Are you torn between the modern aesthetic of concrete and the traditional visual of hardwood floors? These two popular flooring options often go head-to-head when owners are trying to decide on the perfect selection for their home. You may decide to make a list of the pros and cons of each flooring type, but there really is an easy answer here. Polished Concrete’s list of inherent advantages far outweighs what hardwood floors can offer.
For more proof that concrete floors are the better selection, here are a few ways that it can perform better than hardwood floors.
Hardwood floors are extremely prone to water damage
Wood is naturally a hygroscopic material, meaning that it soaks up the moisture in the air or on its surface. When this happens, each board expands and contracts in direct proportion to the amount of water it absorbed. This can lead to unsightly gaps between the boards during a dry season or buckling during an extremely wet time period. Both of these can cause long-term damage to a wood floor.
On the other hand, polished concrete flooring is not highly susceptible to moisture damage. Even a surface spill can be easily wiped clean from the polished surface with no staining at all.
Hardwood floors are more likely to dent, ding, and scratch
You want your floors to look beautiful well into the future, right? Hardwood floors tend to collect more “character” over time. This is often a nice way to refer to the dents, dings, and scratches that accumulate over the years of daily wear and tear. Keep in mind that women cannot even wear high heels on wood floors because the pressure is too much and will cause tiny dents all over the place.
Polished Concrete floors are made from one of the hardest materials, making them impervious to dents and dings. You may find small surface scratches in the polish of the floor over time, but these are very minimal. Ease of maintenance initially and in the long term, greatly reduce your costs. Your guests are unlikely to notice these tiny blemishes on the surface of the polish, particularly when compared to the weathered look of wood.
Hardwood floors aren’t always eco-friendly
Is preserving the environment an important feature for you with your flooring? Hardwood floors do use a natural resource in order to form your flooring. In addition, some companies also use harsh chemicals that have VOCs in the finish and construction of the product. These chemicals could mean reduced indoor air quality and a long list of health symptoms for you and your family long-term.
By comparison, concrete floors tend to use far more recycled content and do not have any significant amount of VOCs in their overall construction. This is much better for your overall health and the state of the environment.
Opting for polished concrete floors is the obvious choice when you are looking to put down new floors in your home or facility. It has far more benefit than hardwood, and TCF West will even give you a 10-year extended warranty in concrete floors installation. Be sure to give us a call today to see how we can help you to get a more beautiful and functional home.
