Floor Color

Dark or light wood floor?

Chose the floor color dark or light wood floor?

Hardwood is one of the most popular flooring materials because it is not only attractive, but also very durable. But when it comes to buying the right hardwood flooring for your home, you need to choose between light-colored and dark-colored options. How can you make this decision objectively? Here are some important factors you should consider when making your on-site decision.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Light Colored Hardwood Floors

Light-colored hardwood floors are known for their bright, modern appearance. It opens up the living space to create a more spacious feeling. Additionally, light-colored hardwood floors are easy to clean and hide imperfections such as stains, footprints, dust, and light-colored pet fur.

However, light-colored flooring reflects light and can make your room appear brighter than you would like. Additionally, light-colored flooring doesn't pair well with some cabinet colors.

Advantages and disadvantages of dark colored hardwood flooring

Dog laying on hardwood floors

Dark colored flooring is also a common choice for many homeowners. Its sophisticated look can complement many decor styles. The dark tone also hides imperfections, such as gaps between boards. Dark-colored hardwood floors complement most cabinet styles and stains, and they don't fade easily.

Unfortunately, dark-colored hardwood floors have light-colored footprints, dust, and pet fur. Additionally, light-colored wood flooring can make a room appear darker and smaller.

How Varnish or Stain Changes the Color of a Floor

A varnish finish on the surface of a hardwood floor serves as a protective layer that helps your floor resist spills and impacts. The varnish also fills the pores of the wood to ensure that the floor does not accumulate moisture and dust. Therefore, a varnished finish will make it easier for you to keep the floor clean. On the other hand, staining your floor is intended to accentuate it and give it the elegance that is associated with certain high-end hardwood species. For example, if your home has white oak flooring, staining it with dark wood could make it look like ebony flooring.

How to choose a floor color

There is no one best floor color for every home. The right color of wood flooring for your home depends on several factors. Some of the factors you need to consider when choosing the right color for your hardwood floor include:

Existing furniture and cabinetry

When it comes to choosing your hardwood floor color, you need to consider the context of your room. What color are the existing cabinets and furniture? The color of the floor does not have to be similar to the color of your furniture and cabinets. The color of your floor should complement rather than compete with the color of your furniture.

The size of your room

If the size of your living space is small, you can create the illusion of a more spacious room by letting in more light and even amplifying the light that does come in. For this purpose, you should opt for light-colored flooring in addition to painting the walls with bright colors and installing larger windows.

Consider both artificial light and natural light

The amount and type of light falling on your floor will significantly affect its appearance. Therefore, when testing different wood flooring colors for your home, you should examine them under both natural and artificial light in your home.

The bottom line

If you're looking for a great flooring option, hardwood flooring is the answer. Depending on what you want to achieve, you can choose light-colored or dark-colored parquet for your home. If you're not sure what will work for your home, call the experts at Dave's Floor Sanding & Installation today at 763-784-3000 or contact us online.