Updated: 8-Mar-2021
A wood floor contributes to the natural harmony of your living environment. And we can harvest wood without any serious impact on the environment.
You can deal with spillages using a mop… No more drama!
When you’re choosing between carpet or hardwood flooring you have to consider more than the initial expense.
As well as cost, consider design, comfort and sustainability – among other things…
The benefits of a wood floor
A wood floor is an eco-friendly choice. Wood is one of our most abundant sustainable resources. It’s renewable through re-forestation and it’s recyclable, often showing character and history in the way it takes more effort for upcyling to achieve.
Faster-growing types of wood such as bamboo (which isn’t really wood, it’s actually a type of grass) make wood floors even more sustainable.
Wooden flooring is more hygienic than carpets. Carpets attract dust, dust mites and mould, all of which may cause problems for allergy sufferers.
In addition, modern carpets use synthetic materials which you can smell when a new carpet is laid. New carpets leak for years and may cause sinus or breathing issues.
You can achieve the same hygiene standards with stone or tile floors but they don’t provide the same warmth or feel of timber.
Wood floors are easier to clean than the maintenance regime that a carpet requires. All it takes is a quick brush or a light vacuum. Occasionally use a floor polish that’s easy to make from natural ingredients. And relax, you can deal with spillages using a mop. No drama and no more wondering if traces of the disaster still remain.
After a few years a carpet can begin to look shabby and the only option is to replace it completely. In contrast a wood floor is less prone to damage and it can be restored rather than dumped. A hardwood floor can be scratched or damaged due to heavy wear and tear. All it takes is sanding and sealing, which is much less expensive than buying a new carpet all over again.
A wood floor is a long-term solution to your flooring dilemmas. It lasts for decades. In contrast carpet often needs to be replaced every five years due to wear and tear. But as a long-term solution you have to think of long-term maintenance. A hardwood floor needs regular polishing every 3-4 years to maintain the finish, especially in high-traffic areas.
Why you might think twice about a wood floor
The main disadvantage of wooden flooring is the cost. The materials and the installation are more expensive than carpeting. But against the up-front cost you must remember that a wooden floor requires less maintenance and you won’t have the expense of replacing it.
A wood floor can be noisy, thanks both to the clicking of stilettos as well as any squeaking in the joists. You can cover it up with rugs (and make a statement too). But the main feature of a carpet is its soft buffering nature – this absorbs sound and maintains heat. Hardwood floors can be draughtier, especially in older homes.
The aesthetics of a natural wood floor
A wood floor has a timeless appeal that you can’t find with other flooring types that go in and out of fashion. Just consider the swings in colour and design for carpets since the glory days of the 70s. A hardwood floor doesn’t date a property and it only looks better with age. Plus a wooden floor looks good with any type of décor – so if you change the style of a room you won’t have to replace your floors.
A hardwood floor gives a rich look to your home. It’s aesthetically pleasing to look at, smell and experience. As soon as you walk in the room you can smell the aroma of a polished wooden floor. In contrast, carpets don’t make a statement and may trap lingering odours from pets or spillages.
For all the above reasons a hardwood floor adds value to your home. There can be no higher authority than the opinion of estate agents… and they tell us that a house with a hardwood floor is worth more and sells twice as easily. Prospective home-buyers see carpets in terms of whether they will need to be replaced and the expense incurred.
