As soon as the economy emerged from the Great Recession, people started looking for attractive investment options again. While most consider stocks, bonds, or T-bills, few homeowners recognize the tremendous investment potential right under their feet. Yes, we're talking about investing in the home. Specifically, we want to talk about hardwood flooring. Long-term Value Generally speaking, when the economy improves, housing prices do as well. It is also a proven fact that home prices have always advanced over the long run. Sure, they may decline over a one, two, even a five-year period, but over a longer period, say 30 years, they have always appreciated. One of the easiest, most reliable things homeowners can do to ensure that their property appreciates is to invest in it. After all, a home will likely be the most expensive purchase you will ever make. Why not add value while you can? Home Improvement Options If you are looking to save money by doing the work on your own, there are only a few options open to you, unless, of course, you are a plumber or a carpenter. You can replace the kitchen cabinets, retile the bathrooms, or install hardwood flooring. Each of these options will add value to your home and make it more attractive to potential buyers, should if you ever decide to sell it. Getting Started Installation of hardwood or laminate wood floor is generally pretty straightforward. First, you have to buy the flooring. Your choice of materials includes cherry, maple, and walnut woods. Probably the most popular hardwood option is oak flooring. Oak is sought after because it is an attractive, durable wood that does not dent or scratch easily and is said to be a cinch to work with. By comparison, a material like cherry is rather soft and easy to scratch. So, if you have kids or pets with paws, it's probably best to go with oak. Where To Buy Unfinished hardwood flooring can be purchased at just about any home improvement center. It offers homeowners cost saving over standard finished wood. Not to mention the fact that staining wood flooring is far from rocket science; it just takes time. So if you have a free weekend and are up for a relatively simple home improvement project, you can add value without much fuss. A Few More Tips Since we do not have the time to take you through the entire installation process, we will close by offering a few hopefully helpful hints. Probably the most important piece of advice we can offer when installing hardwood flooring is to make certain you take your environment into account. We are speaking specifically about the weather. As you may know, wood has a tendency to shrink and expand when the weather shifts from hot to cold, or dry to humid. Generally speaking, even high-quality wood flooring will shrink in the dry winter months and expand when the humidity rises, in the summer. That is why it is important to leave enough room for the wood to expand. Otherwise, it may crack or buckle when squeezed between two adjacent boards. Putting in hardwood floors is a simple, affordable home improvement project that can increase the value of your abode. When looking for hardwood flooring, Portland residents go to Marion's Carpet Warehouse. To learn more, visit http://www.marionscarpets.com/products/shop.html?ProductTypeID=56.
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