Gorgeous wood flooring for less

By Lisa Martin

Americans are increasingly investing in wood flooring, whether it’s for good looks or to banish allergies.

As far as upgrades go, the finest hardwoods including Australian cypress and Jatoba can rival limestone and travertine in terms of price. According to a survey in National Floor Trends 2011, the most expensive hardwood flooring can run $15 per square foot. As a result, redoing a standard-sized family room can run several thousand dollars.

Fortunately, budget-savvy options abound, offering high style and impressive quality without breaking the bank. Check out the following options:

Bamboo

Pro: Eco-friendly
Con: Certain finishes are prone to scratches

Prized for its inherent strength and lasting beauty, bamboo flooring has soared in popularity during the last decade.

“Bamboo is more resistant to moisture than hardwoods,” explains Ann Knight, co-founder, executive vice president, and global brand director of Teragren, a Washington State-based manufacturer of bamboo flooring, panels, and worktops. “That means less contraction and expansion with changes in moisture — even in humid or dry climates.”

Bamboo flooring has a slightly different appearance than traditional hardwoods, with a fine grain that runs both up and down as well as across the planks. A ceramic finish can combat scratches.

Cork

Pro: Extremely comfortable underfoot
Con: High-heeled shoes can damage the surface

Like bamboo, cork (made from the bark off certain oak trees) is eco-friendly, durable, low maintenance. Cork also resists mold and mildew, withstands water, dampens sound and doesn’t cost a fortune (typically $8 a square foot, making it the same as or slightly less expensive than bamboo).

Cork can be installed in tiles or sheets, either floating or glued down. Expect variations of color. Direct exposure to light and UV rays tends to fade the shade over time.

Laminates

Pro: Price and durability
Con: Slippery or hard underfoot

Laminate flooring continues to improve in terms of form and function. Typically manufactured by sandwiching a thin layer of faux wood to a durable backing material, laminates are loved by parents of young children because of their inherent indestructability.

“Oak, walnut, and hickory floors have been considered elegant for decades, but we’re updating them [laminates] with diverse color tones and textures,” says Don Cybalski, senior creative director for Pergo, one of the country’s top makers of laminate flooring. “Many now also feature a popular 5-inch narrow-width, beveled edge format to make them practically indistinguishable from wood.”

Additional tips

Once you’ve settled on a material, take some time to shop around for the best price. In today’s challenging economy, many consumers successfully negotiate lower installation costs, which can tack on another $2 to $8 per square foot.

Here are a few more tips:

• Go directly to installers, who can often buy hardwood from wholesalers and pass on those savings to you.
• Opt for pre-finished hardwood floors (which come sanded and stained) rather than materials that need to be “finished in place.” Using pre-finished planks may trim your installation costs in half.
• Consider engineered hardwood, consisting of two to five thin sheets of wood fashioned into a single plank. It’s cheaper than hardwood but, unlike laminates, can be refinished once or twice, thereby extending the lifetime of the floor.