For as long as anyone can remember, hardwood flooring has reigned supreme as the most desirable and beautiful flooring material available and, like most extremely popular things, a lot of misconceptions have sprung up around it.
There are some things we all know to be true about hardwood flooring. No one can deny that it adds market resale value to a home, creates an air of luxurious warmth in any room, and offers superior air-quality benefits to any home, but there are also a few things we all think we know are true about it that simply aren't.
So, with this notion in mind, About Floors n' More thought it might be a good idea to lay a few misconceptions to rest. Here are the top three most common myths about hardwood flooring and why they are wrong:
1. Expansion and Contraction of Hardwood Flooring is Unavoidable
Many people think that there is nothing to be done about hardwood floors tendency to expand, contract, and warp, but this simply isn't true. The major cause of these phenomena is humidity and standing water.
If you think your home may have a moisture problem that would preclude you from installing hardwood flooring, you might want to consider using a dehumidifier in the summer, when humidity is high, and a humidifier in the winter when humidity is low.
At first blush, this idea may seem a bit silly, but there are reasons you might want to do so beyond the maintenance of your floors. Adding humidity to the air in the winter will also help you keep your skin moisturized, and mitigate problems like dandruff and even asthma, and removing humidity from the air in the summer, will help keep your home feeling cool and comfortable. It's a total win-win situation.
2. When Hardwood Flooring Fades, it's Permanent
This is patently untrue. One of the most attractive features of hardwood flooring is the fact that it can be sanded and refinished a number of times over the service life of the floor. Not only does this allow you to restore the luster of your floor to like-new quality, it also offers a chance to change the color of the floor.
3. Hardwood Floors are Impervious to Scratches and Dents
We aren't sure why this one is such a common misconception, but many people seem to think that hardwood is the Superman of flooring materials. Although it is true that hardwood is very durable, steps need to be taken to ensure the integrity of your hardwood.
Luckily, it's extremely easy to keep hardwood flooring safe from physical damage. Simply by placing padded feet under your furniture, and always lifting furniture to move it, instead of dragging it, you can eliminate most of the causes of damage to hardwood.
It's also important to know that you should never wear cleats or high-heel shoes on a hardwood floor, as the concentrated impact of the spikes focus impact and cause damage. Just by doing those few things, your floors will stay shiny and new for many years.
If any of these misconceptions were causing you to think twice about installing hardwood flooring in your home, and now you are reconsidering and would like to learn more, About Floors n' More would love to hear from you. Simply call or stop in at our showroom in Jacksonville, FL where our courteous and knowledgeable staff would love to show you around, and tell you everything you need to know to make the flooring decision that is right for you!
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