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Wood Flooring Options

Wood Flooring Options provided by ServiceMagic.com.

For a beautiful floor, you can't beat installing wood flooring. In general, a hardwood floor is more durable and more resistant to damage from the wear and tear that comes with daily use. However, if you maintain your softwood floor carefully, it should last just as long as a hardwood floor. Here are some of the more popular wood flooring choices presently available to homeowners, provided to help make choosing your new flooring a little bit easier.

The Hardwood Floor
A well installed and properly finished hardwood floor is as good as it gets when it comes to wood flooring. It's one of the best looking flooring solutions on the market; it's durable; and when it does start to show wear, you can re-finish it to look like new. Here's a few of the more popular hardwoods used in flooring today:

  • Oak is one of the most durable hardwoods, with a tight, dark grain. It is by far the most popular material when it comes to installing wood flooring in homes.
  • Maple is the second most popular hardwood. Maple has a lighter color and a less pronounced grain than oak, and gives a room a lighter, softer look.
  • Ash is also popular as a hardwood floor, and is known for its uniform light texture and consistent grain.

    Softwood Flooring
    As mentioned before, whenever you're talking about installing wood flooring, a hardwood floor is preferred. Despite that fact, many homeowners are drawn to the soft, rustic feel of softwood flooring, in spite of some disadvantages.

    From a durability standpoint, softwood just isn't as durable as hardwood alternatives. It's going to show more scrapes, dents, and wear over time than a hardwood floor. If properly maintained, however, it can still last a lifetime. It can always be refinished to restore it like new, and many homeowners like the western feel, and fresh scents, that come hand in hand with softwood flooring. Here's the most popular softwood options for you to choose from:

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