Though many people still have carpets in various rooms throughout their homes, wooden flooring really has become one of the more popular choices to have nowadays thanks to its timeless appearance, versatility and ease to keep clean.
Of course, it’s all very well to decide that you want to incorporate natural wooden flooring into your home, but how do you know which type of wood is best to choose? Should you opt for a slightly cheaper softwood, or perhaps the more durable hardwood?
We’ve put together this helpful guide comparing the two, so you can learn more about which may be the better flooring choice.
In terms of durability, hardwood timber certainly trumps softwood. As its name suggests, it is the harder, more dense wood of the two, which (unsurprisingly) makes it much more long-lasting and able to withstand more wear and tear.
Though there are some softwoods that have higher density and are considered to have ‘hard’ properties, in general their lower density makes them weaker and more prone to damage. In addition to this, their less dense cellular structure also makes softwoods more porous than hardwoods, meaning they are more prone to weathering and water damage.
This is one of the reasons why hardwood is typically chosen as the favourable option for flooring, since it is less likely to be damaged as quickly by furniture, things being dropped, people constantly walking on it (especially when wearing shoes) etc.
Due to each wood’s durability properties, it should come as no surprise that hardwood is easier to maintain than softwood. As well as not being scratched or marked as easily, when it is, these are easy to remove. This means that they don’t require regular maintenance in order to stay visually attractive and keep their integrity.
As for softwood, scratches, marks and stains will show up much more frequently, which means more regular maintenance and cleaning is required to ensure its longevity. This could be especially burdensome if you were to use it for the flooring throughout your home.
Since the trees they come from grow faster and are easier to source, softwood timbers often tend to be more affordable than hardwoods. However, although the initial cost of hardwood may be higher due to their slower growth and favourable qualities for flooring applications, their durability does mean that they are a worthwhile investment that could end up saving you money in the long run, since they are easy to maintain and have better longevity.
Are you looking to switch from carpet to natural wood flooring? Here at Just Wood Flooring, we offer a number of flooring solutions – all available to be completed using various types of natural hardwood, such as ash, maple and oak flooring.
Get in touch with us today to receive your free quote.