A home is an investment that you cannot take lightly. You spend time and money ensuring that it looks good. Whatever you put into the house should also add value to it. And one of the best materials you can get for your furniture and flooring is hardwood.
Hardwood is very attractive to look at. It is a durable, timeless material that will look good for years. Indeed, you get aesthetics, functionality, and durability all-in-one package. Let’s uncover more uses and benefits of hardwood below.
Hardwood Flooring
Why should hardwood flooring be your go-to choice? Well, the reasons are plentiful, including:-
Tons of Choices with Hardwood Floors
Walk into any flooring shop in Louisville. What you will see is the versatility of hardwood floors. You can choose new/freshly milled hardwood or reclaimed hardwood flooring.
Antique hardwood flooring has a deep history engrained in every wood grain. Your floor may have been part of a barn, factory, or railroad trestle.
The choice is also in the type of hardwood. There is Hickory, red and white oak, teak, black walnut, and cypress. Others are mahogany, ash, and maple.
Hardwood Floors Are a Long-Term Investment
What makes hardwood floors such an investment is their durability. True, if you look at the initial hardwood flooring cost, it may be a bit high. But, like any other investment, think long term. With proper maintenance, they can last over 100 years. Imagine generations enjoying the beauty and functionality of the hardwood flooring.
Your vintage hardwood floor and furniture that you got from hardwood flooring Louisville may belong to another century. Your great-grandparents stepped on the same old hardwood flooring you now have.
If you want repurposed hardwood flooring, be careful about who you buy it from. The process of reclaiming hardwood flooring is quite tricky. Check the reputation/industry experience of the vintage wood flooring company you buy from. Customer reviews are a very reliable source of information.
Hardwood Floors Increase Home Value and Have Tax Benefits
Do you know the government sees your hardwood floor as a capital improvement? That means anything that you do to the home that adds value and reduces costly repairs in the future.
Installing a hardwood floor will increase the value of the home. Also, the amount you will part with as capital gains taxes will be much lower.
Easy Maintenance
You can’t compare hardwood flooring maintenance with that of a carpet. Anyone with young kids in the house can attest. Those little people can be messy. They are significant contributors to spills, mud tracks, stains, and more.
With the carpet, you have to remove it, wash it, and wait for it to dry. Good luck keeping it that way for long.
Hardwood flooring is easy to clean. A simple sweeping or wipe-down is enough to get rid of any dirt. What if you notice any fading due to sunlight? Well sanding, staining, and polishing will restore the floor to a new look.
And, let’s not forget the issues of allergies. Carpets collect dust and allergens. Such can trigger asthma attacks and other respiratory problems. With hardwood flooring, that will never be an issue.
2. Hardwood Home Fixtures
Hardwood is a versatile material that will have many uses within the home. These include:-
Hardwood Wall Paneling
Bring in that perfect blend of tradition and modernity with hardwood wall paneling. If you opted for antique hardwood flooring, carry on the theme with antique paneling. Your suppliers can give milling options, widths, and lengths to suit your needs.
You will love the character the panels bring to your interior space. The rustic patina from old hardwood brings personality to any application.
Antique barn beams will look great as fireplace mantles. Imagine that vintage timber from centuries past. Wood that the craftsman hewed with an axe, finding its way to your home. You get an authentic texture you can never find with machine-hewn wood.
Hardwood Doors
You can’t beat the beauty and majesty of hardwood doors. Imagine the character that a reclaimed hardwood barn door will bring to your home.
Expect plenty of questions from curious visitors. Hardwood doors are strong and will not need replacing for years.
3. Hardwood Furniture
Hardwood furniture is another excellent investment for the home. Like hardwood flooring, you get durability, aesthetics, and functionality.
- White oak and maple, for example, are tough and durable. This makes them a fantastic choice for kitchen furniture and cabinetry. Use the same for dressers or any items that you use often.
- Walnut is gorgeous and a favorite for those who like intricate carvings on their furniture. It is a fantastic choice for dining furniture. A little bit of oil will allow the natural color to show quite well.
- Cherry is another good option for indoor furniture. One of its best qualities is that it is abrasion and decay-resistant.
Live edge wood tables are stylish. The designers maintain the natural tree edges. Indeed, you can even have the tree bark as part of the table material. You get to see the natural beauty of the wood and its individual, unique characteristics.
Use the same live edge slabs for consoles, coffee tables, and kitchen countertops/islands. You will love how much character the design brings to your home.
The hardwood specialists should be able to customize the shape and size to fit into the space you have. Further, they should be able to answer any questions you may have about the hardwood. We reiterate a point we made earlier, only buy from reputable sellers.
Final Thoughts
Hardwood is an excellent material for flooring, furniture, and home fixtures. There are many types, finishes, textures, colors, and more. Learn all you can about hardwood and find the right dealers to buy from. Like any other investment in your home improvement, you want durability and good value for money.