The Homeowner’s Guide to Hardwood Flooring

February 13, 2025

Selecting the perfect hardwood floor helps make your house a home. It can create a foundation of lasting beauty for generations. Whether renovating a single room or planning a whole-house upgrade, understanding your options ensures you’ll make choices that bring joy for years.

Dark hardwood floors in a living room with picture windows overlooking the outdoors

The World of Hardwood: Your Options Explained

Two main categories of hardwood flooring stand out: solid hardwood and engineered hardwood. Each has its own advantages, and understanding these differences is crucial for making the right choice for your space.

Solid Hardwood Flooring

Solid hardwood flooring is renowned for its tradition and timeless appeal. Crafted from single pieces of high-quality wood, these floors tell a story that can span generations.

Their greatest strength lies in their longevity—they can be refinished multiple times with proper care. This allows you to restore them to their initial glory, adapt to changing design styles, and avoid floor replacement. They work exceptionally well in living rooms, dining rooms, and bedrooms, where their natural warmth creates an inviting atmosphere.

One downside is that they’re susceptible to water damage. Too much water can destroy solid wood flooring, and even humid conditions can cause warping and cupping, compromising its integrity.

That’s not a show-stopper, but you must be aware of where you place them to avoid concerns. For instance, bathrooms and basements are typically off-limits.

Engineered Hardwood

Engineered hardwood flooring does what solid hardwood can’t. It handles water at least to a point. These floors offer remarkable stability in various environments by layering real wood veneer over a carefully constructed core.

They excel in spaces where moisture and temperature fluctuations challenge solid wood flooring, making them ideal for basements and rooms with concrete subfloors. Some engineered hardwoods even deliver 100% water resistance.

Learn more about engineered hardwoods.

Waterproof Engineered Hardwoods

For example, HydroBlok™ from Hartco® is waterproof engineered hardwood. The floors handle water and offer incredible resilience to handle challenges from pets and kids.

It also includes Cleantivity™ Antimicrobial Protection to protect against odor-causing bacteria, mold, and mildew.

Although engineered hardwoods offer these benefits, you can’t sand and refinish them as often as solid wood floors. For more extended wear, look for engineered wood featuring a thicker veneer.

Vinyl That Looks Like Wood

Another entry into the wood flooring world is wood-look. It bridges the gap between coveted hardwood looks and today’s performance needs.

These innovative floors capture the warmth and character of natural wood while offering exceptional durability and moisture resistance. Perfect for bathrooms, laundry rooms, and other moisture-prone areas, wood-look flooring allows you to maintain design consistency throughout your home without compromising on performance.

Thanks to advanced manufacturing techniques, these floors now offer incredibly realistic wood grain patterns and textures that can satisfy even discerning homeowners.

Hartco®’s EverGuard™ rigid core flooring, for example, is 100% waterproof and naturally resistant to scratches and dents. Thanks to its UV protective layer, you can install EverGuard anywhere in your home, even in three-season rooms.

Matching Rooms to Your Wood Floors

Each space in your home presents challenges and opportunities for hardwood flooring. Some require maximum durability, while others must withstand splashes and staining.

Understanding these nuances helps you choose a design style and the performance you need.

Living Spaces

Living spaces benefit from the timeless appeal of solid or engineered hardwood. These high-traffic areas demand durability without sacrificing style.

Consider wider planks for a contemporary feel that makes rooms appear more spacious, or stick with traditional narrow widths for a classic look that never goes out of style.

Kitchens

Kitchens are a mixed bag, facing temperature changes, spills, foot traffic, and heavy pots falling onto your floors. Engineered hardwood and wood-look flooring are well-suited here.

Their stable construction handles these challenges while maintaining the warm, inviting look of hardwood, making your kitchen the heart of the home.

Kitchen with hardwood floors and picture windows on one side

Bedrooms

Bedrooms offer maximum flexibility in your flooring choice. Solid, engineered hardwood and wood-look flooring each work beautifully in these private spaces. The key is selecting a finish and color that creates your perfect sanctuary.

