About Hardwood Floors

Use the Trendy Look of Hardwood Flooring to Step Back in Time

Since man first realized he could create shelter by cutting down trees with a sharpened instrument, wood has been a vital presence in our lives. As hopes and dreams evolved, crafting the wood made it even more desirable. From its early, primitive beginnings in ancient times to ornate castles in Europe and on to the abundance of forests in the New World, wood has adorned our abodes, making them both elaborate and austere.

In modern times, we've become more sensitive to the preservation of our forests, and as a society, we've discovered techniques that give us the wood we desire without having to put our environment at risk.

Wood Flooring Throughout the Ages

The longing for the beauty that hardwood floors provide came long after the need for a surface that was easy to obtain and install. When the first colonists settled in America, they logically used the abundance of trees to build homes and provide flooring.

Wooden floors were used in America throughout the years as a staple in home building. Then, the depression years of the 1930s swooped upon our economy and with it came the devastation of the building industry.

World War II brought the revival of building and the use of wood for factories. When it was over, a housing boom was created - and manufacturers scrambled to find ways of supplying builders "fast and cheap."

In the early 1960s, wall-to-wall carpet rapidly replaced wood flooring as homes were built faster and less expensive. But carpet only lasts an average of 7 to 10 years and by the1980s and 1990s, consumers demanded quality for their dollars.

Hardwood Floor Manufacturers Now Demand Quality and Durability

Hard wood flooring manufacturers sprang up like seedlings in Spring during the 1990s. Most were weeded out quickly because of shoddy workmanship and unreliable customer service.

Manufacturers that succeeded did so because they demanded excellence from their raw material suppliers and reassurance that our forests would be replenished and cared for. They also worked to find new and better installation methods. Today, the three most common methods of hardwood installation are floating, glue and nails or staples.

Competition between wood flooring manufacturers has also led to a superior product and consistently good customer service. Top competitors in the flooring business such as Alloc, Mannington and Armstrong are also forerunners of research and development in an effort to improve every aspect of the business.

Recognizing the Benefits of Hardwood Flooring

There are added benefits other than for the sheer beauty of choosing hardwood flooring over other flooring, such as carpeting which may contain allergens like dust mites, pet dander and dust, all of which are known to contribute to serious medical problems like allergy-triggered asthma.

Carpet also wears out in time, whereas real hardwood only needs a minimum amount of care to remain dazzling for the life of your home.

Laminate floors are relatively inexpensive, but can be coated with products that can injure your health over time. Fading color, premature wearing and staining are also problems for some brands of laminate.

Ceramic flooring is a mixture of clay and minerals, which may crack over time, inviting bacteria to form. When finished properly and without toxic chemicals, ceramic tiles can be very expensive.

Hardwoods will gracefully adorn an area for a lifetime and more. They will never go out of style, are healthy for your family or workers and add value to your premises. It is certainly a natural choice for your flooring needs.