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According to the 2022 Remodeling Impact Report published by the National Association of Realtors, homeowners who install hardwood flooring can expect to recoup 118 percent of the project’s cost. As far as home upgrades go, it sounds like a good investment, right? Yes, but a good investment isn’t only about spending money wisely—it’s important to consider your lifestyle, too. If any of the following points about hardwood flooring gives you pause, you might want to take a pass and go with carpet, vinyl, or another type of flooring instead.
1. They’re not in your budget.
Hardwood floors are beautiful, but they are also pricey. Paul Carter, executive vice president at Empire Today says that “solid hardwood product costs have increased at higher rates than have been seen for other flooring products.” In fact, when comparing carpet vs. hardwood flooring costs you may find that wood floors can be up to three times more than carpet per square foot. If your budget is tight, you may want to skip the hardwood.
Carpet, hardwood, vinyl, and tile flooring.
Bob Vila has partnered with Empire Today to help you easily get beautiful new floors at a great price. Free In-Home Estimates2. You have pets.
Pets—particularly dogs—are rough on hardwood flooring. They track in mud and dirt from outside, and their nails scratch the finish. Pets are also prone to accidents, especially when they’re young, that leave stains and smells that are very difficult to remove. For these reasons, hardwood is not the best flooring for dogs or cats.
3. You have kids.
Kids, especially little ones, run a close second to pets on the hard-on-hardwood-floors scale. Children tend to drag cleats, tap shoes, scooters, and all manner of other floor-damaging paraphernalia around the house, in the process nicking, scraping, and scratching those beautiful boards. As well, hardwood floors are not that comfortable to roll around and play on.
4. You don’t want the maintenance.
Hardwood floors are not low maintenance by any stretch of the imagination. They require regular sweeping and cleaning to prevent surface damage and to keep them looking nice. And you need to clean hardwood floors with products that won’t damage the finish, and be extra careful with water. If you don’t have time to take care of hardwood, look for a different flooring solution.
“The most common issue Empire sees is customers say they want wood flooring when what they want is a wood look. Once they are shown the visual beauty and the performance attributes of wood substitutes, they quickly shift to wood alternatives.”
—Paul Carter, EVP of Strategic Initiatives at Empire Today
5. You need some soundproofing.
Sound bounces off hardwood floors and gets amplified, which means everything is louder—musical instruments, voices, the TV. If you need quiet spaces in your home, consider carpeting, cork, vinyl, or another more sound-absorbing option.
6. Your joints can’t take the stress.
Hardwood flooring does not have nearly the give of carpet or vinyl plank flooring. Standing on a hardwood floor for a lengthy period can be uncomfortable, especially for those who suffer from joint issues. If your physical needs require a more cushioned flooring surface, look to something other than hardwood.
7. Hardwood floors feel overdone.
Maybe it’s because they get so much play on real estate and home improvement shows, but hardwood floors have become so popular that they’re seen as must-haves in new home construction. For this reason, they sometimes feel commonplace. If you really want your home decor to pop with originality, hardwood floors may not be the ticket.
Carpet, hardwood, vinyl, and tile flooring.
Bob Vila has partnered with Empire Today to help you easily get beautiful new floors at a great price. Free In-Home Estimates8. They will squeak.
No matter how expensive or new they are, or how well they’ve been installed, all hardwood floors will eventually squeak. It’s the nature of the beast. Unfortunately, the fix is not always easy. If a little squeaking down the road is going to drive you crazy, think about carpet instead.
9. They’re cold underfoot.
Hardwood floors aren’t cozy. As a matter of fact, they can be downright cold, especially in winter.
10. You’ll have a ton of dust bunnies.
Hardwood floors get dirty fast. You sweep in the morning, and before the day’s over you can see your footprints in the dust that’s settled since. If you want your hardwood floors to look good all the time, you have to keep up with them every day. If you have pets or kids, you may find yourself sweeping more than once a day.
11. You’re not into area rugs.
If you install hardwood floors in your home, you’ll still probably still have to buy some area rugs. Rugs help absorb sound and bring visual and actual warmth to a room. An undressed wood floor can be cold and uncomfortable, particularly if you like to stretch out and relax on the floor. If area rugs are not your thing, then hardwood floors probably won’t be, either.