Bathrooms

These rooms are most challenging with high humidity, splashing, and standing water potential.

Traditional hardwood isn’t recommended due to moisture concerns. However, water-resistant engineered hardwood like HydroBlok is a perfect solution for those wanting genuine wood floors.

Bathrooms are another space where wood-look flooring options can address constant water concerns.

The Impact of Color When Choosing Hardwoods

Your choice of wood color does more than complement your décor —it fundamentally affects how your space feels.

Lighter Wood Floors Open Up a Space

Light woods create an open, airy atmosphere that makes rooms feel more expansive and more contemporary. They also show less dust and pet hair, making them practical for busy households. Oak flooring, for example, has lighter tones that can brighten a room while offering excellent durability.

Medium-toned hardwoods Are Always a Safe Choice.

Medium-toned woods offer exceptional versatility, complementing virtually any design style while providing practical benefits. They effectively hide minor wear and tear, making them an excellent choice for active families.

Cherry and hickory are two solid choices that provide color balance and durability. Hickory, in particular, has an incredible personality that enlivens any room, making your floor the centerpiece of your design.

Darker Wood Floors

Dark woods add sophistication and drama to your space. They create a sense of luxury and formality, though they require more frequent cleaning to maintain their pristine appearance. These rich tones work particularly well in formal dining rooms and studies.

Mahogany and walnut are classic options with rich, deep brown colors and showy grain patterns.

Cleaning Your Hardwood Floors

Installing your new hardwoods is step one. However, the critical next step is caring for them. Proper care ensures your hardwood floors remain beautiful for generations.

Daily maintenance involves prompt attention to spills, regular sweeping or vacuuming, and using appropriate entrance mats to catch dirt and debris before it reaches your floors.

Monthly care includes cleaning with manufacturer-approved products and checking for any signs of wear. Cleaners like Bruce® Hardwood & Laminate Floor Cleaner are ideal for wood flooring.

Avoid steam mops, wet mops, and harsh chemicals that can damage your floor’s finish. Instead, use slightly damp microfiber mops and cleaners specifically designed for hardwood floors.

Protecting Your Wood Flooring Investment

Proactive cleaning is central to maintaining the luster of your floors. But there are other steps you can take to avoid unwanted scratches and damage.

Protecting your floors from furniture damage is crucial. Use felt pads under furniture legs, lift rather than drag heavy pieces, and consider adding rugs under frequently moved items like dining chairs.

Sunlight protection is vital to maintaining your floor’s beauty. Use window treatments during peak sun hours and periodically rearrange furniture and rugs to ensure even exposure and aging.

Little girl spilling dog feed on a light wood floor with a dog watching

Wood Flooring to Address Pets and Kids

For homes with pets, keeping nails trimmed helps prevent scratches. You can help mitigate that concern by investing in engineered flooring like Dogwood® Pro from Hartco. Its densified wood is double the hardness of standard wood flooring.

Dogwood Pro also delivers:

Making Your Final Hardwood Selection

Before making your final decision, consider these essential factors:

  1. Lifestyle: Your lifestyle should guide your choice. For example, homes with children and pets might benefit from more durable options with textured finishes that hide minor wear.
  2. Climate: Areas with high humidity or significant seasonal changes might better suit engineered hardwood’s stable construction.
  3. Samples: View samples in your home under various lighting conditions. What looks perfect in the showroom might appear quite different under your home’s unique lighting.
  4. Installation: While some experienced DIYers can handle installation, professional installation often provides the best long-term results and may be required to maintain your warranty.

Trust in Hartco® for Your Next Hardwood Floor

With decades of experience crafting quality hardwood flooring, Hartco understands your needs. Our commitment to excellence shows in every plank, including lifetime residential warranties on many of our flooring options.

Visit a Hartco retailer near you to explore our complete collection and find the perfect flooring for your home’s next chapter.