Hardwood flooring is a beautiful investment for any home, but is it really worth the cost? Despite some routine maintenance and care, hardwood flooring is relatively affordable and drastically improves the value of your home. If you are looking for a home improvement project that will last, installing hardwood flooring is a great idea.
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Before you consider if hardwood flooring is worth the cost, you probably need to understand the various costs that are associated with an install. There are some annual costs for maintaining your hardwood flooring, like cleaning the planks on a yearly basis. When you purchase hardwood flooring, you will receive a maintenance manual that details everything you need to know about your new floors. Just remember to keep prices and costs in mind when reviewing the material.
Ways to Keep Installation Costs Low
The cost of installation and maintenance of a hardwood flooring project can get expensive. For the increase to the value of your home and aesthetic appeal, though, the costs of installation and maintenance fall far behind the value of the floors. Some of the basic costs for installation, outside of the price for the actual flooring, are for the disposal of the old flooring and for the sub-flooring preparation.
Disposing of the old flooring is the first major cost in the installation of your new floors. Many people try to take care of this step by themselves. This can be a great way to reduce the cost of installing the new floors. However, it does take a certain level of understanding and experience to dispose of the old flooring, especially if it has been glued or stapled to the sub-flooring. If you have a family member or friend experienced with flooring, this step can easily be handled by you with their help or advice.
Preparing your sub-floor for the hardwood planks is another important step. Making sure the sub-floors are perfectly clean and level enough to install hardwood is necessary for a successful install. In addition, you may want to consult your flooring specialist if you think your sub-floors are not suitable for hardwood installation. If so, you may need to install new sub-flooring before you can finish your hardwood flooring project.
Furniture removal is another major consideration. You can pay for it to be done professionally, but it would be far more cost effective if you do it yourself. To fully prep your sub-floors and make sure your hardwood planks are acclimated with the environment, you must completely remove all furniture from the installation location. Acclimation can be achieved by simply leaving your hardwood planks in the room for a few days.
Most flooring installation companies will offer a furniture removal service, but it can be expensive.
Additionally, you may not want to run the risk of them damaging your belongings. Therefore, doing your own furniture removal can save you money and from potential damage.
Research and educating yourself on hardwood flooring installation is another great way to save money. If you are fully aware of what it takes to install your floors, you can find little ways to save some cash. The World Floor Covering Association provides a helpful article to consider before making your purchase.
Other Costs of Installation
For the actual install of the flooring, you will probably have an associated cost per square-foot. This is the price that the installation company gives you for the full installation. Some people try to install their own hardwood flooring. Although it can be done, it is not recommended if you do not have previous flooring experience.
Installing hardwood flooring is just as much a home improvement project as it is an art. It takes a highly trained and skilled professional to do a hardwood flooring installation properly.
With that in mind, finding a qualified and certified professional is the best way to ensure a cost-effective and successful install. Using the cheapest installation company available may not be the best choice.
Do your research and due diligence before handing over your credit card. The installation of your new floors is the most critical step in the entire process. A poorly installed floor can eventually do damage to your floors that may be irreparable.
Another factor that you may have to pay for is the cost of delivery for your hardwood planks. Odds are you will have to have your new floors delivered to your home, especially if you purchased unfinished hardwood. If this is the case, make sure to include the price of delivery in your overall estimate of costs for installation. Unless you can pick up your materials and deliver them yourself, you will have to pay for this step.
Costs of Maintenance
In addition to installation costs, you also need to consider the annual cost of maintaining your new floors. A few basic maintenance costs are: purchasing mats and entryway rugs; purchasing a vacuum that can be used on the hardwood flooring; and purchasing professional cleaning products from your flooring specialist.
An easy, relatively inexpensive maintenance technique is buying mats for your entryways. Dust and particles that get onto your floors can do severe damage. To prevent this, place the mats before each entrance into your home. You can also encourage people entering your home to remove their shoes before walking on the floors. This can save you from having to refinish your floors.
Another easy maintenance tool is purchasing a vacuum that can be used on hardwood flooring. Wet mops are not recommended for cleaning hardwood floors. In fact, using a wet mop can do irreversible damage to the floors. Wood is a natural product that absorbs water. If there is a spill, whether solid or liquid, quickly clean it up without using a wet mop. That is where a trusty vacuum can come in handy.
Finally, purchasing professional cleaning products is a surefire way to keep your hardwood floors looking new. The keyword is “professional”–do not buy generic products. Certain cleaning products can actually damage the urethane finish on your floors. Check with your flooring specialist before using any products on your floors.
There are a few other considerations when maintaining your floors. A great resource for care and maintenance of hardwood floors is the National Wood Flooring Association. The NWFA provides a great article on maintenance and care for your new floors.
Is It Worth the Cost?
After considering all of the costs for installation and maintenance, and there are quite a few, is hardwood floors really worth the cost and hassle? The answer is a resounding yes! Hardwood floors are one of the guaranteed ways to immediately improve the value of your home. Almost every real estate agent would tell you that a home with hardwood floors installed always sell faster than a home with mainly carpet or laminate installed.
Another consideration is the aesthetic appeal of hardwood floors. Regardless of your style or the décor in your home, hardwood flooring is versatile and can work with any environment. If you are looking for an adaptable flooring option that can improve the look of every room, hardwood flooring is a great choice.
Prefinished hardwood flooring is another consideration when making your purchase. Although your selection may be a bit more limited, prefinished planks come with even more protective urethane coating, as well as a UV finish. This technique provides unparalleled durability. Even if you do not purchase prefinished floors, the durability of hardwood flooring is enough of a reason to make the investment. Hardwood floors last a very long time.
Even though the maintenance of hardwood floors seems time-consuming and tedious, consider how the maintenance stacks up in comparison to laminate or carpet.
You will never have to vacuum twice over a flooring area, as you usually have to do with carpet. In addition, you don’t usually have to worry about stains that will never come out. Hardwood floors are great for cleaning quick spills that would normally destroy a carpet.
Finally, the variety of choices available in hardwood flooring is enough to consider making the purchase. The variety of species available for installation can provide your home a truly unique look. The Timber Merchants Association provides a number of helpful articles about the different species and characteristics that can be found among hardwood floors.
Do-It-Yourself Possibilities
Even if all of the benefits of hardwood flooring still do not compel you to make the purchase, you can always consider installing the floors by yourself. Most flooring specialists will tell you to hire a certified professional, but if you have enough technical know-how and ability, there are a variety of resources available for researching how to install your new floors by yourself.
Many of the user-contributes blogs have amazing information available. A very trustworthy blog is Hardwood Flooring Nut. This blogger provides quite a few do-it-yourself articles to help the more adventurous hardwood flooring owners. You can find a number of blogs and posts about do-it-yourself installation of hardwood floors. However, make sure the information is reliable and professional.
Even though hardwood floors can get pricey, the cost of the floors is nothing compared to the benefits that a beautiful hardwood floor brings to your home. The value of your home will increase, and the aesthetic appeal and variety of choices are enough reason to make the commitment and invest in hardwood floors. You will not be sorry you did.
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