Solid hardwood flooring is a natural choice for remodeling for the value that it immediately adds to a home. Have you ever looked inside a house that has just gone from carpeting to hardwood floors? If you have, your mouth was probably hanging open with the dramatic change that takes place. Solid hardwood flooring comes in various sizes, but the standard that most people are used to seeing is ¾” thick by 2 ¼” wide.

A serious consideration for any solid hardwood flooring is the environment in which it will be installed in.  For the most part, a controlled environment is the best thing to protect hardwood floors.  If you have central air and will control both the humidity and dryness of the air, you should not have any problems with your solid hardwood flooring.  However, if you live in a dry climate, it can wreak havoc on the floor by drying it out and actually shrinking the floor.  When moisture is then reintroduced to it, the floor will expand and you will have significant problems.

Now there are solutions to this as you can use better woods or you can use fabricated hard wood flooring that is resistant to these types of conditions.  Something like a laminate hardwood floor would be a better choice.  This is also a great choice for an area that will see a lot of traffic or could be subject to spilling or drips, i.e. bathrooms and kitchens.

When you are out shopping for your solid hardwood flooring, you are going to have different price points to consider. Once again, the area you live in will dictate the kind of woods that you are able to buy because of the natural stability of the product. Someone who is installing solid hardwood floors in San Diego would be able to get away with some of the less expensive models because of the steady climate whereas someone in Florida would be more likely to purchase a more expensive and more stable wood for their floors.

If hardwood floors are cared for properly, they can last for a very long time.  This all goes back to temperature control and making sure that they are installed in the proper way.  For instance, it is not recommended that you install hardwood flooring in an area that is below sea level because of the moisture level that will be present.  The same goes for putting them directly over concrete due to the expansion and retraction that will occur with the change of seasons and weather.

Another consideration that you will need to address is if you are going to do the project yourself or if you are going to hire a contractor. Regardless, you are going to want to do serious research to ensure that you are ready for the task or to make sure that you are getting a good price from the person that you are using. This is a time consuming job that where the smallest mistake can result in hundreds of dollars of damaged product. Make sure you know what you are doing or that you hire someone with references and a great reputation for installing solid hardwood flooring.