Home Flooring Guide

There comes a time when you finally decide to go for it and get that elegant look that oak hardwood flooring can create in your home.  Like taking that trip to Europe or buying that sports car, you may have wanted to have hardwood floors for as long as you can remember.  So now you are going to take the plunge and go for the best and get oak hardwood floors put in.  So it makes sense that you have a lot of questions about what to look for in oak hardwood flooring .     Let's see if we can answer a few of them or at least give you something to think about.

Isn't solid oak hardwood floors only for rich people who live in old mansions?

You might think that from the movies.  But with the many options that are available today, hardwood floors are not just for the rich and famous any more.  If its your dream to have them, it is an achievable dream.

How do I know what type and shade of oak flooring is right for my home?

Well for one thing, as beautiful as hardwood flooring, you really can't go wrong.  But you can also opt to enlist the aid of a interior decorator or a room planner who has a specific focus on what kind of oak flooring would look just right in your room.  You can employ that kind of expert for a couple hours of their time and not keep them on for the duration of the project.  But give yourself permission to spend some money to get an expert eye on the room or rooms you are remodeling.  The help they can be will result in a home you will enjoy for years to come.

What is Engineered Oak Flooring?

Engineered oak flooring simulates hardwood flooring by creating a layered floor panel that uses real oak wood at the surface level.  But the substance of the flooring uses quality by not demonstration level woods like plywood or some other lower cost wood.  Manufacturers of engineered oak flooring are so skilled that you literally cannot tell the difference between this type of hardwood flooring and solid oak flooring.  But the cost of engineered hardwood flooring is significantly lower than flooring that is solid oak.

Isn't Oak Flooring Easily Damaged?

There is no getting around it that if you use real wood for your flooring, it will be a floor that could be gouged or scratched.  This is why it is best to think through where you have oak hardwood flooring installed.  Hardwood floors are perfect for a den, the master bedroom or a living room where the traffic will be less active.  For children's rooms, play rooms and rooms where there is a lot of traffic, some other kind of flooring might be a good idea.  Also take care to protect your floor by laying down area rugs and by having your family and guests observe some rules about food, drink and how to behave in the rooms where the oak flooring is.  This is not unreasonable and most people fully understand why you want to take such good care of your beautiful floors.

Also keeping your oak flooring clean is important because spills and dirt and dust are the enemies of hardwood floors.  The procedures for cleaning your hardwood floors are particular and they are specifically focused on how to keep your hardwood floors looking great for years and years.  If you take care to only use the right cleansers and learn to take good care of the prized possession that is represented by those beautiful floors, they will give you lots of pleasure and pride for a the life of your home.