So what are the main considerations for choosing a hardwood? Begin by asking yourself which room or rooms you wish to include hardwood. Will they get lots of wear and tear or be subject to moisture? Are you looking to create room-to-room continuity? Will the wood you choose fit the style or character of your room or house?
Is it expensive? The answers to these questions is varied, but basically are this: Your floors are (other than walls) the biggest area of color and pattern in your house. Wood flooring can beautifully set apart a single room or wonderfully tie-together many rooms.
Most hardwoods of today are prefinished and have high-tech coatings such as aluminum oxide, ceramics, or ultra-tough acrylic monomers that make them ideal for nearly any above-grade room in the house. Modern hardwood floors are much easier to clean and maintain than the old strip floors of the past.
Typically, you can expect to pay anywhere from $3 to $15 per square foot for the hardwood and (depending on the complexity and size of the job) another $4 to $9 for professional installation. Hardwoods are one of the most environmentally-friendly, sought after floors in renovation, remodeling, and new home construction…but the pay-off is well worth the expense in practicality, eye-catching beauty, and long term added-value to your home.