There’s something to be said about beautifully maintained hardwood flooring. Greensboro homeowners would agree that a hardwood floor is timeless, elegant, can add value to a home and compliments any room décor. But how does one select a hardwood floor? What is normal when it comes to hardwood floors? The hardwood flooring Greensboro has to offer provides many options for homeowners looking to replace their flooring.

When choosing a hardwood floor, especially an exotic hardwood, it is best to go with one that is higher on the Janka hardness scale because these floors require less maintenance than a regular hardwood one. The higher on the scale the wood is, the less chance of damage to the floor-but it does not mean the floor is impervious to damage.

Now that the perfect floor has been selected, the floor must be installed. Mostly gone are the days when carpenters and floor installers hammered nails into the wood to keep it down. Many hardwood floorboards come in tongue and groove-where a slot on one end of the floorboard fits into a groove cut out on the floorboard beside it. This makes installing and removing floorboards much easier. When the installation is complete, the floor will be sanded and varnished. Modern dust removal systems can help to remove most of the dust but no system is perfect. The doors to room should be closed or items should be covered to avoid dirt.

Remember that no two floorboards are alike and as such there will be differences in the wood. Also realize that wood will change color over time by either darkening or lightening according to the species of hardwood selected. So long as area rugs and furniture are rotated periodically, the coloring of the wood will become consistent throughout the room. As the seasons change, the wood will expand and contract and the boards will raise and lower. Any area of raising or lowering less than the width of a dime is considered to be normal.

To maintain the new wood floor, no harsh chemical cleaners should be used, only gentle soap and water. Do not leave standing water on the wood floor, it will destroy the varnish and seep into the wood. Careful upkeep will keep the floor looking beautiful for generations.