Hardwood Floors Versus Carpet

<h2 style="margin: 10pt 0in 0pt"><font size="3" color="#990000">Hardwood Floors Versus Carpet</font></h2><p><span style="line-height: 200%; font-family: ‘Verdana’,’sans-serif’; letter-spacing: 1pt; font-size: 10pt">Whether to have hardwood floors in your home versus carpet has long been a debate now. If you live in North Carolina in the Raleigh area and are looking for an apartment that has hard wood flooring, you will be hard pressed to find one; and when you do find one, it will typically cost you a pretty penny. On the other hand, many older homes often feature wood flooring as a part of the original buildup. So, then why is it that many apartments nowadays feature carpeting as well as many newer homes? What gives?</span></p><span style="line-height: 200%; font-family: ‘Verdana’,’sans-serif’; letter-spacing: 1pt; font-size: 10pt"><p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal">For many people who own newer homes, carpeting is much easier to install, and it is also significantly less expensive to do so. There are those of us who like the feel of a warm fuzzy carpet beneath our feet when we are trip trapping around our houses, and many times, parents appreciate carpeting because it helps to muffle sound. This is also the reason why most apartments that you will come across will almost always feature carpeting within the apartment buildings. Because you have such a large number of strangers living together in close proximity, carpeting helps to absorb noise, thereby making it less of a nuisance for you to watch your television a little louder than usual or even to have a conversation with your significant other.</p><p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"> </p><div style="text-align: center"><object classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,29,0" width="425" height="282"><param name="movie" value="../images/banners/12c.swf" /><param name="quality" value="high" /><param name="menu" value="false" /><param name="wmode" value="" /><embed src="../images/banners/12c.swf" wmode="" quality="high" menu="false" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="425" height="282"></embed></object></div>  <p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal">On the other hand, there are many benefits to having hard wood flooring within your home. For starters, wood floors add a touch of elegance and sophistication to a living space. They can also function to add a sense of warmth depending on the look of the wood as well as the grain. A major plus for those homes (and apartments) that feature hard wood floors is the fact that for they are a godsend for those of us who suffer from allergies. Unlike carpeting, wood floors don’t trap nearly as much dust or odors from things. For example, have you ever walked into the home of someone who smokes or who has an animal, and because there is wall-to-wall carpeting, it seems as if the smell is overwhelming?</p>  <p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal">Wood floors are also significantly easier to clean than carpeting. Whereas vacuum cleaners can get pretty pricey, wood floors often need no more than a quick pass of a mop or a broom. Many people complain about wood floors because of how easily they can become scratched. But again, this is all a matter of how each person treats their floors. For instance, if your home has wood floors, you may insist that everyone takes their shoes off at the door (which is customary in some cultures anyway). </p><p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"> </p><div style="text-align: center"><object classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,29,0" width="425" height="282"><param name="movie" value="../images/banners/12a.swf" /><param name="quality" value="high" /><param name="menu" value="false" /><param name="wmode" value="" /><embed src="../images/banners/12a.swf" wmode="" quality="high" menu="false" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="425" height="282"></embed></object></div>  <p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal">Additionally, there are also other options to getting the "wood" look without the price tag. For example, there are many homes that are being built now with fake wood floors that are a little more durable and can withstand the wear and tear of pets’ claws and rambunctious children. The choice is yours. However, keep in mind the fact that if you have a home that has natural wood flooring, it will be worth significantly more than one with carpeting!</p>  <p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><strong>About the author</strong></p>  <p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://www.interioranswers.com/" target="_blank">interior decorating firm interior decorator</a></p>  <p><span style="line-height: 200%; font-family: ‘Verdana’,’sans-serif’; letter-spacing: 1pt; font-size: 10pt">Article Source: <a href="http://www.articlesbase.com/home-improvement-articles/hardwood-floors-versus-carpet-1623274.html" target="_blank">http://www.articlesbase.com/home-improvement-articles/hardwood-floors-versus-carpet-1623274.html</a> </span></p></span>