| Hardwood floors are wonderful in living rooms, | | | | less durable woods like pine, fir, or cherry. When |
| hallways, and on stairs, but you really have to think | | | | you're shopping for flooring, make sure to talk to the |
| about the pros and cons of them when you consider | | | | seller and let them know you're planning on installing it |
| installing them in rooms that have the potential to | | | | in the kitchen. He or she may have some good |
| become wet frequently, like bathrooms and, yes, | | | | recommendations to make. |
| sometimes kitchens. This is because continuous | | | | Aside from choosing a wood, you'll have to decide on |
| exposure to water, such as might happen around the | | | | a finish. Wood floors finished on-site (with wax or oil) |
| sink or dishwasher, can cause warping or buckling, | | | | tend to have a beautiful sheen, but know that they |
| which will mean portions of the floor will need to be | | | | will require yearly refinishing. Polyurethane finishes last |
| replaced down the line. However, this doesn't mean | | | | longer, and they don't need stripping, waxing, or |
| hardwood floors should never be found in the | | | | buffing. Today, many people are opting for |
| kitchen. It's just important to know what you're | | | | high-quality pre-finished floors, which is an alternative |
| getting into. If you do have spills, clean them up | | | | that saves time, mess, and the addition of toxic |
| promptly, and if something leaks, get it fixed right | | | | fumes to your home during the finishing process. Also |
| away. With that said, let's take a look at what else | | | | popular today is turning new wood into "distressed |
| you need to think about when considering a wood | | | | wood" to give floors an old-world feel. People will |
| floor for the kitchen. | | | | hand-scrape and dent the wood after the flooring is |
| Wood floors add warmth and homey comfort to this | | | | installed in order to create a rustic appearance. These |
| popular part of the house, but because the kitchen is | | | | floors need to be finished, too, though. A properly |
| such a busy room, you'll want to be careful selecting | | | | finished floor is what will allow hardwoods to work in |
| your species of wood. Some woods work better | | | | the kitchen. That's what makes them easy to |
| than others in a high traffic room. Oak, ash, maple, | | | | maintain and promises that minor spills won't be a |
| and other "hard" hardwoods stand up better than the | | | | problem. |