Hardwood Flooring is the most versatile and sought-after flooring for homes. It can be high or low cost, dark or light-toned, noticeably grainy, or more solid in appearance. With endless options, it is both an exciting and overwhelming process to try and pick out the hardwood flooring for your home. At Totta Hardwoods, we take the stress out of your decision by providing you with extensive information about your options that fit with your budget and your lifestyle. Make your decision easily during your hardwood flooring quote with our consultation.
When choosing your hardwood flooring, start with the basics– species of hardwood and color, the cost of the wood, the manageability of your hardwood floors, and the eco-friendly effects of the wood you choose.
Exotic Hardwood vs. Domestic Hardwood
There are many great classic flooring options like oak, maple, and cherry, but if you’re looking for a unique floor, consider going with exotic hardwood. Totta carries both the classics and the exotics, so you can find your perfect hardwood floor.
Exotic types of hardwood flooring consist of unique wood patterns, rich colors, and high durability. This style is often considered ‘luxury’. Some examples of exotic wood species would be Teak, Brazilian Cherry, and Cypress. Exotic wood often requires a bit more maintenance to keep it looking fresh and luxe. This is du
e to the rareness of this flooring in the country. Exotic woods come from regions outside of North America, so this wood needs consistent care to make sure it doesn’t lose its look over time.
Domestic hardwood flooring styles are slightly more affordable than an exotic style and are often recognized as classic. We’ve all heard of Maplewood, Oak, Birch, and Cherrywood. They’re classics and common wood species that never go out of style. Some of these styles may be less durable (depending on which you choose), but the consistency in these styles of wood is what makes it affordable and desirable.
The Cost of Your Hardwood Flooring
Hardwood flooring is considered a premium home addition. You will oftentimes see a 5% increase in your home’s overall value after hardwood flooring is installed, making it not just a beautiful premium choice for your home, but a financial one. This style of flooring can increase the value of your home for decades to come. Naturally, this means the cost of hardwood flooring will come at a premium price when compared to other flooring options, but don’t let that deter you! There are many budget-friendly hardwood flooring options.
Budget-friendly: Maple
A commonly used domestic wood style, Maple is considered a fairly affordable option when choosing your floors because it grows quickly and in abundance. This type of wood is also harvested sustainably making it a more eco-friendly flooring option compared to some of the more exotic choices. Maple also has a desirable look with consistent grain throughout making it a popular hardwood flooring choice.
Premium Price: Brazilian Cherry
As an exotic hardwood type, Teak comes at a high cost. This hardwood flooring style is often considered a luxury item with a timeless look. Even with a higher cost, this one-of-a-kind hardwood has its benefits. With a rich color and high tolerance to scratches and dents, this floor is a great option for homes with children or pets.
Eco-Friendly Flooring Options
Choosing your flooring style and stain colors is the part that makes our home look good. Sometimes though, you also want to feel good knowing the floor you choose during your hardwood flooring consultation is sustainable for the environment as well. Some great types of eco-friendly hardwood flooring could include new wood– both domestic or exotic (depending on the species) or you could upcycle wood that has already been used.
Renewing Your Old Flooring
When buying a home, some new homeowners start by ripping up the carpet to discover that their home has beautiful hardwood flooring beneath the fibers. Or maybe you already have hardwood flooring, but you dislike the stain and finish of your floors.
If your space already has hardwood flooring, but there are dents, scratches, or gaps, Totta Hardwoods has hardwood floor repair and recoating services to get your floors back to brand new.
Or if you are looking for a new look altogether, our refinishing services also allow you to re-stain your floors any color you desire in order to achieve the look you want for less. You don’t have to love your hardwood as is. Refinish your floors to bring your personal style into every corner of your home.
Bonus: Revamping existing hardwood is obviously the most cost-effective and eco-friendly option.
Reclaimed Hardwood
If you love a vintage look, a great option would be to get wood from an old schoolhouse or farm. These eclectic types of hardwood flooring are not only sustainable but one of a kind! Reclaimed wood is essentially upcycling wood that has already been used so it creates a totally unique look based on the type of upcycled flooring you choose. This wood can be sanded down, filled, and finished to look new, so when considering eco-friendly types of hardwood flooring, don’t forget the possibility of reusing hardwood.
An Eco-Friendly Hardwood: Oak
If both revamping an old hardwood floor and reclaimed hardwood flooring aren’t options for you, then the next best thing is a classic and sustainable floor like Oakwood. Similar to Maple, Oak is abundant in the US, and it’s harvested sustainably. It is also a strong wood with a timeless look. With its durable strength, it also has naturally noticeable grains, creating a beautiful and unique look for your home. This style of wood already looks great, so most go with a light stain color, or even just a clear finish. With a timeless look, most homes look great with a traditional domestic wood like Oak.
Managing and Maintaining your Hardwood Flooring
If your main concerns are not with the cost or the eco-friendliness of your wood, then you should definitely choose hardwood that has high durability and strength. There are many styles that have great durability, but it all depends on the look you prefer when you’re going off of durability alone.
Domestic Hardwood Option: Hickory
When choosing a hardwood floor that is manageable, you want something strong and long-lasting, and that’s why we suggest hickory wood. It’s the strongest of the domestic species of hardwood flooring. This is also one of the most expensive domestic hardwood options, but the unique grain and natural protection from scratches and dents make it perfect for families.
Exotic Hardwood Option: Brazillian Cherry (Jatoba)
When choosing an exotic hardwood, a great option is Brazillian Cherry. Also known as Jatoba wood, this exotic wood is incredibly durable, with a natural resistance to termites and pests. This hardwood flooring option is unique for a few reasons – not only does it have a natural deep warm red tone to it, but it isn’t actually wood at all (hence its resistance to pests). Jatoba is actually part of the peanut family, that’s right it is a Legume, but don’t be fooled this is no average groundnut. Brazilian Cherry typically can grow to around 130 feet tall, giving it a trunk-like appearance that mimics natural hardwood.
Cleaning and Maintaining
The best way to be sustainable is to take care of your hardwood floors so they do not need to be fully replaced. Regular maintenance and cleaning keep your floors looking great for decades. Totta Hardwoods offers both cleaning and maintenance services on hardwood floors for that exact reason. If your floors are losing their freshness, consider setting up a consultation for a deep cleaning service or an analysis of your floors for scheduled maintenance with one of the Totta Hardwoods care plans. Help ensure the life of your floors with regular maintenance – keep them looking new and lasting longer.
Looking for a Hardwood Flooring Quote?
The craftsmen of Totta Hardwoods are always ready to consult and discuss different types of hardwood flooring with you. Schedule a consultation so we can pinpoint the right hardwood flooring for your home.