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There are many myths all about hardwood flooring that are just not true.
Before you find yourself sucked into the false claims of those who claim to know about hardwood floors, let the professionals explain away the myths about hardwood flooring.
- Wood floors are expensive
The initial cost of having hardwood floors installed in your home may cost more than other varieties of flooring, but wood floors will outlast just about any other flooring material.
In a cost-to-lifespan comparison, hardwood flooring is one of the most cost-efficient options available because you can sand a refinish a wood floor multiple times.
- Wood floors are difficult to maintain
Nothing could be further from the truth. Sweeping your floors a few times a week and asking your guests to remove their shoes will keep your floors free of dirt and particulate matter that could damage your floors finish. For added protection against scratches, using a Bona hardwood floor cleaner product as part of your regular maintenance schedule will keep your floors looking shiny and new for many years to come.
- Wood floors scratch easily
Taking preventative measures goes a long way toward keeping your floors scratch-free. You can diminish the prevalence of dirt and particulate matter that may damage the wood floors in your home by placing rugs at each point-of-entry. Be sure to use felt pads under the legs of furniture to keep your floors from incurring scratches and dents when moving or rearranging your furniture.
- Purchasing wood floors depletes forests
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service, for every cubic foot of hardwood harvested in the United States, 1.66 cubic feet of hardwood is planted in its place. Given the longevity of a hardwood floor, wood flooring is one of the most sustainable building materials available.
- Wood flooring isn’t a worthwhile investment if you plan to relocate
Nothing could be further from the truth. A survey of real estate agents showed that 99% of those polled said they believe homes with hardwood floors are easier to sell, 82% believe homes with hardwood floors sell faster than those without wood flooring, and 90% said that homes with hardwood floors sell at a higher per-square-foot-cost than homes with other varieties of flooring.
- Wood floors don’t add warmth to a room
Wood floors add warmth to rooms by holding in heat from your home’s HVAC system, and they add an unparalleled aesthetic value to any room where they’re installed.
- Wood floors harbor more dirt and dust than other flooring materials do
Wood flooring does not harbor more dust and dirt than other flooring materials, the dust is just more visible on a wood floor than it is on other flooring materials, but that also makes it easier to see and remove the dust and dirt on your floors.
- Cutting down trees to manufacture wood flooring is bad for the environment
Trees release oxygen and absorb carbon dioxide. Carbon dioxide is the biggest culprit behind global warming, so you may actually be diminishing global warming by purchasing wood flooring because flooring manufacturers plant more trees than they harvest to create hardwood flooring.
- Wood floors can’t handle the wear caused by household pets and busy lifestyles
Wood floors are durable and beautiful. The key to purchasing a wood floor capable of handling the wear-and-tear of day-to-day life is to verify a specific wood species’ Janka rating before you buy. The Janka scale measures the hardness and durability of wood and measures how likely that species is to dent under pressure. The higher the wood’s Janka rating, the more durable the species is.
- Engineered hardwood is not real wood
Engineered hardwood is real wood; it’s just manufactured differently than solid hardwood planks.
