The Pros and Cons of Different Types of Hardwood Flooring

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    Trying to decide what type of floor you need? The majority of the wood floor is oak. However, you can also find feet in many other woods. Different types of hardwood flooring offer different pros and cons. Understanding them can help you choose the right floor for your home.

    Before picking the type of wood, you must consider the kind of flooring. Traditional hardwood floors are made of solid wood. They are lifetime floors since they can be sanded and refinished multiple times. However, they can be costly. Engineered hardwoods are a composite of several layers of wood. It is hardier and more moisture-resistant than solid hardwood, but you can only sand and retain it once or twice. However, the main benefit of pre finished hardwood flooring, solid or engineered, is that the finishes are very durable and sanding or refinishing is rarely ever needed.

    As mentioned, you can choose finished or unfinished wood. Finished wood has been sanded and stained at the factory. Unfinished hardwood is raw, so stain it to the desired color. Installing finished wood is more accessible and less expensive, but unfinished hardwood gives you much more flexibility.

    Oak is a popular flooring type. It is reasonably priced, durable, and comes in various colors, which can be stained. Oak has a visible grain, which helps hide scratches. Plus, oak comes in red and white bases, which provide more significant opportunities. It is a traditional-looking floor, which does not match modern décor. However, oak can turn yellow over time, especially if exposed to sunshine.

    Maple is another excellent option. It is usually lighter because it is difficult to stain. It is more durable and less likely to yellow. So, it is a perfect option if you do not want a darker floor.

    Hickory is a very affordable and durable wood flooring. It has a noticeable grain pattern, which helps disguise scratches. The hardiness is excellent for durability but can make it difficult to install. Plus, the visual grain pattern lends a rustic look, which is not appealing to everyone.

    Cherry is a softer wood, so it is not great for high-traffic rooms. However, it has a warm orange or red natural hue, which darkens over time. The color provides a warm and inviting glow that many people love.

    If you love dark, rich colors, you might want to go with Walnut. It is a durable option that can withstand wear and tear. However, it is one of the more expensive types of wood and can be more challenging to source.

    Ash is similar to oak and maple, with similar durability and grain. Like maple, ash is lighter. It is more expensive than oak floors. The pronounced grain and light color make it an excellent match for beach or coastal properties.

    Mahogany has a deep reddish brown color, is very durable, and is water resistant. It works well in formal and semi-formal settings. However, it is one of the most expensive types of hardwood flooring.

