7 Reasons Carpet Flooring Sucks and You Should Go with Timber

Carpet may have looked great in the 70s or 80s. Fortunately, we live in an enlightened time when homeowners are getting rid of that shag or wall-to-wall carpet to lay down timber flooring. Why do carpet floors suck so much? Here are some good reasons to go with wood floors instead.

1) Carpets Trap Allergens That Can Make You Sick

Within a few months of being installed in your home, your carpet can trap a large amount of cat hair, pollen and other allergens that can compromise your immune system. Carpets that have been in the same place for several years could be havens for fleas and other insects. If you see cat hair or an ant running across your wooden floor, all you have to do is sweep it up and throw it out.

2) Carpet Is Hard To Clean

Carpets are impossible to clean. With a wood floor, all you need to do is sweep it with a broom or a Swiffer product. A carpet needs to be vacuumed and shampooed at least once a month to keep them looking and smelling tolerable. If you hire professional cleaners to clean your speciality rugs or carpets, you could be looking at a cost of several hundred dollars per cleaning.

3) Stains Can Cause Mildew to Grow In Your Carpet

The worst thing that you can possibly experience as a homeowner is a wine or fruit juice stain in your carpet. This is because it doesn’t just look bad on the surface. The liquid can migrate down deep into the fibers and into the padding of the carpet. If this happens, you are going to have to deal with a foul smell or replace your carpet altogether.

4) Carpeted Floors Are Ugly

The simple truth is that carpets don’t look good in a home. While they are fine for a basement or an apartment complex to reduce noise, they have no business being in a home that you plan to live in for the next several years. If you bought a house that hasn’t been updated in several decades, you could very well buy a home that has thick carpet in odd colors like pumpkin or wine. You would never be able to resell it without updating to hardwood floors.

5) Carpet Feels Grimy Under Your Feet

The one advantage that carpet is supposed to provide is a nice feeling under your feet when you walk on it. However, how nice can that carpet feel when you know that you are walking on mildew, cat hair and old food stains? After a few months, you are going to want to put your shoes and socks on before walking across any room with carpet in it.

6) Wood Looks Nicer In Any Room Of The House

You will never go wrong with a wood floor in any room of your home. Wooden floors in your living room or kitchen provide a level of class that carpets cannot provide. Wood floors in your master bedroom can provide the perfect complement to the other decor in the room. If you are concerned with your kids falling and getting hurt on wood flooring, you can always throw down an area rug that can be moved or lifted for cleaning at any time.

7) Wood Flooring Rarely Needs To Be Replaced

Wood flooring can last for several years if you take care of it, notes IB Flooring. To keep your wood floor looking good, place felt tabs under all wooden furniture as to not scuff the floor. Additionally, make sure that you sweep and mop the floor at least once a week. Adding wax to water that you mop with can keep the wood shining for a long time.

There are many reasons why you should go with a wood floor instead of a carpeted floor. Wooden floors are easier to maintain, easier to clean and look much nicer than carpet. The good news is that wooden floors don’t have to cost you an arm and a leg. Start comparison shopping right now to find the best value for your dollar. Once you make the switch from carpet to wood, you will wonder why you didn’t do it sooner.

About the Author

This piece was written by Mark Hutchison of Lifewood Floors, timber flooring experts in Perth, Western Australia. You can find Mark on Google+, too.