When choosing flooring for your home in Charleston, SC, you will find hardwood to be an excellent selection. Although Charleston is very humid throughout most of the year, wood floors are still a viable choice with many advantages. In a properly maintained home, outdoor humidity should not be a problem. By using mats and throw rugs in areas prone to wet feet or spills, you can ensure that your hardwood floor will be well protected. Some advantages of hardwood floors are:
*simple maintenance
*great for people with allergies
*strong and resilient- great for high traffic areas
*look good, and have lasting color
*durable for many years, even for generations
*increase the value of your home
*many colors and styles to choose from
*complements any decor
One advantage of owning hardwood floors is the ease of maintenance. Such floors tend to repel dirt and stains and are easily cared for on a routine basis by vacuuming, and damp mopping. This is so helpful to those who struggle with allergies! Hardwood floors will not hold dust and other allergens the way carpets can.
Hardwood floors are strong and resilient, making them ideal for high traffic areas of your home. They are color fast and will look new for many years. In fact, depending on maintenance, a hardwood floor can last from 20-100 years! This is the main type of flooring you will see in the historic homes of Charleston.
Should you choose to change the color of your floors, you can sand hardwood floors and refinish them. There is a wide array of colors and shades to choose from at Carolina Flooring, that will complement any décor. Not only that, but hardwood floors are a sound investment that will increase the value of your home, should you decide to sell. In any case, they will certainly increase your personal enjoyment of your home as long as you live there.
The disadvantages of hardwood floors are few but they are things to consider as you select a flooring option. These include:
*care required for areas that are prone to becoming wet
*humidity levels in your home can affect the floors
One thing to know about wood is that it is hygroscopic. This simply means that it will absorb moisture. This is one reason you will want to clean up any spills on a hardwood floor immediately. In fact, you will want to protect your floor from water being tracked in on wet shoes as well. For example, if your hardwood floor is in the kitchen, you will want to have either throw rugs or specially designed mats to protect against spills and leaks.
Hardwood floors are also subject to humidity levels within a home. In general, home humidity levels should be between 30% and 50%. Wood will shrink in dry conditions, and swell in humid conditions, causing either gaps in the floor or causing the floor to cup and warp. However, in a properly maintained environment, this should not happen. A well trained and professional installer will measure humidity levels in the wood and in the home, and will be sure the home has stable conditions prior to installation.
As you can see, the advantages of owning a hardwood floor far outweigh the disadvantages, but it is important to fully understand all the flooring options available, so that you can make the most informed decision that you will be happy with for many years to come. Contact us to discuss all the options for hardwood flooring in your home at Carolina Flooring.