Have you ever walked through a home or commercial space and wondered why their hardwood floors look a bit different? They might have texture added to their hardwood floors.
When most homeowners shop for hardwood, they pay attention to color, style, or pattern. But there’s another option you should think about that will impact both looks and longevity over time.
Texture is all about how your hardwood floors will feel once they are installed. When you reach down and touch, is it a smooth surface?
This also lends to how your hardwood floors look. Any type of texture can dramatically change the appearance, which in turn can change the aesthetics of your room. This is especially important if you have different ideas for your living space or kitchen, when compared to the bedroom.
Hardwood floor texture – what’s available?
When you visit a flooring dealer, you’ll find several different types of wood floor textures available.
Smooth – this is the most basic form of hardwood. This is where all discrepancies have been sanded away to make a smooth piece of wood. Smoothness gives it uniformity in appearance, and gives you a solid look from one side of the room to another. This is often what designers mean by giving your home a clean look. It’s also what gives a floor a somewhat unrealistic wood look. Wood without knots and blemishes? For some people, it’s not the best look.
Aged – aged wood floors have the appearance and charm of wood that has aged through time. It highlights imperfections rather than covering them up. However, this look isn’t created with age. Instead, it’s carefully manipulated, with the effects being placed in the wood floor planks either by hand or machines. The wood isn’t old, but instead is cut recently and carefully crafted to have an old-world appearance. The difference is it’s made with today’s technology and resources in mind. It’s a great way to go if you love old-world charm but want safety and security from the newest technology.
Reclaimed – want one of the most eco-friendly wooden floor options on the market today? You can’t ignore reclaimed wood. Reclaimed wood flooring uses wood from old buildings and structures, repurposing them as material for use in remodels or new homes. It’s a stunning way to get a one-of-a-kind look. What gives this wood a unique look is no two boards are ever the same. They are battered, dented, and worn through years of use. This can be an inviting look in some homes, especially if you’re going for a vintage or historic look.
Brushed – a brushed wood floor is created by using a metal brush on every board to develop deep, pronounced grain. This also makes wood floors a little more resistant to scratches as it already has natural blemishes. If you want uniqueness and character, give brushed wood a second look. This type of texture will be aesthetically pleasing in more traditional or classic homes.
Adding texture to hardwood floors – why should you do it?
The problem with having hardwood flooring grow in popularity is you’ll find it everywhere. It’s one of the most popular flooring choices you can make, and statistics show it will continue to rise in popularity in the coming years.
Hardwood looks great in just about any room in your home. It adds beauty, character, and has an appeal everyone loves. No matter what your taste in decor, hardwood floors are sure to complement it perfectly.
But when everyone selects the same finish, houses start to take on a replicated feel. One home is like another, and you lose some of that personalization you might be looking for.
If you use a textured look like brushed or reclaimed, it can give you an authentic look. Depending on your other design choices, that can add resale value, giving it a higher class look.
Another advantage is giving yourself wiggle room on damage control. With brushed wood, for example, the deep grain hides scratches better than other hardwood choices. If you have a busy family where action is the norm, this may be the perfect compromise to satisfy your sense of design along with your maintenance-free lifestyle. If you have pets or kids, this may be the perfect way to go.
Yes, there are drawbacks to using textured wood
Are you sold on installing textured wood flooring in your home? We agree; it’s a great way to add your own character to your final design. But we would be remiss if we didn’t go over a few of the drawbacks to help you finalize your choice.
One of the biggest potential issues is the fact that textured floors are more difficult to clean. Textured grain can collect dust, dirt, and other debris much easier than a smooth floor. If you obsess over clean floors, or if you hate cleaning regularly, you might want to think twice before installing textured floors.
Another disadvantage is maintenance. If you have a potential problem on most hardwood flooring planks, you can sand it out, repair it, then apply finish and have your old floors back. Textured wood isn’t smooth. If you sand out a problem spot, you’ll create a smooth finish that will no longer mesh with the rest of your flooring. That can make small repair work difficult at best, and give you more reason to either sand the entire floor, or replace it with something new.
If you choose the sanding route, keep in mind that you might have to take the wood down a lot to achieve a uniform look. Especially with brushed wood where the indents may be fairly deep, it will cut back a lot of the wood within each plank. That means the lifespan of this type of flooring will be much shorter than a more traditional hardwood floor.
What’s your choice?
It’s difficult to ignore the beauty of textured wood floors. It’s one of our favorite looks.
But like any flooring, this is a personal choice. If textured wood floors are calling to you, stop by and take a closer look.