The Trick to Buying Hardwood Floors from A Showroom

Flooring is an investment for the home. No matter what flooring option you choose, it needs to be durable enough to withstand the requirements of you and your family’s lifestyle, while also lending a beautiful look that compliments your interior design well. As such, it’s only reasonable that sifting through your flooring options can get overwhelming.

If you’re decided on buying hardwood floors, but are unable to decide which timber flooring melbourne species to look for, or how you’d like your flooring to look, it can be worthwhile not only to do your research online to find the best flooring manufacturers and contractors in your area, but to also come in-store and look at your options in person in a hardwood flooring showroom.

If you’re needing some tips on what to consider before you come into a showroom, this handy guide will help you pinpoint the details you need to know, and how to find the most suitable flooring for your needs.

Make Note of Your Sub-Floor

Depending on your sub-floor, you may need to be mindful of your options as well as your requirements, as this affects the installation method. Whether you’re after solid timber flooring, or engineered wood, this is a significant detail.

Plywood sub-floors work well with solid hardwood flooring, while concrete sub-floors work well with engineered flooring. However, you can first add a plywood sub-floor on top of the concrete if you’re after solid timber flooring.

Think of the Placement

Where are you wanting to install your hardwood flooring? Consider your budget, and the rooms that you wish to prioritise in the flooring installation. Generally, it’s better to match existing hardwood in the home, from colour to species. Because of hardwood’s versatility, you can install it in bedrooms, living rooms, dining rooms, and the like, and it’s important to remember that you can usually sand and refinish the wood to change its stain colour if necessary.

Aside from thinking of the placement, it’s also important to think of the colour or stain that you’d prefer. Keep this in context of your existing or ideal interior design: dark hardwoods, light timber, and warm wood all exude different aesthetics and charm which can complement your design in different measures. Consider the existing furniture and fixtures in the home, too, and whether the hardwood option you’re going for will match or contrast it depending on your personal style.

Assess Foot Traffic of the Area

As hardwood floors are an investment, there’s no issue in asking about the durability of the hardwood you are looking at. Keep in mind that certain areas of the home have higher foot traffic than others, and it’s important to invest in hardier and more durable timber species in places such as the kitchen, the hallways, and even the stairs in order to meet the demands of movement.

Have a Budget in Mind

As with all investments, doing preliminary research can go a long way in ensuring you acquire what you need while still keeping to your budget. Be sure to know how much you’re able, or are willing, to spend on your wooden flooring, and be realistic about your budget. Check what options you have for that wooden flooring look: you aren’t limited to just solid timber flooring, you can also go for engineered wooden flooring and take advantage of the more affordable price and durable material.

When coming into a showroom, remember to take a per square foot price, as well as the installation costs for the rooms that you’re planning to have the hardwood flooring installed in. Getting estimates can go a long way in ensuring that you don’t go over budget.

Match the Flooring to Existing Interior Design

Melbourne timber flooring is versatile, and can complement a wide array of interior design styles. Take stock of the style and decor of your home, and make sure that the hardwood that you’re going for not only fits the colours and styles that you’ve already designed your home with, but also provides beautiful texture that matches the room’s aesthetic. Not only will this help to narrow down your search for the most suitable flooring for your home, but it also ensures that you’ll love your choice when it’s finally installed.

Ask for Samples

It can be overwhelming to come into a showroom and find a thousand choices at your fingertips. With so many options for timber species and styles, it’s no wonder some homeowners looking for the perfect hardwood flooring can come out of the showroom feeling more confused than ever about what they want for their floors. Aside from keeping the current aesthetic and design of your home in mind when coming into a showroom to find an appropriate wooden flooring, it’s also a good idea to ask for samples!

Try and narrow down your flooring options, and request samples to take home. Not only will this give you more time to think about which one will suit your home the best, but it’s actually advisable to take a sample, and place it in the room you’re wishing to install wooden flooring to in order to see how it looks at various times of the day. You’ll be able to see what the flooring will truly look like with the natural lighting that your property gets, as well as under the artificial lighting you already have during night time hours.

Going into a showroom can get pretty overwhelming, especially when you’re wanting to invest in high quality flooring. But making sure that you come in armed with the right information, an idea of your budget constraints, and a good idea of the types of timber, as well as the finishes and stains that will complement your existing home design, can make it a very enjoyable experience.