Shopping for hardwood flooring can be one of the biggest decisions you make during your renovation or during your new build. It is a textile that covers the majority of your space and has to have the ability to match up with a variety of different colors and rooms throughout your home.
Shopping around to find comparable options is a crucial stage for many people. It provides the opportunity to explore different color possibilities, different products available, and to gain information for their project. Or in most cases, it is a time where many individuals become very confused about all of the different products available. We've put together a quick checklist of questions you SHOULD be asking when you are shopping for your floor.
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Where is the product made?
This might seem like a silly question to some people, however, it is important to know what the composition of your floor is. Most hardwood floors are mass produced and shipped in large container ships from China, providing you with a very poor quality product. Never considered this? Learn More about flooring Made in China. If your salesperson does not know where the product is made, you might want to double check with the manufacturer.
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Will this product work in my situation?
Not every flooring choice is made to handle the conditions in your home. It is important to understand the environment that the flooring will be placed in, before falling in love with a product that won't work for you. If you are sitting there asking yourself, what do you mean the "right environment" we've got you covered. When shopping for hardwood flooring, you need to consider your heating and cooling systems, your sub-floor, and the traffic level in your home. To discover products that will work in your environment, check out this helpful tool.
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Will this hardwood floor stand up to My Lifestyle?
Let's face it, we all have completely different lifestyles and everyone treats their home in a unique manner. The spectrum ranges from a quiet low traffic home to a family of six with multiple pets. Obviously, the wear and tear in these homes will be completely different. It is important to rate your traffic level and take your family and pets into account when you start shopping...Not every home is made to handle a dark and shiny floor! When thinking of your lifestyle also think of how much time and how often you would like to devote to cleaning your home? If you're like the rest of us, the answer is probably very minimal!
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Ask questions about the overall quality of the product - What is the thickness of this product? What are the lengths in this product?
If you are like me chances are you probably have not even considered asking these questions. With the over-populated market of poor quality hardwood floors, it is important to ensure that you are actually getting what you have dreamed of, or pinned on Pinterest (Yes, admit it- we all have a dream home board!) Thickness can range from what looks like a sheet of cardboard to1/2". This is something that you will walk on for many years, it is important to ensure that it will handle and perform well.
Lengths? Where do I begin with these? Have you ever looked at a photo, and noticed that "choppy" look? This product likely has extremely short lengths or has "fixed lengths". These are 'x' amount of one length, 'x' amount of another and so on, which come in boxes that can be easily loaded into your trunk. Ensure that your flooring has random lengths and ask about the averages and longest lengths. Long board lengths help to open up a space, and create a beautiful flow throughout your space.
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What is the product Warranty?
As your hardwood flooring is a huge textile throughout your home, and a major investment it is important to consider the warranty on your product. Warranties range from no warranty at all to a lifetime warranty. Typically, any lifetime warranty requires routine maintenance, oiling, and expenses in order to keep your warranty intact. It is extremely important to inquire about your warranty and ask questions! Warranties provide a peace of mind and back up the flooring quality and manufacturing. If no warranty is available on your product, be cautious and inquire about this.
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