Remodeling Ideas for Hardwood Floors

Testing Your Home's Conditions for New Hardwood Products

• Some homes have internal climate concerns, such as too much or too little heat or moisture, that can affect the condition of the hardwood floor. For example, you may have a hydronic radiant heat system that heats the floors to a temperature higher than the maximum temperature suggested by the manufacturer, which could dry out your floors and cause them to shrink. Ensure that your home's climate will be appropriate for the type of hardwood floor you desire. You can experiment with different hardwoods by testing a type of hardwood product in an obscure part of the home, such as a small closet.

Reclaimed Wood Flooring

• You don't have to invest in new hardwood flooring if you can find local reclaimed wood flooring. You can give the hardwood that you reclaim to an artist, carpenter or mill to be refinished into a hardwood look that you want. By choosing this eco-friendly option, you pay more for the labor involved in refinishing but very little for the reclaimed hardwood flooring itself. Save money by installing the resulting hardwood product yourself.

Reclaimed Antique Wood

• Give your home a restored look with wood floors using old wood reclaimed from antiques, such as pianos, wardrobes, dressers or wall-to-wall bookshelves. If you choose a dark wood, such as dark oak, and lay the planks in long, neat rows in a room, you will make the room look longer. This idea is particularly helpful for a room that isn't wide, such as a narrow walk-through kitchen.

Faux Parquet Floors

• A parquet floor is a wood floor made of short pieces of wood fit into a pattern, such as a geometric pattern. Mimic a parquet floor by looking for a company that manufactures a hardwood veneer with a parquet-style pattern. This is an eco-friendly and budget-friendly choice. A thin veneer uses less hardwood to cover your floors, which is better for the environment.