The beautiful wood floors that we enjoy today had humble beginnings. Let's go back - way back before the sailing of the Mayflower. All but the very rich enjoyed earth toned floors, literally. Dirt was the flooring of all be the very wealthy. If you were lucky enough to have something other than dirt, it was stone. Then someone got the idea to cut planks, rub them smooth and use them for flooring, a very time consuming process, reserved for homes of the very rich.
But then, those those crafty folks that settled New England quickly saw an abundance of trees and using wood planks for clean, comfortable floors was soon to follow. The settlers after 1650 considered the advantages of warm wood floors to be a 'perk' which offset some of the hardships of life in the new world. Wood flooring in all its iterations enjoyed about 300 years of popularity. The came WWII.
Wall-to-wall carpeting took the Greatest Generation by storm! Everyone wanted the fancy carpeting made from post-war synthetics and wood quickly became the flooring of the less than affluent. Hardwood floors started a slow decline in favor and gradually became outdated.
But, along the way to obsolescence something kind of cool happened. Lots of folks in the late 1940's and '50's put that jazzy new carpet down right over the old wood. Now, as home buyers tour older homes that have carpet, we're frequently asked, "what's under the carpet?" If the home is old enough, we sometimes get the most wonderful surprise. It's real hardwood!
Laminates which were popular about 15 years ago have quickly fallen from grace. They generally don't do well in damp regions. They need expert installation to remain in tact over time, and they tend to chip. Beware of engineered wood, too. That can also be a fancy name for a wood laminate. Although, these do contain a real wood surface layer. Stay away from laminated flooring.
In the last several years, hardwood flooring has made a major comeback. With a variety of finishes available, you can get the look you want at an affordable price. A durable and aesthetically pleasing floor is within reach of most budgets.
Nothing compares to the beauty and warmth of wood floors. Resale value has never been better for homes with real hardwood floors. So, if you're thinking about upgrading your flooring to hardwood, the answer is "Yes!"
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