Flower Love
We all agree that hardwood floors are valued when looking for the perfect home.
It increases the value of the residence and is often the cornerstone of the purchase decision.
No one can deny that wood floors look great, but just like other woodwork; They have their good and bad sides. We are in the process of analyzing both scenarios and giving you a “real insight” that will help you make a decision.
Advantages of parquet
Easy cleaning and maintenance
Image source: McClellan Architects
This might as well be the biggest benefit of wooden floors. They are very easy to clean and conserve as they are almost immune to all kinds of dirt and stains. One of their greatest qualities is the durability of their colors, which can solve the eternal problem of the carpet’s magical disappearance.
endurance
Hardwood floors are the evergreen interior design. In centuries-old houses you can still find authentic wooden floors with absolutely preserved splendor and excellent appearance. Basically, hardwood flooring is a lifetime investment provided you take excellent care of it or just experience it with a little TLC.
Image source: Maillot Homes
Constant value
Hardwood floors ensure that you get a good deal on selling your home. Hardwood floors are a design advantage over tapestries and carpets that sell faster and more expensive. So don’t expect a surcharge for a normal carpet.
diversity
Hardwood floors are extremely versatile and can be used in different ways, shapes, or colors. At the same time, it is easily adaptable to any environment or facility, so that you can use it in contemporary or classic environments alike.
Image source: Frederick + Frederick Architects
In addition, hardwood floors can easily be adapted to the style changes you introduce at home. In most cases, instead of completely replacing them, all you need to do is modify or polish them.
Hygiene friendliness
Cleaning wooden floors is a pretty straightforward process. Basic and regular maintenance is the lowest price you can ever pay for an everlasting floor. They can be perfected with regular vacuuming and mopping or wiped down with a regular floor detergent. Unlike carpets, which tend to trap overflows and unpleasant smells, wooden floors are easily stripped of all stains. The end result is that your home is absolutely free of any allergenic pollution.
Image source: Merzbau design collective
Customization settings
Laying hardwood floors is quick and easy. The easiest (and cheapest) way is to purchase pre-fabricated material that is sanded / stained on site. The only downside is the clutter of the procedure.
Image source: tuthill architecture
To do this, you need to clean the wood dust and let off the strong odor caused by the last few coats of paint for hours or even days. However, once your new floor is fully installed, it will be stable and ready for use.
Appearance
Classic parquet floors awaken warm and inviting feelings and feel exceptionally pleasant underfoot. Its great appeal is often critical to current and potential homeowners.
range
Choosing the ideal wood flooring is a challenging experience due to the infinite choice on the market. When installing a brand new floor, you have to choose between numerous types of wood, colors or board sizes. We understand that this can be a difficult task.
Image source: Mark Pinkerton – vi360 Photography
You are therefore cordially invited to combine options and combine just a few types in one. Note that this is not a final choice. If for some reason you think your selection wasn’t the right one, you can add a new layer and change the color. The floors will look absolutely new!
Perfect match with the existing interior
Hardwood floors are an ideal solution for any home decor. It fits easily with all styles, furniture and accessories and becomes the recognizable “common stamp” of different areas in your home or office.
Image source: P. Shea Design
Disadvantages of parquet
price
Cost is high on the list of cons when it comes to installing hardwood. The high price arises from the quality of the material, but also the expertise required for installation. Hence, some people choose to apply it in a few rooms instead of their entire home.
Rigor, hardness and cold
Hardwood floors are certainly “stricter”, harder and colder than a carpet (definitely less than marble). This is because they are unable to absorb light and heat.
Image source: Phillip W Smith General Contractor, Inc.
Additionally, they take a significant chunk of your rest due to the noise caused by pets running, kids playing, or walking in high heels. However, this problem can be solved by adding some cozy rugs.
Seams and open edges
Hardwood floors are brought and laid in their original shape, and there is no sealing device on the edges. This leaves the possibility that dirt and grime will collect in the open gaps between the boards and that considerable cleaning effort will be required.
Image source: Noel Cross + Architects
What’s even riskier is that they are prone to water ingress and can cause mold or rot under your floor.
Effortless scratching
This is not a general rule for all types of hardwood floors. However, some of them are very sensitive to high-heeled blows and jagged claws. To avoid or prevent the damage, avoid using shellac and apply a hard poly topcoat either before or after the damage. In fact, all types of polyurethane surfaces carry the risk of accelerated post-processing.
No animal friendliness
Remember, hardwood floors don’t make your dogs happy. The smooth surface is their padded paws’ biggest enemy, which means they slide down every time they try to move faster.
Natural response
Wood comes from nature. Despite our best efforts, it will always be a natural material. This means that it reacts to all changes in natural conditions such as humidity or temperature. Don’t be surprised to see how it expands or contracts.
Image source: Harvey Jones kitchens
The good news is that this effect can be eliminated (or at least limited) by keeping the humidity off the hardwood floor and keeping the temperature unchanged.
fishing
Prefabricated parquet floors usually have rounded and beveled edges. The purpose is to make it appear flawless and perfected. Depending on your needs, fishing can be both an advantage and a disadvantage of hardwood floors.
Image source: Ana Williamson architect
You need to define whether the angled piece will suit the type of wood you have installed, or whether you need one with sharp edges and a manufactured look.
Permanent cleaning
The main reason cleaning a hardwood floor is easy is because it is very common. Even if nothing can be cleaned but dust, you should vacuum or sweep at least twice a week.
Image source: Philpott’s Interiors
height
In contrast to finished wooden floors, prefabricated wooden floors lack the sanding process with which they can be properly laid and sanded flat on bumpy sub-floors. Without taking this into account, we run the risk of walking on patch floors that resemble any irregularity beneath the surface.