Going from a kitchen design that used a medium stained, narrow planked maple floor to a very lightly stained ash floor with wide planks was a major adjustment. The new kitchen design, however, looked great. The dark stain on the maple cabinets combined with the painted white wood of the kitchen island helped tie the white trim in the rest of the house in with the kitchen. And while the husband was busy showing his friends the exact fit of the car lift which allowed him to stack his two Corvettes one above the other, the females in the crowd were busy making a fuss over the floor coverings in the rest of the home.
Kitchen designs are a fun part of any new home, but it is often a challenge to step away from a former kitchen design and incorporate the newest trends in the market. And while cabinets sizes, designs, and woods, take a lot of consideration, the decisions about floor coverings can be even more difficult to make.
New Homeowners Face a Major Decision Between Hardwood Flooring and the Newest Laminate Products
although they remain one of the more expensive flooring options, a true hardwood floor remains a very popular choice in many homes in the higher price ranges. American hardwoods are truly sustainable and this environmentally friendly fact makes the hardwood choice a popular one among homeowners who care about the environment. In a 2008 report, the U.S. Forest Service verified that the average annual net growth for hardwoods in America is greater than average annual removal of those woods. In fact, the same report indicated that the volume of hardwood timberland in America’s forests is nearly double what it was 50 years ago.
For many homeowners, a hardwood floor in a kitchen, or throughout an entire home, speaks to quality, tradition, and design. Homeowners who grew up in a home that was covered in a hardwood floor often long for the same look in the homes that they buy and the homes that they build.
While carpeting and other laminate flooring options may be popular in other parts of the home, many builders and home buyers understand the value of a kitchen with a well installed hardwood floor. Part of the proper installation of a wood floor is understanding the nature of wood. For instance, all hardwood products need to be acclimated to the new environment. This acclamation process involves at least four or five days of sitting in the environment prior to installation. This allows the natural material a chance to expand or condense before the installation. The next step, sanding, can be a messy process requiring significant drying time after each sealing application. The sanding process can require as many as five days for completion. Fortunately, when treated and installed correctly, natural wood flooring can last for as long as 100 years.
In spite of the tradition of hardwood flooring options, many new laminate flooring choices are growing in popularity. The idea of a floor covering that does not require much maintenance is appealing to many people. and with laminate and composite flooring choices that so closely resemble real hardwood floors, some homeowners decide to install a newer product that is known for requiring little to no maintenance.
Consider some of these statistics about homeowners and their purchasing and remodeling products:
- The American improvement and repair expenditure reached nearly $284 billion in the year 2012.
- According to a 2014 survey, those responding indicated that they were budgeting less than $10 thousand for their kitchen renovation. A follow up survey indicated that only 15% spent less than that budgeted amount.
- The average 2013 home size was 2,598 square feet, which represented a significant increase in overall square footage from the previous year.
- The average 2013 master bathroom size was 160 square feet, representing about 6% of the entire home.
- Currently, carpeting accounts for as much as 51% of the total U.S. flooring market.
- After installation, carpeting should be professionally cleaned every 12 to 18 months.
Building or remodeling a home is a major task and flooring is one of the major decisions that builders and homeowners have to make.