The variety of wood you use for your home’s flooring might be just a matter of color to you, but there are quite a few differences between hardwoods and softwoods. This leads to many homeowners making the wrong choice, as they don’t know any better.
Understanding the differences between the various wood types can help you make an informed decision. This decision could be the deciding factor in just how much you benefit from your flooring.
What Is Hardwood?
Hardwood flooring is the go-to for most wood floorings. Hardwood is derived from the deciduous trees that shed their leaves every year, as well as trees such as oak. This type of wood tends to have a much slower growth rate than its softwood counterparts.
Hardwood flooring tends to have a darker color to it, with brown or red hues. However, nowadays, hardwood flooring contractors offer their customers a wide array of colors to choose from, even on the lighter spectrum.
Owing to it being made from much durable wood, the maintenance costs are quite low, although you may have to invest more money in the beginning. Most homeowners feel more comfortable opting for hardwood, as its lifespan stretches to nearly twenty years!
What is Softwood?
Softwood is lesser heard of, although it is used for nearly 80% of all timber. Softwood is mostly used for the construction of furniture and paper, but can be found in flooring as well.
Softwood is derived from evergreen trees like pine and cedar. Unlike hardwood, these trees do not shed their leaves annually. Pine, fir, and cedar are all locally available trees that are popularly used due to the ease of procurement.
Contrary to its name, softwood flooring isn’t ‘soft.’ But, due to the fact that it is comparatively less dense than hardwoods, softwoods are more susceptible to wear and tear. You can, of course, add extra sealant to make it more durable, but extra maintenance is a given.
Despite it being considerably less durable, a lot of homeowners opt for softwood flooring due to it being more affordable than hardwood flooring. Hiring a contractor to refinish wood floors is a considerably less expensive maintenance cost than that of most traditional flooring.
Which One Should You Get?
Understanding the pros and cons of both kinds of wood flooring is important when planning for your installation. However, it would be best to get a final inspection from a professional hardwood flooring constructor before making a decision.
Since contractors regularly assist in Installing wood floors Seattle in homes, they could advise you better on which flooring type would benefit you the most. You can contact us at Five Star Hardwood Floor today to get assistance regarding which flooring would best fit your needs.
Our team of professionals work around the clock to provide our customers with expert wood flooring services. Contact us today to get a free estimate on your flooring plan.