Various Advantages Of Hardwood Floors

By Author: Mark Thomas
Total Articles: 7
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An advantage of hardwood floors is that a radiant heat source is installed underneath it. Then the floor remains warm even during winter. Radiant heating may be in form of hot water tubing or simple heating coils. This when under the floor radiates heat and thus leaves a more comfortable toasty floor.

For homeowners, one of the most exciting times in their lives is during the construction of their homes or when the house is undergoing some major renovations. During this time, the hardest and trickiest decision on flooring is to be made – whether to settle for hardwood flooring or carpeting? This always comes across as much of a decision based on personal taste and preferences with some people associating lush wall-to-wall carpeting with wealth, while others think that a well-polished wooden floor oozes sophistication and yet for others tile or vinyl flooring would do just fine. So, is hardwood flooring such a good idea?

Hardwood flooring can last a lifetime if well maintained and not abused. If you look at the historic homes with hard floors within your locality which are maintained you will notice that the floor ...
... is still in a usable condition. This kind of floor if cleaned regularly, maintained and properly treated can last for very many years. The main demerit, however, is that unlike vinyl which is cheap to maintain, the maintenance of this type of flooring can sometimes be costly. A good wood floor will occasionally require the application of polishes and oils to keep it looking fresh, strong and healthy.

The other advantage of hardwood floors is that if a radiant heat source is installed underneath it then the floor remains warm even during winter. Radiant heating may be in form of hot water tubing or simple heating coils. This when under the floor radiates heat and thus leaves a more comfortable toasty floor. However, one major problem with this floor type is it is difficult to walk on when wet as you can easily slip especially in case the wood is the regularly polished type. This creates the extra pressure of ensuring that it is immediately cleaned in case it is wet or having to purchase slip-resistant sandals if your house is located in a wet area.

The most significant advantage of this type of floor is that it is easier to clean and keep hygienic. This is the reason why even health facilities have this kind of floors. They are easy to clean, scrub and sanitize. While it is hard to remove odors from carpeted floors, hard wood floors are redeemable even after spilling any kind of unhealthy or hazardous fluid or substance. The only flipside to this is that many hardwood floors Ottawa may not be that smooth and at times may contain gaps and grooves that are not easy to clean and easily retains bacteria like any carpeting would do.

Apart from the above pros and cons, there are many other factors which will influence one's final decision on his/her floor type such as the costs involved, local housing codes and certain environmental considerations. The key to successful floor installation lies on the careful research and stepwise planning for your needs. With the market flooded with so many types of hardwood floors, it's imperative that before you opt for any particular one, you must get some insightful information on its' maintenance and repair techniques.

For hardwood floors Ottawa has several companies that may be hired. You need to factor in their track record before zeroing in on any one.

The writer is associated with Boisfranctherrien.com a prominent couvre plancher Gatineau, Ottawa, is the place where they work in.