Hardwood flooring has three primary benefits for increasing the value of your home. First and foremost, as you know doubt have realized, a properly installed and finished wood floor looks great. But wood floors are also incredibly durable and require very low maintenance as compared with carpet, tile, or laminates. There are also wood-flooring options which are 100% sustainable, which means they can be indefinitely replenished without impacting the environment. Wood has been a popular building material for centuries simply because it is durable and long-lived. In the US, hardwood floors from the 1900s are found that still look new. In the UK and Europe it's possible to find wood floors that are centuries old! Hardwood floors maintain elegance and smooth finish in your home for decades.

Installing Hardwood Floors

Although flooring installation kits are becoming easier to find and use, as well as cheaper, there is still a lot to be said for a professional installation. It is tough to compare a floor built from a kit with a floor that has been professionally laid, sanded and finished by a company with years of experience and the proper tools. Although every installer will have their own special process for making your floor look great, the following is a general outline of the flooring install process:

When the floor is new it should be kept clean, warm and stored on a level base. It is important to preserve the integrity of the floorboards and not allow them to warp or become scratched, dirty or otherwise damaged.

The floorboards need to be inside your home for a couple days before installation to give the wood time to adjust to the warmth and humidity. These are the two primary factors that cause warping, so it is best to let the wood slowly adjust before permanently affixing it.

This may seem obvious, but wood-floors should typically be installed perpendicular to the floor joists that support the floor. If you have a different idea in mind (a special pattern, or diagonal flooring) make sure to discuss this with your installer prior to ordering so you know they can do what you want.

As installation begins, your installer will lay down a bed of "asphalt felt" or similar padding. This will not only help to minimize squeaking and pad the boards, it can also prevent water damage from leaks underneath the boards. Your installer will then typically mark the centerline of the installation area, as well as the position of the first few boards in order to make sure everything lines up properly.

Then the fun begins. Typically, the installer will lay out rows of boards to make sure the will stagger properly and that the humidity has not caused excessive swelling while the boards were becoming acclimated.

The floorboards are then fastened to the floor with pilot holes and nails, or by a technique called "blind nailing" which helps to hide the actual fasteners from view. Talk with your installer before the project starts about the options they have available for fastening the floors.

Once the floors are installed they will most likely need to be treated. This is another important item to discuss with the installer, as some floor finishes and sealants can be toxic or harmful to pets, young children, or people with specific allergies. Organic and non-toxic sealants are available, but make sure to discuss price, availability and experience with your installer.

It is nearly universal in the United States that hardwood floors will increase the value of your home. Hardwood flooring is available in myriad colors and textures, and each of those can be further modified by a combination of stain and technique, giving your home a truly unique and aesthetically pleasing look. And because of their durability and long-life, especially when installed by an experienced and knowledgeable contractor, you will be able to enjoy your hardwood floors for years to come, or sell them to the next owner with confidence.