    Deirdre B.
    Smart Carpet is great! I ordered my floors and Hunter Douglas blinds directly from them. I cannot stress enough how exceptional the service has been. Install managers “Jude, Joe and Ryan” took great care of my floor issue, and I sooo appreciate it! Kudos to “OTTO” for handling my Hunter Douglas blinds. He was kind and went above and beyond to make us happy. No doubt, I will be spreading the word to my family and friends. They were all terrific. Thank you again!!!!
    Mark von B.
    Top tier service from initial contact through finish. Louie was great. Very professional and helpful. Highly recommend.
    Donna V.
    Smart Carpet provided excellent customer service. Salesman Shayne was quick to respond, provided many options for flooring, and answered all my questions. The new hard wood vinyl floors and new carpet look great! Outstanding service!
    T. M.
    Smart Carpet was a pleasure to work with. They were punctual, upfront, accommodating and very reasonably priced. They worked with us every step of the way and completed the project within a week of signing our contract. Our sales representative Ruth Kennedy was extremely knowledgeable and gave us a no pressure sales pitch. Through the whole experience she checked in with us every step of the way to ensure we were not just satisfied but happy with the materials, workmanship and the schedule. I’d definitely recommend Smart Carpet for your flooring needs and I’d absolutely request Ruth to be your salesperson!
    Nick S.
    Rima is a class act! Smart carpet should be happy to have her work for their company. She takes care of her customers as if they were her own family and always checks in after the job is completed. We will definitely recommend her.
    Tom G.
    Rima was my salesperson who did an excellent job in exploring different options of carpets available for my room.
    Ashley H.
    My sales rep Louie was five stars!
    Pasquale A.
    If you're thinking of flooring look no further than Smart Carpet; an excellent company to deal with that has a wide inventory, very fair pricing and excellent workmanship. Simply put, outstanding!
    Marianne D.
    Louie and installer were great, quick and easy process
    Sherrie S.
    Excellent experience with Smart Carpet! Louie and his installers did a great job in our home. Highly recommend them!
    Diana K.
    100% satisfied from beginning to end. Louie came to our house, measured and talked to us about what we expected from the product.
    Bringing in the samples which made it easy to make a final decision. Received a call the next day to make the appointment for installation. Jonathan and his partner removed the old carpets, moving furniture, putting down the padding and then laying down the carpet. These guys were courteous, polite and professional. From the room flooring to the closets, every corner and cut is precise. Absolutely love the carpet. Thank you for bringing brightness to our rooms.
    Embria S.
    Ruth and the staff went over and beyond assisting my family with our floors and carpet concerns…Keep up the good work…
    Patricia C.
    I'm so glad I chose Smart Carpet for my recent installation! Their team was incredibly helpful in guiding me to pick the perfect carpet for my home. The installers did an absolutely great job; they were highly professional and meticulous. My husband was especially happy that they managed to install everything without scuffing his freshly painted stair treads. Everyone involved was professional and did a fantastic job from start to finish.
    Debbie E.
    Great experience with Shayne in Ocean County. We wanted a mixture of floor and carpet to spruce up our basement. Shayne shared different options with us. He made it so easy to make our choices in our own home! Installers for both floor and carpet were professional, friendly and got the job done right! Shayne also helped us previously with carpet for LR and stairs!! I’m sure we will reach out to Shayne again in the future!
    Arielle M.
    From beginning to end a great experience. Louis was personable, accurate and professional. The install crew worked diligently to do an exemplary job, cleaned up and moved furniture back in place without hesitation. A+
    krista C.
    I couldn’t be happier with the new linoleum floor installed by Smart Carper through Costco! From start to finish, the team was professional, punctual, and incredibly easy to work with. Otto helped me choose the perfect style for my space and budget, and the installation was done quickly and with great attention to detail. The floor looks absolutely fantastic and it made a huge difference in the room. I highly recommend Smart Carpet to anyone needing to freshen up their space!
    Sonia M.
    We just had our kitchen flooring installed. Ulysses and Carlos did a beautiful job!! They were very professional and competent young men. We are very happy customers, and highly recommend the Smart Flooring through Costco.
    From the first meeting a very competent salesperson Michelle to the final installation we had a great experience. Thank you!
    R M.
    On time, very professional and clean up was satisfactory. Would use them again.
    Tom P.
    I was very pleased with the whole experience. Smart Carpet did a great job on my son’s home, so I used them in mine. Louie made great carpet suggestions and followed through on the entire install. Installation went very well also! I’d use them again.
    Gail L.
    Outstanding sales person and installers. The installers did a fabulous, they were pleasant, professional and left the house immaculate. I Definitely would recommend this company.
    Jeff C.
    I needed carpet for my new office. They came out when they said they would and the installation went smooth. Recommend ! Thank you Rima !
    Jody C.
    We were very pleased with our experience working with Smart Carpet. From start to finish, representatives were generous with their time, quick to respond to inquiries and continually asked if we were satisfied. The new carpet look great. We only have good things to say about Smart
    Michelle L.
    Louie from Smart Carpet was great! Knowledgeable and helpful. Met with him on a Wednesday and had my new carpets installed 2 weeks later.
