There are many types of wood flooring available today. Other than solid wood flooring – the real thing – there are also high quality engineered wood floors. Solid wood remains one of the most desirable aesthetic finishes and adds to the appeal and resale value of your home. It is almost unmatched in its rustic beauty, and a status symbol that speaks of refinement. As an option, wood flooring in Pietermaritzburg has certainly retained its appeal.

To make the most of your purchase, you need to put some thought or take note of certain issues upfront.

Choose the correct kind of wood

Choosing your wood species is a matter of taste, budget, environmental impact and wear and tear, among other factors.

The colour – light, medium or dark – is a critical consideration:

• Light ash or maple-coloured woods: If you have a neutral colour palette and would like to keep the area as airy in feel and look as possible, go for this colour. It makes smaller spaces look bigger. However, scratches and stains will show up quicker, so it depends very much on your lifestyle needs.
• Medium-coloured woods: Hickory, oak and pine as well as certain pine stains are examples of these. They hide stains and scratches better, and are great for creating a warm, cosy ambience such as in a room with a fireplace or lounge and living room in general. They also go well with Mediterranean-inspired decor.
• Dark-coloured woods: Dark and dramatic, these are rich woods which give the home an authentic feel of having been lived in for long. Examples are mahogany, rail sleeper-type woods and dark-stained finishes. They hide stains very well. They work well in expansive homes with big furniture pieces, such as leather couches. They are also though increasingly being used in Scandi-style decor and with neutral palettes, as they instantly take away from what could otherwise be a cold finish.

How hard or durable will the wood I choose be?

When choosing your wood flooring in Pietermaritzburg, there is an extensive number of colour options to choose from, including from both local and imported woods.

Bur durability is another critical factor. You can ascertain this by consulting the Janka scale. Every kind of wood is rated on this scale. The higher the ranking, the less you wood is likely to dent, age or show distress due to wear and tear.