Hardwood flooring is becoming a more popular type of flooring due the natural and classic look it can offer your home. However, despite all the benefits a hardwood floor can offer a home, there are many myths surrounding its use as a sustainable flooring solution. There are many different styles of wooden flooring on the market, but as with any product, there are good and bad quality products. Hardwood flooring is different to the previously more common types of wooden flooring such as laminate flooring. Hardwood flooring is designed with sustainability in mind and is likely to last as long as any carpet in a home.

Below are five of the most common myths surrounding hardwood flooring and we aim to disprove those myths that have been created to put consumers off hardwood flooring.

• Hardwood flooring is difficult to clean – Hardwood flooring is no more difficult to clean than any other type of flooring including carpet. There are various cleaning products on the market that have been designed specifically for hardwood flooring to both clean and protect your floor. However, you do not have to buy specific hardwood products, as long as you use a cleaner that is diluted and does not contain anything that is likely to damage the surface then it will be fine. As with any cleaning products, it is always best to do a test clean on a part of the floor that cannot be seen.
• There are limitations on colour of hardwood flooring – The colour options available with hardwood flooring are vast. Depending where you buy your hardwood flooring from, there are a variety of finishes, stains and woods available. From maple to oak as well as beach, mahogany and pine, there should be no reason why you cannot find a hardwood flooring to go with your decor.
• Hardwood flooring is not eco friendly – There are many who will tell you that hardwood flooring is not eco friendly and is detrimental to the environment. There are many suppliers of hardwood flooring that operate an eco friendly ethos by ensuring they only purchase from suppliers who conserve forests by replacing every tree used.
• Hardwood flooring will leave you with gaps in your flooring – There are types of flooring that are more likely to be affected but temperature change and humidity. As a result these types of hardwood flooring will shrink and expand with those changes. However, you are only likely to see gaps appearing in your flooring if it is incorrectly installed. To allow for the potential shrinking and expansion a gap should be left around the edge of your floor which is normally concealed with flat or bevelled edging.
• Hardwood flooring is very expensive – As with any flooring solution, there is a wealth of price ranges to choose from. Hardwood flooring does not have to be expensive. It is possible to have high quality hardwood flooring installed by a professional for the same amount as you would pay for any other flooring solution if not cheaper.