Hardwood Floors in Wisconsin

Hardwood flooring is a classic choice. Its natural beauty and timeless appeal can match any décor in any home. You’ll find it all right here, including popular species like white oak, maple, and acacia flooring. Flat finishes, hand-scraped details, and lush palettes of browns, beiges, and grays are always in high demand.

If you’re looking for hardwood near you in Wisconsin, Kerns Carpet One Floor & Home in Mequon and Brookfield, WI, has the experts on site to help you choose the best flooring and plan your flooring installation.

If you’re ready to invest in hardwoods, here are a few things to consider when choosing your flooring.

What Are the Benefits of Hardwood Flooring?

Although hardwood flooring is an investment, it pays for itself over time.

Hardwood is long-lasting and can be refinished to stay ahead of the latest flooring trends. It also brings amazing noise reduction in comparison to stone or tile and it’s warmer underfoot.

Your hardwood floors are allergy-friendly since there’s nowhere for dust to hide or get trapped. It’s an excellent choice for homes that have allergies or those looking for a clean, safe, hypoallergenic option for their home.

What Are the Different Species of Hardwood?

Hardwood flooring is made from trees, and since trees come in a variety of species so do hardwood plank options.

Be sure to consider how active your family is and where you want to install hardwood in your home.

Our most popular species of hardwood include:

• Hickory

• Oak

• White Oak

• European White Oak

• Maple

• Red Maple

• Birch

How to Style Your Hardwood Planks

After choosing a specific species of hardwood, comes the fun part: choosing your style of hardwood flooring.

Are you looking for a timeless plank or something trendier? At Kerns, we have plenty of styles and looks to match your interior design.

Be sure to consider the following when choosing your specific plank style:

• Grain Pattern
• Durability
• Gloss Levels
• Color
• Finish
• Width
• Length

Which is Engineered Hardwood Flooring?

In addition to offering a wide selection of hardwood flooring styles, we have different hardwood constructions including solid and engineered.

Deciding on which one works best for your space will be determined by your activity, the area of installation, and your budget. Here’s a closer look at the differences and benefits of each hardwood type.

• Solid hardwood flooring is a traditional option in hardwood flooring, and its classic design displays natural characteristics. It’s hypoallergenic and adds value to your home. These planks can be refinished to extend their lifecycle, but need to be installed in dry, cool spaces of your home that don’t have major foot traffic, like a bedroom or home office.

• Engineered hardwood flooring planks are made up of three to seven layers of real wood veneers that are laid with the grains going in opposite directions. The layered construction resists wood’s natural tendency to expand or contract from changes in moisture and adds stability. Since the top layer of engineered hardwood is a premium layer of wood, it looks exactly like solid hardwood and can even be sanded and refinished to extend its lifetime in your home if the top layer is thick enough. Install engineered planks in all levels of your home, even in the basement.

What’s New: Waterproof Hardwood Flooring

A recent innovation, waterproof engineered hardwood has a unique design and construction.

How it works:

• Its SPC core is waterproof, and the veneers are sealed from all sides.
• Waterproof hardwood has a unique locking system that locks out leaks.
• Since the planks are made with SPC solid core, the hardwood will not cup, swell or crack when professionally installed and maintained.

Still not sure which hardwood type is best for you? You can learn more about solid and engineered hardwood here.

Where Can I Install Hardwood Floors?

You can install hardwood in bedrooms, living rooms, and dens, as well as stairs. 

Hardwood flooring fares best in quiet, dry spaces with consistent relative humidity. 

The sole exception to this rule is waterproof engineered hardwood flooring.

Ready to install your new hardwood floor?

• Proper preparation is necessary, as is a level subfloor.
• Be sure to clean and protect your space before the installers arrive.
• Keep in mind that installation is messy, and dust can be expected, so plan accordingly.

Hardwood Floors & Humidity

Once your hardwood floors are installed, regular care and maintenance is recommended.

Some helpful tips include:

• Using a humidistat will help keep your hardwood floor safe. Your humidity level should not go below 35% or over 55%. This is especially critical if you have solid hardwood flooring.
• Floor protectors or felt furniture pads can prevent damage from heavy sofas and chairs, while regular cleaning and routine maintenance will ensure better tomorrows.
• Keep your solid hardwoods looking their best year after year by refinishing your planks.
• Don’t use water to mop hardwood floors.

Shop Hardwood Flooring Near You - Kerns Carpet One

To learn more about hardwood floors, visit our Kerns Carpet One showrooms in Mequon and Brookfield, WI, and speak with a flooring expert about installing hardwood flooring in your home.