If you are considering hardwood floors for your home, the first question you need to decide upon the overall look you want to create. Will your floor be the focal point of the room or will it provide an elegant backdrop for decorative rugs and artwork? Will the overall theme be traditional, contemporary, or rustic? Let’s take a few moments to explore the possibilities that wood flooring provides.

Before the 1950’s, homeowners installing wood flooring only had a few choices of wood and finish. This traditional look created one consistent color and texture; this is an appearance that provides an attractive background for decorative accessories and furniture.

We now have many other options available. There are colored whitewash finishes, rustic distressed woods, woods with naturally alternating tones producing a striped appearance, natural looks from blonde to ebony finishes, textured woods, and multiple levels of sheen. The possibilities seem endless.

When you come to us, our team will walk you through the selection process. You don’t need to figure out which option will work all on your own. Speaking from many years of experience, we will answer your questions and help you decide which type of flooring will best fit your needs. Our only goal is your complete satisfaction.

Because we live in Colorado, we need to choose types of wood that will tolerate the extreme dryness of our climate and altitude. There are some woods, such as bamboo and acacia that are very susceptible to shrinkage and often crack and split in this environment. We strongly recommend against using these woods here.

For nearly 20 years we’ve been the sole local distributor of Rocky Mountain Dry, a natural red oak that is precision milled and dried in White Lake, Wisconsin. The water content in this wood is reduced to the bare minimum, 4.5%. This process prepares it for the local climate and makes any seasonal shrinking or swelling almost undetectable. It is hands-down the best wood flooring for Colorado. Rocky Mountain Dry is available in four traditional finishes: Blanca (clear coat, light color), Cimarron (golden), Paonia (gunstock), and Russet (dark red-toned brown). It comes 3/4” thick at widths of 2-1/4” and 3-1/4”.

If you are looking for a less traditional look, the Tigerwood has been very popular lately. It has a boldly striped appearance that would be more likely to hide incidental scratches from shoes or pets. Brazilian Cherry offers a distinctive red tone, for homeowners who are looking for their wood floor to add color to the room. You may also want to consider engineered flooring, which consists of a layer of solid hardwood with layers of backing that alternate in direction, adding to the overall strength and stability of the wood.

If you would like to install your hardwood floor yourself, MacDonald Hardwood is here to teach you how. In addition to our instructional DVD “You Can Do It,” we provide our customers with instructional classes and unlimited follow-up support. The exact time it will take to install a prefinished floor depends on the size of the room and the skill of the installer but most people can install 200-300 sq ft each day.

If you would like to see the possibilities that exist, stop by MacDonald Hardwoods. Once we’ve helped you narrow down your coices, we’ll give you a few samples to take home. Seeing the prefinished wood samples in the lighting and décor of your home can be very helpful when trying to decide which way to go. You can also check out some of the choices professional designers are making in our 2015 customer preference survey.

A hardwood floor is a great investment, and it is an element that will last longer than any other improvement you could make. Let us help you make the best hardwood flooring decision for your home.