When walking into a home, old or new, what surfaces do you see that give you the feeling that the interior speaks of craftsmanship? Many agree that nothing can substitute for the richness of wood, whether in banisters, cabinetry or flooring. With so many flooring choices available through builders' fancy design centers, it's interesting to note how natural surfaces are still among the most popular buyer choices for their new homes. Perhaps a subconscious hearkening to days past, when the every room of a home was built with hardwood floors, is the reason many new homebuyers choose this ageless surface for at least a segment of their flooring selections.

The revival of hardwood floors has also been spurred by the ingenuity and technology of hardwood flooring manufacturers these days, adding durability and easy maintenance to the equation. This new technology is putting hardwood in places in which many of us may have balked at in years past; places like kitchens and breakfast areas, where major spills could result in certain ruin to old-style hardwood floors. The new hardwoods are indeed versatile, as well as easy maintenance. In many instances, they rival tile surfaces in price, and can be an excellent alternative to tile or vinyl in high traffic, active areas.

With most new production homes constructed with concrete slab foundations, hardwood can be warmer under foot than tile. It can also be more "forgiving" in areas such as kitchens, where little ones (or grown adult klutzes, for that matter) can drop breakable items that would literally shatter into pieces on tile, or make heavy cuts into vinyl. With the new, tough finishes built into today's hardwood floors, care can be as easy as dust mopping.

To gain insight into the world of hardwood flooring, I asked Tim Crais, Brand Manager Manager for Hartco Flooring Company, headquartered in Knoxville, Tennessee, for some expert advice.

"Our customers tell us that rich, natural wood grain gives the feeling of intimacy in their new homes. The strength of the wood, coupled with the new, modern finishes give a longer lasting product than ever before. Hardwood can increase the value of your home, and also enable you to change the 'look' of your home by allowing you the versatility to change area rugs and furniture easily."

Hardwood is suitable for most rooms, including kitchens, but not recommended for traditionally high moisture area, such as bathrooms or wet bars. Styles and colors with varying wear warranties abound in hardwood floors. From custom, modular flooring to strip flooring, to planking and parquet squares, an almost infinite number of looks can be achieved. One may also choose the "character" of their hardwood floors by deciding how many visual wood characteristics, or how much natural "character" they want in their flooring. According to Crais, hardwood character is judged by the amount of naturally-occurring mineral streaks, knots, and pinholes are visible. The length of the accompanying warranty, however, can be longer for woods that have less "character". Hardwood flooring manufacturers, such as Hartco, offer different "cuts" to hardwoods to enhance the natural grain of the wood. The different cutting techniques bring out the unique character of hardwoods, such as oak or maple species.

Care of your hardwood is related to the quality of the seals or coating applied by the manufacturer. Some hardwoods are truly "no wax" surfaces, while others may require an occasional "spot and wax" type cleaner. The configuration of planking or construction of your hardwood floor may also determine the ease of cleaning. Planking that displays grooves (perhaps more rustic looks) can create some extra cleaning, while wood floors with an almost seamless tongue and groove type installation can be as easy to clean as vinyl surfaces by dusting. Some newer hardwoods undergo an impregnation process that forces acrylic through the wear layer to create a surface that is harder than the hardwood alone. Stain also may permeate the wear layer for longer lasting color.

Many builder's design centers and professional decorators warn against "mixing" hardwoods in a given room, such as honey oak tinged cabinets with dark oak floors. Matching of contrasting surfaces is considered preferable, such as white laminate cabinetry with light oak flooring, but woods that match are also acceptable. Check with your decorator or design center person on this.

It's easy to gather literature on hardwood flooring, and search the Internet for picture displays of gleaming hardwood floors, but nothing substitutes for walking, touching and seeing a surface of laid-out hardwood. Model homes, flooring showrooms, and builder design centers may all have floors installed so that you can feel it underfoot. Some even have videos for you to review.

Hardwood is one of those ageless, natural surfaces that we hope will continue to be around for generations to come, with its history anchored in generations past. It is also one of those rare surfaces that grows more beautiful with the passing years, no doubt a comment on aging we can take delight in pointing out.

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Published: December 10, 1999

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A veteran of the real estate and homebuilding industries since 1986, Dena Kouremetis first joined Realty Times as a new homes writer in 1998. Since then, she has authored four books, written consumer columns on new homes issues for websites and newspapers all across the country, contributed to builder trade magazines, appeared as a guest expert on several radio shows and even created a ten-chapter podcast for LendingTree.com’s homebuilder website, iNest.com, now available on iTunes, entitled Uncharted Waters; Navigating the Purchase of a New Production Home. Kouremetis recently joined her local Folsom, CA Coldwell Banker office as a broker associate while continuing to write for the real estate industry. For the past three years, she has been training real estate agents for both the resale and new homes industries, putting her experience, research expertise and gift of expression to work to help others entering the business.