Hardwood Floor Installation Cost

Installing a hardwood floor could be one of the best things you can do to spruce up the look of your home. Such floors are durable, classy and versatile to suit any design you may have in mind. There are a host of choices at your disposal nowadays for selecting the most suitable type of hardwood for flooring according to your specific needs. There are a great number of manufacturers offering you different types of hardwood-based floors with great varieties in color, finishing and also the option of professional installation. The cost of floors made with hardwood may vary according to the type of wood chosen, the finishing on the wood flooring and obviously the area that has to be covered. The availability of wood and labor charges could add to the total installation cost.

Types of Hardwood Flooring

There are three primary types of hardwood floors that you can choose from. Apart from this you also have the option of choosing laminate flooring which looks just like hardwood but is actually industrially made from resin.

• Solid flooring using hardwood may be finished or unfinished. Finished flooring can be installed directly but unfinished wood flooring needs some finishing work done at the site of installation after it has been set up. It may be further divided into subtypes depending on thickness and design. The different types of solid hardwood flooring are strip, plank and parquet flooring.
• Engineered hardwood flooring is another type. These contain plastic laminates layered in between the real wood. This is sometimes confused with laminate flooring which is actually completely artificial and only looks like wood.
• Hardwood floors containing acrylic products such as waterproofing sealants and colors to give the wood a distinct appearance are a lot more durable and scratch proof. It can be a lot more expensive than the above two types of wood. It is mostly used in commercial establishments.

The cost for the above types of wood may vary considerably. Engineered floors may be easy to install but can be a bit harder on the pocket than the solid ones. Cost of upkeep of solid floors over time may just balance the equation out though. The type of flooring you choose can also significantly affect the installation cost. Hardwood plank floors cost much higher than a strip hardwood floor costs, as planks are a little harder to install and need some extra work. Another factor that can affect the cost of a hardwood-based flooring is the type of wood that you choose. There are many types of wood with their own unique textures and colors. Choose the one that most suits your taste and design preferences. Some of the common types of woods used are: red and white oak, birch, beech, pine and cherry. The finishing that is done on the wood is also important and it can include surface finishes or penetrating finishes.

Average Cost of Hardwood Flooring Installation
The various factors that can affect the installation costs are enlisted below.

Type of Hardwood Flooring Used
The cost of installation can be affected by the type of flooring. Solid flooring is cheaper than engineered flooring, with strip flooring cheaper and easier to install than plank flooring. The use of acrylic impregnated hardwood for floors is higher than most other flooring that use hardwood. The cost of installing a strip flooring is about USD 8 per sq. ft. while the cost of plank flooring can run up to USD 12 per sq. ft.

Type of Wood Used
The type of wood used can affect the cost of the floors. Exotic woods are generally a lot more expensive than easily available wood such as bamboo which can cost up to USD 6 per sq. ft. Brazilian cherry or Australian cypress can cost around USD 13 per sq. ft.

Cost of Finishing
Factory-finished flooring costs about USD 10-14 per sq. ft. They can be directly installed and do not need any finishing touches after installation. Unfinished wood is cheaper to buy but will have to be finished once they are installed.

Labor Costs
The cost of labor for installation may vary according to the type of work you plan on getting done and the layout area. If you plan on adding designs and other embellishments, be prepared to shell out more. There is another option you can try, that is to install hardwood floors yourself, thus saving on labor costs. A lot of manufacturers nowadays provide instructions on how to layout such floors and design, to make them easy for even a semi-skilled person to lay the planks out properly.

The hardwood floor installation cost is pretty negligible compared to the aesthetic appeal and advantages of having such a floor. They do need a little extra care though and cleaning them can sometimes be a challenge. However, maintenance of these types of floors wouldn't be very difficult once you have got the hang of it. A little research will produce hundreds of tips for cleaning hardwood floors. In spite of installation cost considerations and cleaning issues, if you decide to install one, you can be sure of one thing that it will make your house feel like home, adding warmth and an old world charm to it.