Hardwood floors offer the ultimate in natural beauty and inviting warmth with surprising durability. Wood flooring is not a short-term investment. With proper care, hardwood floors rarely need replacing, and actually become more beautiful as they age. Your hardwood floor may likely last the lifetime of your home.

Hardwood is a natural material that comes in a variety of styles and stains. Different types of wood (such as oak or cherry) are referred to as "species." Because of its neutral color, the hardwood species found most commonly in homes is oak.

Other species and finishes are gaining popularity and are available in a wide range of colors from light (which is considered more informal) to dark (which is traditionally formal).

Custom Wood Floors

Custom designs (such as inlays, medallions, accents and borders) can give a homeowner a unique floor displaying the homeowner's personal style and taste.

Mixing Types - Mixing flooring types, such as combining hardwood with ceramic tile, slate, stone or marble, is a refreshing trend in flooring today.

Mixing Species - Mixing wood species is another way to create exciting contrasts in wood flooring.

Factory Finished Hardwood

A more affordable alternative to custom hardwood floors is factory finished hardwood. The finish is usually more durable because several layers are added in the factory by specialized machinery.

While this method is more cost effective, occasionally the boards aren't as even after installation because there is no sanding and finishing process once the floor has been laid.

Moisture can be an Issue - Wood is a natural material subject to many variations in color, dimensional stability, grain, and hardness and it must be sealed to protect it from water damage. Perhaps the floor that fit so well when it was first installed now shows cracks, cupping or buckling. Those are the most common changes that moisture can inflict on a floor.

We believe it's important to inform our homebuyers about the normal behavior of wood and moisture. Most solid wood flooring will contract during low humidity periods (cold weather months), sometimes leaving noticeable cracks between boards. When summer arrives (and we turn off the heater), the hardwood will generally expand because of increases in humidity. To help minimize these effects, try to stabilize the environment through temperature and humidity control.

Advantage - One advantage of hardwood is that it can be refinished but laminate cannot. In addition, hardwood floors do not harbor dust mites or molds like carpet does which creates better air quality for all family members.

Easy to Maintain - Hardwood is relatively easy to maintain. Regularly sweeping or vacuuming, cleaning spills promptly and strategically placing mats, rugs and casters is all that is required. No damp mopping is needed.