It is no understatement to say that choosing the best flooring for your home is one of the most important decisions a home owner can make. No matter what size your home is, whether it is a townhouse, bungalow, 2-storey or mansion, the flooring you choose today will not only affect your quality of life for years to come, but also the resale value of your home.

Hardwood Flooring Continues to Gain Popularity

Hardwood flooring in Utah and across the United States continues to gain popularity among new and existing home owners. A recent study shows that the Wood Flooring Manufacturing industry has grown over the past five years with approximately 75% of wood flooring construction in the US was used in residential construction. More and more people are obviously seeing the benefit and value of real wood flooring in their homes.

Hardwood Flooring Adds Resale Value to your Utah Home

In a USA Today article that discusses those specific features for which home buyers are willing to pay extra, over half of the home buyers are willing to pay more for a home with hardwood floors.

Hardwood holds its value, not only for a few decades, but in many cases, hardwood floors have lasted well over 100 years. They are extremely durable and comparatively easy to maintain, so it is no surprise they are becoming an increasingly popular choice not only for residential use, but for commercial venues as well, as you can see in this local flooring project completed by Woody’s Hardwood Flooring for the Salt Lake City restaurant, Copper Canyon Grill House & Tavern:

When it comes to the resale value of hardwood floors in your home, according to a survey by the NWFA (National Wood Flooring Association), “99% of the real estate agents participating believe that homes with hardwood floors are easier to sell.”

Furthermore, 82% of those real estate agents believe that homes with hardwood floors sell faster than those without them. A faster selling home reflects less price negotiation, higher market demand and an easier sale overall.

Not to mention, these homes sell for more money than those that don’t have hardwood flooring in place. Wood floors in your Utah home add a distinctive and rich look and feel that other flooring types, such as carpet and linoleum simply fail to create.

What is the Best Type of Hardwood Flooring?

Determining which type of hardwood flooring requires looking at the many options available to the home owner. The top options include which hardwood species, style of board and finish work best in the home’s interior. Considerations of the home’s overall layout and other interior design features all play a role in narrowing down your best choice.

While choosing the best hardwood floor can be a very personal decision, it is important for the home owner to be aware of the factors that will affect their decision for years to come. It is always best to contact a professional hardwood flooring contractor who has extensive experience and knowledge of all of these factors and can help guide you through the decision-making process.

Hardwood Flooring Industry Trends 2018 vs. 2019

Beyond relying on one’s personal taste when choosing the best hardwood flooring, it is beneficial for us to look at some recent studies that support our choice, especially from the point of view of it being an investment in the overall value of your home when it comes time to sell.

So, let’s compare a couple of studies based on the wood flooring industry reviews that reveal trends in types, species and finishes of hardwood flooring in the US.

A 2018 hardwood flooring study shows by an industry review that there was an expected higher demand for most types of hardwood floors, including:

• Long Board 75% more demand
• Wide-Plank 71% more demand
• Engineered 67% more demand
• Factory-Finished 48% more demand
• Distressed Flooring 40% more demand

There was also an expected increase in demand for Domestic species of hardwood flooring, while Imported species were expected to decline. Reclaimed flooring was also appearing in higher demand with an expected 48% increase.

The study also noted that, “While product-demand expectations always vary market to market, NWFA members in the survey seemed to agree that demand for white oak will continue to grow in 2018. Wide-plank, long boards and cerused and gray finishes are also en vogue, a trend in line with many consumers’ growing preference for ‘rustic’, ‘authentic’, and ‘organic’ looks, members in the survey said.”

Other popular hardwood species apart from White Oak, include Hickory/Pecan, Cork, Brazilian Cherry and Santos Mahogany.

The 2018 survey shows that certain hardwood flooring colors were predicted to be chosen by homeowners, including:

Gray stains and finishes will be 62% in more demand while Cerused hardwood will be 56% in more demand.

Dark hardwood flooring color demand will largely remain the same, showing that they are still a popular choice. Similarly, light flooring finishes will generally have the same demand at 55% but will still see a 33% increase in demand.

In the follow up study in 2019, White Oak continues to be the top choice, due in part to it being widely available from manufacturers around the world.

Also, 2019 will continue to see more demand for Wide Plank, Long boards and Engineered hardwood flooring. As home owners are of course concerned about the resale value of their new or existing home, choosing a flooring that remains a popular species and finish can help sell the home and maintain its value long-term.

The 2019 study also noted:

• A 16% decrease in demand for Gray stains and finishes
• A significant drop in demand of Cerused flooring with only a 19% increase.
• Dark and Light colors would see approximately the same demand at 44% and 49% respectively.

How to Choose the Right Hardwood Flooring

So, what does this mean to the Utah home owner when they are looking to have new hardwood flooring installed or existing floors refinished?

While hardwood types, species, colors and finishes have some fluctuation in popularity due to interior design trends, there are certain choices, such as White Oak, Hickory/Pecan, and Walnut species, along with wide plank and long board styles of boards will potentially remain popular for years to come.

Here is an example of a a wide plank White Oak custom floor installation by Woody’s Hardwood Flooring in Utah:

Quality hardwood flooring is a worthwhile investment and that includes the species and finish, but also how it is installed or refinished. However, making the decision on what is best for your home can feel overwhelming considering the vast array of choices in wood species, styles of board and quality and type of wood finishes. Not to mention, which rooms these floors will be installed in. For example, such areas as kitchens and basements have unique requirements that need to be considered.

Besides real hardwood flooring, there are now many other “look-alike” floor solutions that look like wood but do not offer all of the benefits a real wood floor delivers. It is becoming increasingly important for home owners and buyers to be educated on the different types of flooring before they invest. The onus of this education falls not only on the hardwood flooring installation company, but also the flooring and finishing manufacturers.

Discuss Your Needs with A Utah Flooring Expert

As a local hardwood flooring contractor in Utah, we highly recommend discussing your project needs with an expert, so you can make an informed decision, as it will be one you will have to live with for years to come.

Woody’s Hardwood Flooring serves the Salt Lake City area, including West Jordan, Provo, Orem, Payson, West Valley City and Sandy, Utah.

We aim to provide superior service and products, including wood flooring installation, refinishing and flooring additions. We treat each project from beginning to end as if it were our own home; we’re not finished until you are satisfied.

Call us today to discuss your project and receive a free quote.