Wood Floors 101
Hardwood floors are an excellent way to improve the beauty and value of your home. Not sure if they're right for you? Learn about the basics of wood flooring with the floor care experts at Bona.
Wood Floors 101
Hardwood floors are an excellent way to improve the beauty and value of your home. Not sure if they're right for you? Learn about the basics of wood flooring with the floor care experts at Bona.
Why hardwood floors?
When choosing a floor, homeowners need to balance the needs of value, durability, cost and looks. While some flooring materials may only meet one or two of those needs, hardwood floors meets all of those needs. Since wood is simple to maintain and is known for its sustainability, many people choose hardwood over other options.
Physical properties
Domestic vs. Exotic
The wood's origin will have an impact on its overall look and performance.
Hardness
All hardwood flooring is durable, but hardness levels vary from species to species. Choose a level of hardness that fits your lifestyle and foot traffic needs.
Solid vs. Engineered
Many floor types mimic the look of wood, but among true wood flooring, the two options available are solid or engineered wood. Engineered wood is created to be less affected by changes in temperature and humidity while also being able to be installed on all levels of your home.
Design choices
Board width
Using the right boards will affect the feel of a room's size or can be mixed for a more dramatic look.
Style
To create the look you want, consider how the physical boards can help in creating your vision. From reclaimed wood, hand scraped boards or using patterns like herringbone or chevron, your imagination can run free with all the options you have with hardwood floors.
Grade
Wood flooring is graded on how uniform the boards look or if the unique aspects of the wood (like knots) can be seen.
Colors & Styles
Your floor renovation guide with the Bona System®
Whether you're looking for brand new wood floors or want to give your current floors a new look, trust the Bona System for all your flooring needs. Our high performance products and network of local professionals will help you get the look you want.
Long-term care
Cleaning & Maintenance
Leaning your hardwood floors shouldn’t get in the way of enjoying them. Check out some simple tips for maintaining your wood floors.
Clean floors better with the Bona Microfiber Mop
Clean wood, stone, tile and laminate floors more thoroughly with Bona’s Microfiber Mop and floor cleaners.
Related floor Tips & Tricks
Cleaning hacks for dad
Use some dad-level cleaning hacks to clean your floors and give him a day to relax.
Antibacterial vs. Antimicrobial
Discover how antimicrobial and antibacterial cleaning products can affect the overall level of cleanliness in your home.
Give the gift of clean for mother's day
Looking for Mother’s Day gift ideas? Show mom you care with an act of kindness rather than the usual flowers.
Get Inspired
View our lookbook and get inspired by the latest floor style trends and color combinations that work well with Bona floor stains.