Solid Hardwood Flooring

While generally a durable floor, caring for solid hardwood does require a bit more attention than a synthetic material like laminate or vinyl. Though the solid hardwood floors from Empire feature protective top coats, they are still prone to scratching and/or denting. It’s important to be cautious when moving furniture or letting dogs run on hardwood floors. Solid wood flooring is also vulnerable to water damage, so care must be taken to not let significant moisture collect on its surface.

Real wood floors generally don’t require any specialized cleaning methods, though it’s important to avoid using too much water when doing so. Dirt and dry messes can be swept up with a broom or a microfiber sweeper, and more stubborn spots can be handled with a slightly damp mop.

As mentioned above, solid hardwood floors and moisture do not play well together. Because of this, solid wood is not recommended for kitchens, bathrooms, laundry rooms, or anywhere else your floors will get wet often. If you need the look of wood in those rooms, Empire offers suitable options of engineered hardwood, laminate, vinyl, and tile that can all fill that role.

Yes! One of the major benefits of solid hardwood flooring is that it can be stripped and refinished multiple times over its useful life. That gives homeowners the ability to completely change the look of their floors at a cost that’s much less than fully replacing them.