Many options exist for modern hardwood floors and for homeowners who expect significant traffic flow in their homes. This means that the owner must do their research and look at helpful resources like the Empire Flooring blog to find out which flooring will be the best choice for their home. Choosing the right hardwood floor is essential to maximize floor longevity and appearance.

Image Credit: MacDonald Hardwoods

Reading the Hardness Scale

Each type of wood flooring is graded by the Janka Hardness Rating. This straightforward scale is easy to read, and lists just about every type of hardwood flooring option from softest to hardest. Softer woods include those such as California Redwood or Honduran Mahogany, while the hardest woods include Brazilian Walnut, African Pearwood, and Brazilian Ebony.

One thing to consider about the scale is that many woods today include special treatments such as aluminum-oxide sealants that will substantially reduce the impact of heavy use. This means that getting the hardest wood on the market might not be needed if the wood has been treated properly.

Considering Engineered Woods

New flooring options to consider include engineered hardwoods such as Kronotex or Pergo. These engineered options often contain some real hardwood but are paired with a wood veneer on the top. However, a drawback to engineered woods is that refinishing or sanding isn’t possible as with traditional hardwood.

Further Steps for Hardwood Floor Care

A variety of basic maintenance options exist that can be performed to keep hardwood floors in good condition. Such projects are beneficial because even the most expensive hardwood flooring options can be impacted by simple things like the heel of a boot or some sharp pet claws.

1. Use rugs and floor coverings

Use of rugs will often be a good choice for particularly high traffic areas such as the entryway or hallways.

2. Dust and vacuum regularly

One of the benefits of a hardwood floor is that they are easy to clean and doesn’t hold onto dirt, fleas and mites like carpet. Regular cleaning of the surface is still necessary however. Grit and dirt can scuff the flooring eventually if they remain on the surface for too long.

3. Pad the furniture pegs

Beds, bookcases, chairs, and just about every piece of wooden furniture in a home is going to dig into a hardwood floor. Each piece of furniture should have plastic or rubber shoes to reduce wear and dents.

Author Bio

MacDonalds Hardwoods is a residential and commercial flooring store in Denver. They carry bamboo, oak, pine, and mesquite flooring.