Hardwood floors will always be in style. There is nothing more satisfying to homeowners than laying down a new hardwood floor, sanding and polishing an exiting hardwood floor, or tearing up a gnarly old carpet to reveal the hardwood underneath. Harwood floors in great condition truly add value to your home. You have no excuse not to have them somewhere in your house, especially since they are so cheap and easy to install these days. If you already have hardwood floors, then it pays to take care of them. Hardwood floors are a great foundation for any household, because you can always cover them with throw rugs if you wish for a warmer interior. However, the reverse is not true. It is much harder to tear up a carpet and return to hardwood floors than it is to make the move from hardwood to carpet. That is why it pays to start with hardwood floors.

Installing wooden floors can be a do it yourself project. You can transform the look of your home over the course of a weekend. You can purchase pre-cut slats of flooring from your local home improvement store. There is a wide variety of styles and varnishes to choose from, so you can customize your floors to your own taste. Once you select your favorite wood and color, then you can go to town laying the slats on the existing floor of your home. Make sure you have a proper, stripped foundation however before you lay the new flooring. If there is already a carpet in place or old linoleum, you have to rip them up beforehand. Make sure you remove any scraps or staples from the floor before you get started.

After you have a brand new hardwood floor, you need to start caring for it. Most new floors come with manufacturer's directions on how best to keep your floor in superior shape. If you do not find care instructions when you buy your floor, consult the manufacturer's website or an expert at the store where you made your purchase. Most new flooring can be cleaned with soap and water, but older flooring might benefit more from wax cleaners. New flooring typically is already varnished and has a synthetic coating that will keep it safe from harm. Older flooring needs a little more work to keep it sparkling.

Whatever you do, make sure that your hardwood floor has some kind of protective coating. Sometimes the coating is as good as a wax-based cleaner that will prevent the wood from being stained by day-to-day traffic. If the floor is old, you could try sanding it and then varnishing it with a modern substance that has been proven to protect your floors. Hard wood flooring is typically easier to clean than a rug, because a rug requires constant vacuuming and spot cleaning. A hardwood floor can be vacuumed regularly and mopped occasionally, and stay in beautiful, polished shape. If you take proper care of your floor, it will maintain its luster for years to come.