Discover the Charm: Top 14 Intriguing Fun Facts About Hardwood Floors

1. Old-Time Floors

Before the days of #selfie-ready flooring and shiny, Instagram-worthy planks, homeowners had to deal with the raw, untamed beauty of hardwoods groaning beneath their feet: In fact, prior to the late 19th century, polished hardwood floors were a rarity, with rough-sawn planks face-nailed into floor joists and decorative painting applied in geometric designs. It wasn't until the advent of steam-driven machinery and the interlocking tongue-and-groove method that the polished hardwood floors we know and love today came to be.
Source => oldhouseonline.com

2. Carpet vs. Hardwood

While carpets may sound like a plush, cozy option for your feet, they're really just dirt-trapping, allergen-loving, long-term relationship seekers: hardwood floors, on the other hand, provide an easy-to-clean, low-maintenance, and long-lasting flooring option that won't hold onto stains or dust, making them an allergy sufferer's best friend and adding an elegant touch to any home with their variety of finishes and styles.
Source => svbwoodfloors.com

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3. Lifetime of Wood

Knock on wood, or better yet, live on it: Hardwood floors can last a lifetime with proper maintenance including routine cleaning, spill clean-up, padding under heavy furniture, and pet-damage prevention. Just recoat every 3-5 years and refinish every 8-12 years to keep them looking as good as new, especially if you invest in modern engineered hardwood floors with their strong multilayer finishes.
Source => urbanfloor.com

4. Eco-Friendly Sources

Wood you believe it? Trees are willingly laying down their lives for the greater good, one plank at a time: Some hardwoods, like the humble Douglas fir and the evergreen pine, make for guilt-free floors due to their speedy growth and plentiful presence in North America, contributing to a greener planet and a sturdy foundation beneath your feet.
Source => impactful.ninja

5. Reclaimed Wood Savings

Stop the presses, and hold your splinters: reclaimed wood floors are not only friendly to our lovely planet, but also kind to the wallet! This planking Picasso of sustainable interior design saves more than just trees, it saves you bucks. Now that's a wooden deal we can all get behind! Your home can now boast a unique and dashing woodwork ensemble, all while preserving forests and spreading green cheer: with reclaimed wood floors, you'll get a flooring solution that's budget-friendly, environmentally sustainable, and full of antique flair to elevate your living space.
Source => cmaflooring.com

6. Acoustic Properties

Feeling floored by room acoustics? Just "wood-er" about this: The type of hardwood flooring and installation method you choose can significantly affect the acoustic properties of your space, with solid hardwood boasting a richer echo, while engineered hardwood excels at sound absorption. So, don't be "board" by dull-sounding rooms – make your choice with sound in mind!
Source => homeguides.sfgate.com

7. Refinishing Perks

Whoever said "Out with the old and in with the new" clearly never had hardwood floors: Refinishing an existing hardwood floor can be more cost-effective and eco-friendly than replacing it, due to its ability to be sanded and refinished multiple times, potentially lasting several decades with proper care.
Source => hgtv.com

8. Versatile Wood Uses

Once upon a lumberous time, in a land where trees grew as giggle-inducing bowling pins and backscratchers, humanity discovered a secret so woody, it changed the course of history: wood, in its many versatile forms, has been utilized for centuries in everything from construction and fencing to artistic endeavors and sports equipment. Its usefulness has sparked human innovation, inspiring creations like utensils, hand tools, wooden toys, musical instruments, ships, furniture, and even everyday paper and pencil supplies. The moral of this woody wonderland? Take a moment to appreciate the timber gymnastics fueling our ever-evolving lives!
Source => civiltoday.com

9. Home Value Booster

Feeling floored by the housing market? Here's something to wood you rather: installing hardwood flooring can increase the value of your home by up to 80% of the cost of the installation. This timber-ific revelation comes straight from Realtor.com, though it's important to note that factors such as local market conditions, buyer preferences, and the specific type of hardwood flooring can also play a role in the final nail-ing of your home's increased value.
Source => sleeveuphomes.com

10. Long-lasting Royalty

Well, butter my biscuits and call me Floored McFloorington! Hardwood floors are the reigning monarch of the enduring interior kingdom, reaching far beyond the lifespan of mere peasant flooring: With proper installation and maintenance, these royal floorboards can reign supreme for up to 100 years, making them a wise investment for your castle or humble abode.
Source => svbwoodfloors.com

11. Dancing with History

If you've ever fancied waltzing the night away on regal hardwood floors, you're in pretty grand company: Windsor Castle, one of the oldest European castles, has been making hardwood floors the go-to choice for royalty since the 11th century – including Buckingham Palace and the Palace of Versailles.
Source => garrisoncollection.com

12. Low Carbon Footprint

Step aside, metal and concrete, there's a new eco-warrior stomping around the flooring scene – a wooden warrior with a hilarious sense of humor and a tree-mendous penchant for sustainability: Hardwood floors have a whopping 75% lower carbon footprint than concrete or steel flooring, while excess wood scraps from harvesting and manufacturing can be easily repurposed, giving folks a guilt-free, giggly way to walk all over Mother Earth!
Source => garrisoncollection.com

13. Waste-Free Facilities

Who said floor artisans couldn't be as eco-friendly as an eccentric tree-hugging hippie? In stark contrast to the green shag carpets of yesteryear, there's a fresh breath of air wafting from the hardwood-filled halls of Oshkosh Designs: their manufacturing plant in Winneconne, Wisconsin, operates as a 100% zero-waste facility, fueled by sustainable lumber sourced from FSC-certified suppliers, water-based pre-finishes that curtail VOC emissions, and a dedicated commitment to utilizing reclaimed materials upon request to boot. Even their sawdust finds a new lease on life, living out its days sprinkled on the fields of local farmers.
Source => denverhardwood.com

14. Climate Control Talent

Who needs a magic carpet when you've got hardwood floors that can control the climate in your home? Turns out, Aladdin might've been onto something: hardwood floors are known for improving heating efficiency by allowing heat to circulate freely and retaining it for longer periods of time. So while they may feel cooler to touch, these fancy floors are natural thermometers, keeping your home cozy and kind to your energy bill!
Source => ralphshardwood.com