Anything made of wood is going to change aesthetically over time. The type of wood you use, as well as the finish, will protect the original look of the wood. But you can’t fight the effects of time forever. In fact, we encourage you to embrace the natural aging process of your hardwood floors. You’ll often find that wood becomes more beautiful with age.
Don’t fight nature
When you are researching types of wood for hardwood floors, do some research on what to expect from each species as it ages. Hardwood floors can last a lifetime, so you need to think long term. Although there are ways to slow down the aging process, either with stain and finish or renewing your floors with sanding and refinishing, there are also ways for you to work with nature and let your floors age naturally and beautifully.
Multi-tone wood species
Some species of wood will have more extreme color variation from plank to plank, or even within the same plank. The grain pattern can also make the differences in color, tone, and texture much more pronounced. Having a bit of a color variance from the initial installation will make the aging process less noticeable.
Reclaimed and salvaged floors
The reclaimed and salvaged wood flooring trend has the benefit of using wood that is already aged. Reclaimed and salvaged wood has already had a life and matured enough to finally settle on a tone and color that won’t go through many more changes. The rustic style of flooring lends itself brilliantly to those that have an appreciation for naturally aged wood.
New hardwood floors
When you choose new hardwood floors, understanding the aging process and how the wood will change over time will help you choose wood that you will love forever. Understand what to expect from wood as it ages by consulting a hardwood flooring expert, or visiting a showroom.