    Judith M.
    A great experience. Ryan made it an efficient and pleasant visit. Came back when I changed my mind. They look great!
    Percita S.
    The sales representative Michele was extremely helpful and knowledgeable assisting pick out what would look best in my space. The installer are fast and efficient. I would definitely recommend their services.
    Kim H.
    Team was very professional and on time. They completed the job in a timely manner it looks beautiful! Jim, checked in to see how they were doing! He is great to work with!! I will be calling him in the winter for my next install. Thank you!!
    JoAnn L.
    I am so happy with my new floor. The guys that came and installed them were awesome. They moved all my furniture and put it all back. They were in and out in no time.
    My sales guy Andrew was awesome, he explained everything to me in detail and there were no surprises. Honestly this is the first time in a long time that I had work done in my house with no problems. I would recommend this company to anyone that wants to redo their floors. I am just so happy
    Brian C.
    This was a superior company. The person that came out and estimated the work did a fantastic job. The workers that came out and put down the rug did an unbelievably good job. The Costco company negotiated the best possible deal pricewise with this company on top of all that they gave me a $900 shop card with Costco. Unbelievable.
    Karen L
    Have used them many times. Ryan was our salesman and was great. Smooth installation and very happy with final product.
    Charna G.
    A very positive experience. The gentleman in the showroom was very patient and informative. I picked out a couple of rugs I liked and he arranged for the mobile showroom to come to my home. Ryan, with the mobile showroom, showed me the samples in my home, which was invaluable. He measured, answered questions and helped me make some decisions. He was a pleasure to work with. Delivery followed a couple of weeks later. I’m very happy with my choice. It was a painless and reasonably priced experience.
    dennis F.
    Nice price, great service and professional installation. Sales Tech Ryan was very helpful and friendly.
    Sandy P.
    Joe helped us pick out the perfect carpet for our needs. Would recommend Smart Carpet!
    Jeanette B.
    Bill Hicks was absolutely outstanding! He helped me navigate my carpeting needs with professionalism, patience, and efficiency. The installer, Sam, was also equally excellent.
    David B.
    I’ve used Smart Carpet several times over the years - this time around we got Louie for our sales rep and he was great! Very personable, patient and helpful. We made several changes during our renovation and Louie gave us fantastic support - even came back to the house more than once to make sure we were satisfied with our selections. The installation teams were phenomenal. FAST, CLEAN and courteous (they wore slip on shoes so they could remove them and keep the new carpets pristine!)
    Paulyn H.
    This is my fifth time working with Smart Carpet. Rima listened to what I needed and provided me with multiple options based on my descriptions. She helped me narrow it down to my final choice. The whole sales experience was no pressure and she went out of her way to answer any questions I had. Installation was exactly as expected. Sammy was a professional craftsman, and took great care to install the padding and then the carpet in the correct direction (it's a herringbone pattern) and ensure I was satisfied with the results. Everyone was great from start to finish. And j wouldn't hesitate to work with them again if needed.
    Barry K.
    Had a carpet installed in a basement bedroom and staircase. Louie from sales gave us the quote and was really good to work with as far as picking the best padding and carpet for our space. The price was fair and the installation went very well. We liked the communication with Louie and the company. Would use them again in the future. Communication was the key.
    Stephanie D.
    Great service and knowledgeable crew! I needed a quick turnaround and they absolutely delivered. Their recommendations were on point, they came prepared, exceeded all expectations and were a pleasure to work with.
    Christopher G.
    Excellent service! Great pricing!
    Laura G.
    Louie was extremely knowledgeable about the products. He really listened to what I wanted and went the extra mile to order samples for me. He was good with follow up and a pleasure to work with.
    John C.
    Smart Carpet provided a quality installation of my wood flooring. Matt Connor was courteous and informative about the planning and installation procedure. I would highly recommend to others.
    Ryan W.
    We are very pleased with Smart Carpet and Flooring. John came to our home to present options and gave us a fair estimate. The installers were professional and did quality work. Communication and customer service were great throughout the process.
    Denise R.
    Team was awesome. They communicated their timing and kept to it.
    Jennifer G.
    My experience with Smart Carpet couldn’t have been better! Andrew gave us a great consultation and estimate. He was honest, helpful and informative. I needed installation in an extremely short amount of time for my daughter’s room, and he made it happen! Sam came to install my carpet. He was friendly, quick and efficient. The carpet looks beautiful and we are very pleased with the quality. Looking forward to future projects with Smart Carpet.
    Michael G.
    I’ve used Shayne for the second time now in our second Monmouth county home and he’s continued to exceed our expectations with our carpet and flooring needs. He’s very thorough and responsive in helping us.
    lori W.
    What a wonderful experience! Our sales rep Louie was so knowledgeable and helpful in guiding us to the best flooring for our needs. His follow up to make sure job was completed was exceptional customer service. I highly recommend Louie and Smart Carpet for your flooring needs.
    Bre S.
    This is my second time using Oscars Carpet One in Williamstown. The staff is very sweet and helpful. Highly recommended!!

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