Shopping for hardwood floors can be a lot of fun. You get to touch all the samples, learn about all of the different types of woods, and dream about how your home will look with a new set of hardwood flooring. Your new floors can last a lifetime, so we want to help guide you to choose the best hardwood for you and your home. Here are four things to keep in mind when you start your search:
Pick a Floor That Fits Your Lifestyle
When shopping for hardwood floors, it is important to keep your lifestyle in mind. For example, if you have very little foot traffic, you may want a sleek dark floor. However, if you have a busy household full of family and pets, a lighter rustic floor that gains character over time would be a better choice. Talk to your dealer, and be specific about what you’re looking for. Be sure to have the right expectations for your floor and how they will wear over time.
Pay Attention to the Type of Wood Being Used
The strength of wood is one of the most important factors when purchasing hardwood floors for your home. We always recommend having a conversation with your flooring retailer to determine which wood species will best fit your needs. For example, one of the toughest and strongest woods is oak, whereas some species such as cherry or pine tend to be softer and can dent more easily. Because of this, you can’t choose a hardwood based on aesthetics alone. The integrity of the product comes down to the quality of the design; you get what you pay for.
Touch and Feel Samples Before Choosing a Texture
Hallmark Floors has many different textures to choose from thanks to techniques ranging from wire-brushing to hand-scraping. Your new floors are here for the long haul so you want to be sure to find the right texture. Do you want a nice smooth floor, or do you want to feel each ridge of the natural grain? Do you want the hardwood to fit together smoothly, or do you want some beveling on the edges? Nothing beats stopping by your local flooring dealer and getting your hands on some samples!
Bring in Color Swatches to Find the Perfect Match
We recommending bringing color swatches to your retailer to help choose the best floor for your style. For example, bring samples of fabrics, countertops, cabinets, etc. Bringing in physical samples is best, but if you can’t get your hands on samples and swatches, at least bring a few photos of the rooms where you will want to install the floors. This will help ensure that your new floors create a cohesive environment and complement everything in your home.
Choosing the right Hardwood Finish for you
The two most popular finish choices are oil and polyurethane.
Oil finish treats and fortifies the wood fibers to help protect against stain and other damage. The best quality of an oil finished wood is it’s ability to allow the natural wood’s beautiful qualities to shine through. The beautiful and unique hand-sawed texture of the Organic Hardwood collection is wonderful! Learn more about our NuOil finish.
Polyurethane protects the wood floors by creating a hard, plastic-like barrier. They are extremely durable, especially when finished with our Truemark finish. Light scratches on poly-finished floors are usually only as deep as the finishing layer, which can be maintained to keep your floors looking great.
Check out this page to learn more about Hallmark’s wood finishes.
