When it comes to remodeling and installing new floors in your home, one of the most popular choices continues to be hardwoods. Hardwood flooring has a natural beauty that complements décor in every room in the house. Plus its easy to maintain too.
Yet while people love hardwood flooring throughout the main levels of their home, there’s something that makes them shy away from including hardwoods in the bathroom. The old mantra of “wood and water don’t mix” comes to mind, and people take it seriously.
With bathrooms, there are unavoidable spills, splashes, and daily humidity, all of which can add into the chance of warping. And once warped, wood can become hazardous to walk on, and can even harm your health as mold sets in.
All good reasons to avoid hardwoods in bathrooms. Yet technology prevails in this case. Manufacturers understand that people love hardwood, so new finishes have been designed that make wood floors in bathrooms a feasible option.
To begin, choose a proper wood to install. Soft woods are more prone to absorb moisture from its surrounding areas. Choose a hard wood, such as oak, maple, cherry, walnut or hickory, to give your flooring more durability to withstand the daily abuse a bathroom can take.
Then make sure you use a good polyurethane finish to protect the wood under normal bathroom conditions. This finish incorporates a synthetic resin over the wood that creates a watertight seal that will protect without peeling.
If you do use wood in the bathroom, make sure to wipe up spills and puddles quickly. The longer water sits on wood, the greater chance it has of damage. While this is true for any flooring, its more of a problem with wood.
Also be conscious with your décor. Many bathroom rugs come with rubber bottoms to prevent slippage as you move around the bathroom. While this may be important for vinyl and tile floor, the same is not true on hardwoods. A rubber backed rug can actually help retain moisture, meaning your floor is more at risk.
Hardwood flooring creates an area of warmth and style you won’t find with other materials. If it fits with your design, don’t shy away from it. Instead, be smart about your final wood choice, maintain it, and enjoy.
For all of your Denver Hardwood Flooring needs visit our site today.
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