I think this is the existing kitchen flooring. Don’t know if I want to replace the downstairs carpet with this. Rip it out and go with tile? Sand it down and stain to match new darker wood? Bruce Plano Marsh Oak 3/4 in. Thick x 2-1/4 in. Wide x Random Length Solid Hardwood Flooring (20 sq. ft. / case)-C134 – The Home Depot

Flooring is one of the most important decisions you need to make when building or remodeling your home. Most homeowners prefer Harwood flooring. They come in three varieties called stripes, board and parquet. The plank size is wider than wooden strips and parquets are squares that form a geometric pattern. You can choose solid wood, wood material or laminate depending on the furnishings.

Hardwood floors

Solid parquet requires less maintenance. They are durable and last a long time. The hardwood value results from the age of the house. People are willing to pay a huge premium for houses with hardwood floors. These floors are creatively designed to look contemporary. The wood species such as oak, walnut, cherry, maple give the entire house elegance. This flooring is worth the cost spent on it as it lasts a lifetime.

alternatives

Hardwood floors and laminates are the alternatives to hardwood floors. Today, many professionals prefer wood-based materials. They are the mixture of wood and plywood. The plywood is the lower part, while the top is covered with end wood. Plywood covers almost 80 to 90 percent of the wood material and gives the flooring dimensional stability.

Many people do not prefer wooden materials because of their thin top layer. The scratches can not be removed as with solid wood floors. If you have to remove the scratches, you need to rework them completely, which makes them expensive. Solid hardwoods are delivered prefabricated. This flooring is solid and they are easy to install and require less downtime.

Laminate is not real wood. It contains a re-wrapped paper on the composite wood. If you look closer, you can see that the paper layer is a just photograph of the wood. It is scratch resistant and also suitable for damp areas such as kitchen and bathroom. It is very easy to install, although it can not be ground.

Due to the advantages of solid wood floors it is a preferred choice. The flooring needs to be decided for its durability, as it is not often that you can change the flooring. The chosen floor should be easy to care for and not easily scratched. Even if there are scratches, they should be easy to sand so they do not look ugly. So choose with the right care to make your home look elegant.