Perhaps your floor is beginning to show its age, or you have just moved into a property with wooden flooring that isn’t quite to your liking. If either is the case, chances are you are considering swapping your old floor for a new one, or covering it up with carpet. We think we can persuade you to love the one you’ve got – with the help of Sweden’s wood flooring specialists Bona. Here are 5 reasons to revamp your wood flooring instead of replacing it.
1. Wood flooring never goes out of fashion
Wood flooring has a timeless appeal that works with virtually any type of interior, from period homes to modern, minimalist spaces. The versatility of this type of flooring is what makes it such a covetable option for homeowners – an original wood floor in great condition provides the perfect backdrop to the design of a room without dominating the room, which can be the case with carpet. Setting the tone for the rest of the decor, a carefully restored wooden floor can help create any atmosphere you want, from pared down Scandinavian chic (think light blonde wood) to the opulence of a manor house. It is also warm and supple underfoot, making it preferable to tiled flooring in living areas and bedrooms.
Moreover – and this is a quality of wood flooring not everyone knows about – it can be refinished to suit your current tastes and needs. Just because you have an old hardwood floor, you don’t have to be stuck with a dull shade of brown! Cay Bond, who has more than 30 years’ experience of trends within fashion, design and interiors, points out, ‘with a cleverly restored floor, a room and a home can change drastically.’ In fact, a drastic change may well be more easily attainable – and financially more feasible – with a carefully restored old floor, rather than brand new panels, which may limit your options.
2. Wood flooring is hygienic – and sustainable
Have you ever considered what lives in your carpet? Most of us probably would not want to know, but there is plenty of research that points to unpleasant (and potentially unhealthy) levels of bacteria and allergens that accumulate in even regularly cleaned carpets over time. Wood flooring does not retain bacteria and debris to nearly as much, which makes it a safer, healthier option for people with pets and children. Then, there is the no small issue of sustainability. An existing wood floor has already been manufactured and installed in your home, reducing the impact on the environment.
3. Wood floors add value to your home
Wood flooring is an attractive feature for potential house buyers – homes with wood flooring sell faster and fetch higher prices than those with other types of flooring. And while there are no definitive statistics on this, it is easy to see why a potential buyer would choose a home with hardwood flooring. A house that has wood underfoot appears better maintained and cared for – which is exactly the sort of home everyone hopes to find. Besides, wood has a lot of associations with prosperity and a settled, slow lifestyle that we all covet. So, think of renovating your old wood flooring as a longer-term investment. If your well-maintained wood floor brings you pleasure, it almost certainly will appeal to someone else if and when the time comes to move.
4. Wood flooring is easy to maintain – if you know how
Which brings us to the question of maintenance. If more people knew about just how easy it is to care for wood flooring, then more people would opt to keep their old floor. There is no need for expensive steam cleaners – which can, in fact, damage your wood floor. Nor is there any particular need to vacuum. Simply sweep your floor regularly to remove any grit or dust and use a damp mop, such as Bona’s Spray Mop, to target any specific areas that need a deeper clean. Avoid anything that’s dripping wet, however, as wood does not respond well to being soaked in water. Any stains can be targeted with a mild detergent, such as Bona’s cleaning products, which are all environmentally-friendly and Greenguard certified.
5. It can be refinished to your exact specification
One of the more unexpected pleasures of wood flooring is that it can be refinished and restyled – it’s easier than you think! Bona has developed a unique Inspiration palette which covers a comprehensive range of interior design styles, covering popular looks and finishes, from the Scandi-inspired Nordic Shimmer to the versatile New Modern. Whether you are coveting a dark, vintage-style floor or a floor with a pale, lacquered finish, Bona’s renovation techniques will enhance the natural grain of the wood, using surface brushing, waterborne lacquers, low VOC oils and specially developed floor paints.
You can attempt a refinishing job yourself if you are an experienced DIYer, but we think this is the kind of job best left to a professional. Bona’s network of Certified Contractors are all independent wood floor specialists, fully trained to install new floors or renovate your existing surfaces. Each of them offers a dust-free sanding service, so no big clean up is required after they’ve finished the work. Any repairs your floor may need can be completed at the same time. The Bona finishes they will use have all been developed in Sweden to have minimal impact on the environment. In fact Bona pioneered the development of water based lacquers in the 1970s to replace traditional solvent formulations.
Patrik Mellnert, Product Manager at Bona, sums up: ‘We have developed a concept which can create just the right style and effect on a wood floor using our products and techniques. With the right treatment, you can preserve the soul of the floor while producing a whole new look.’