also a softwood and is best for low-traffic areas like bedrooms and formal dining areas.
Oak
Oak is the most popular wood floor species due to its affordability, durability, and color variations. It is available in red oak or white oak, depending on the color you want for your home.
This species is extremely strong and suitable for high-traffic areas like entryways and kitchens.
Maple
Maple is a strong, lighter-colored wood floor species that looks great in any style of home.
Although maple is not a commonly chosen wood floor species, it is great for high-traffic areas due to its durability.
Pine
A soft type of natural wood is pine. The benefit of pine flooring is that it has beautiful wood grain with white and yellow hues that complement most homes. At SVB Wood Floors, we do not recommend choosing pine because it is a fragile wood that’s often used for painted base shoe molding, painted cabinets, etc.
Hardwood Floor Options for Your Home
Hardwood flooring is an investment, so it’s important to make a choice that truly compliments the style of your home.
If you’re not sure where to begin, let us help you. We will gladly lay out all the options and help you choose one that will elevate your home.
If you’re ready to get started, contact our team of flooring experts for a free in-home design consultation and estimate today!
