Are Timber Floors Right for Your Home?

Timber floors are a classic and timeless choice for any home, and they work well with any design style, including traditional, rustic or modern. While timber floors can be a bit expensive, they can be a good investment, even increasing a home's value in some cases. To note if they're the right choice for your home, consider some pros and cons of timber flooring and some alternatives for those who like the look but who aren't sure if the material is the best choice.

Hygienic

Timber floors need a sealant or coating over their surface to keep them from absorbing moisture and humidity, which would cause the wood to warp and become soft, if not to outright rot. This sealant or topcoat also makes timber floors very hygienic; while it's meant to keep out water, it will also keep out dust, hair and other irritants and allergens! If you need a flooring surface that is easy to clean on a daily basis, and which works well for those who have allergies or breathing disorders, timber flooring can be the right choice.

Extremes in temperature

Another advantage of timber floors is that they don't tend to hold heat and cold as much as other flooring surfaces. Carpeting is good for insulating a home in the wintertime but can make a home seem warm and stuffy during summer months. Tile and concrete floors, on the other hand, can be very cold during the winter season.

Timber floors maintain a more relative temperature, so they're comfortable no matter the extremes in temperature in your area. You can also add an area rug to a space if you do need a bit of extra warmth in the room or paint the timber floors a very light colour to keep them extra cool if you live in a warm environment.

Installation

One drawback to timber floors is that solid hardwood needs to be installed by a professional, which obviously adds to their overall cost, and these floors do need stripping and then resealing or repainting over the years. If this makes timber floors out of your reach financially, you might consider a laminate floor, which actually has a special overlay that makes it look like other materials, including wood. Laminate floors are very dense and durable and may come in peel-and-stick tiles or long slats that you can install yourself. They also don't require regular stripping and sealing. While laminate floors don't offer the same look and feel of hardwood, they can be a more affordable option.