The Best Type of Hardwood Flooring for Beach Houses

In 2022, beach houses ranked as one of the trendiest house styles across the United States. Although these homes offer relaxed, open vibes and aesthetics, building them is challenging. While living on the coast has its perks, every part of the house should acclimate to the humidity, weather, water, and sand surrounding it. Hardwood floors are one that homeowners have to consider for their beach houses, and finding the best type of hardwood flooring requires enough knowledge and understanding. Here are some things you need to know to find the best hardwood material for your flooring.

What to Consider When Installing Hardwood Floors

Living by the coast is a dream for many homeowners. While its design and overall aesthetic are appealing, improving its functionality is essential for the house to stay in peak condition. Installing or updating your flooring to hardwood is one way to keep things timeless and sophisticated. Although hardwood floors are low maintenance and long-lasting, they’re weak to water and humidity, something abundant in the shorelines.

While there are several factors to consider when laying out floors in your beach house, hardwood floors are still a possible option. Before purchasing hardwood planks for your sun-filled home, here are some considerations to ponder.

Location

Location is at the top of the list of considerations for hardwood floorings in beach houses. Residential homes or properties near the coast often experience warmer climates and medium to high humidity. In addition, floors in these places are more prone to spills and seawater.

The best hardwood material for flooring in these houses should be sturdy, easy to clean, and require little to no maintenance. Hardwood species with high Janka hardness ratings, like oak, are ideal for beach houses. Other tree species like teak are another great material for their high water resistance.

Maintenance

Unlike some houses, beach homes have higher foot traffic and more exposure to materials that hasten the wear and tear of hardwood flooring. In choosing the best hardwood flooring for your place, always consider its maintenance.

It would be ideal for houses near the coast to have sturdy and low-maintenance hardwood flooring. Exposure to the sun and other materials can make homeowners sand and refinish their floorboards more than usual. While it will keep your floor’s appearance in peak condition, it won’t last as long. Durable and low-maintenance flooring allows you to have them longer.

The Best Hardwood Material Floor Material For Beach Houses

Choosing the best flooring option for your beach house can be tedious. Besides installing one that fits your interior and aesthetic, it also needs to be durable enough to handle the wear and tear from the high foot traffic. In addition, your hardwood floors should have higher water and moisture resistance to avoid premature damage. Although hundreds of hardwood flooring options are available in the market, only a handful can fit your beach house flooring needs. From different species of domestic and exotic solid hardwood planks to engineered hardwood, here are your best options.

Solid Hardwood Flooring

Solid hardwood floors are still one of the ideal options for your beach houses. While only several tree species can handle the challenges of living on the coast, these selected few are durable and highly resistant to water and humidity. In addition, they also need little to no maintenance, which many homeowners with active lifestyles would enjoy.

White Oak Wide Plank Hardwood

White oak is one of the strongest domestic hardwood species available in the US. Their pale wooden look also fits the whole beach vibe aesthetic. But instead of standard white oak planks, wide hardwood boards are best for your home by the sea.

Wide hardwood planks are denser and weather over time.  Unlike other plank sizes, they feel warmer underfoot and last longer. They’re also scratch resistant and less porous. When cleaning, wide planks are easier because the sand tends to collect in the floor groves.

Bamboo

In recent years, bamboo surged in popularity and is holding itself as an affordable, attractive, and practical flooring option in many homes. Bamboo floorings have a harder, more durable surface than most domestic hardwood species.

One of its varieties, stranded bamboo, is two to three times stronger and more durable than oak. Its sturdiness makes it an ideal flooring for heavy foot traffic areas in your home. In addition, bamboo varieties come in different shades, allowing homeowners to choose which fits best in their houses.

Engineered Hardwood Flooring

Beach houses need durable, low-maintenance, and water-resistant flooring that engineered hardwood can provide. Unlike most solid hardwood flooring, engineered hardwood floors are more resistant to moisture and water. Because of their composition, they can offer strong flooring that can handle heavy foot traffic. 

Hardwood Flooring Options For Coastal Living

Hardwood floors are the best flooring option for many trending house styles in 2022. They offer numerous benefits to homeowners while fitting right into your preferred style. While beach houses and wood are tricky combinations, you can still have them in your dream home. The best type of hardwood flooring for coastal houses is always available.

Contact Kelly Hardwood Floors today to get professional recommendations!