Most homeowners dream of having wooden flooring in their homes. The warmth at your feet, the natural sheen of wood and the vibrant colors of natural wood allure most people who naturally gravitate to it eventually. Of course, few other types of flooring material can match the natural beauty and majesty of wooden flooring.

Perhaps you've notices old-fashioned homes that have a particular section of their homes with wooden flooring, or all of it. The moment they invest in wood to this extent, the value of their homes go up dramatically. You might not want to invest in pure wood but perhaps choose laminate. No matter which wooden flooring type you choose, it comes with several advantages, such as:

Advantages of wooden flooring:

§  Aesthetics: For an elegant and aesthetic appeal, nothing could be better than hardwood flooring. For one, it ages beautifully and develops a silver-grey patina, and it also has a beautifully natural look, is warm to the touch and is of great value. It also does not go out of style.

§  Durability: Wooden flooring is the most long-lasting and sturdiest of all flooring materials. They are also water-resistant.

§  Easy to restore: If you find scratches on your hardwood floor, it can easily be restored by sanding or grinding it or recoating it. This means you don't have to replace the flooring all over again.

§  An investment that pays off: Hardwood flooring ends up being a solid investment as it increases your home's value.

§  Styles, shapes and colors: You can find a mind-boggling range of hardwood flooring in different colors, stains, styles and species. These days, you can also choose between unfinished and pre-finished hardwood floors.

§  Eco-friendly: Wooden flooring is considered eco-friendly because of improved timber harvesting methods and strong rules in force for tree cutters. Among eco-friendly hardwood flooring are two more parameters--the kind of wood that has the least impact on the environment and that which is reclaimed from old homes.

§  Easy to maintain: Manufacturing technology has made such great strides that hardwood has now become very easy to clean and maintain by homeowners.

§  Prevention of allergies: Fortunately, hardwood flooring isn't the breeding ground for mites, animal dander, mold and mildew that carpets are. These allergens cause respiratory problems and a range of allergies. So, by fitting hardwood flooring, you're free from allergies.

§  Just right for installing over a radiant heated concrete slab: Hardwood floors are appropriate for installing on a radiant heated concrete slab. This is possible if the temperature of the slab surface does not exceed 85°F.

§  Can be installed to concrete directly: If you go with 5/16" thickness of solid hardwood, it can be stuck on directly to concrete.            

Disadvantages of wooden flooring:

§  Hardwood isn't scratchproof: Hardwood flooring isn't scratchproof nor can it hide your pet's claw marks. It is easily damaged and will need to be refinished. Though this kind of wood is sturdy, it can be damaged, often through rough use and moisture spills.

§  Not advisable for a full bath: Since hardwood is sensitive to moisture and has the potential to pool water, it's best not to use it in a full bathroom. If water seeps out from tubs and showers onto your hardwood floor, it can cause the floor to warp or buckle.

§  Needs constant maintenance: Every three to four years, you will need to polish the floor, if used very often. You will also have to ensure that it is made termite-proof especially if your home is in an area known for termite attacks.

Your precious hardwood flooring can also be damaged if there is water seeping into your home and creating stagnant water pools. Ensure that when you mop the water it does not drip onto your hardwood floor.

§  Does not absorb surrounding sounds: Hardwood is loud, cold and hard and not carpet quiet that absorbs surrounding sounds. So, the tick-tock of a woman's high heels, or the running up and down of little kids and pets are some kinds of sounds that hardwood flooring can transmit. To deafen such sounds, it becomes necessary to use rugs on hardwood flooring.

§  Not recommended for below grade installation: If you have an inferior installation, it's best not to go with hardwood flooring as it is highly sensitive to moisture.

§  Transition strips: If you're laying a hardwood type of flooring in one room and another kind in the adjoining one, you might have also to lay transition strips to make up the difference in height between hardwood which is lower than any other.

§  Expansion and contraction: Depending on the temperature and humidity, hardwood is known to expand or contract. However, this problem can be solved by maintaining a constant temperature within your home all through the year.

§  Not very pet-friendly: For homes with pets, it would be wrong to have hardwood flooring as their feet wouldn't be able to walk confidently over the smooth surface. So, they'll keep slipping and sliding every few minutes.

§  Is yours a cold house? If you constantly have a cold draught coming into your home, it means your flooring will be chilly in the winters. But you'd like to have a warm home, right? So, hardwood isn't appropriate for your home.

§  Expensive: When compared with other flooring types, hardwood is considered expensive.

Now that the pros and cons of hardwood flooring are before you, you are in a position to make an informed choice about using it in your home or not. Before you take a decision, speak to professionals, read up all about it and weigh and consider your options. Once you do this, you will have a balanced view of the goodness and richness of hardwood flooring on the one hand and its practical uses on the other. And remember, with every passing day, you're only getting older, so opt for what's easy to maintain and live with. Nothing else matters, as you perhaps already know.