The fact that hardwood floors immediately improve both the look and value of a home is undeniable. However, this is usually quite a significant investment and you should take the time to learn before making a purchase. Your hardwood floor installation will go much smoother if you choose the right products for your home.
A quick internet search will show you how daunting this task can be. Page after page of information on the varieties of flooring and types of wood you can choose from can be a bit confusing for the novice homeowner. Your budget will play a role as well, and you’ll need to narrow down your options before you start looking.
One of your first considerations should be where the flooring will be installed. Are you doing your whole house or just the normal living spaces? If you plan to do hardwood floors in your kitchen and bathroom, as well as these other rooms, your options will be more limited in how well it will hold up to the conditions that will be present in those areas.
When you’re looking at a high-traffic area that may have spills, like the kitchen, you’ll want to choose a better wood and something darker as well. You can even opt for a high-pressure laminate that matches the rest of the hardwood flooring you’re installing.
Regular high traffic areas are another area you might want to consider. Otherwise, you’ll be chasing your kids all day and making sure they take their shoes off. Use a light-colored wood and you’ll spend more time worrying about the condition instead of enjoying the look they bring to your home.
Something to consider as well is that in this case, the molding you choose will be similar in cost to the actual hardwood floor. This should be an important consideration when pricing your condo, especially if you have a larger perimeter, as all of those haircuts can eat up a lot of cash pretty quickly.
If your budget also includes a professional installer, knock out all those prices before you start looking for lumber. If you have a budget of $6,000 and the installer wants $2,000 to do the job, your options narrowed down pretty quickly.
The best recommendation to make during this economy is to get as many estimates as possible from both the installer and the supplies. People are hurting for money right now and you may be able to work the price down a bit if business is slow. There’s no reason to pay a high price just because you like the first bundle of wood you see. Take your time to research and find the best lumber on sale and the most qualified installer.