Did You Know?
Helpful hardwood flooring information from Hardwood Floors of Lancaster
WHY CHECK WITH HARDWOOD FLOORS OF LANCASTER?
A 25-year member of the National Wood Flooring Association and a 2026 Wood Floor Business Outstanding Retailer Award winner. Our goal is not simply to sell flooring – it is to help homeowners make informed decisions about products, moisture, installation, performance, and long-term value.
1. Acclimation Is About the Entire Home - Not Just the Flooring
Many homeowners think hardwood flooring acclimation simply means bringing the flooring into the house and letting it sit for a few days. Proper acclimation is much more than that.
The entire home environment needs to be ready for hardwood flooring – especially the basement. Moisture originating below the living space can affect the flooring above it. The home should be operating under normal living conditions, with temperature and humidity controlled before installation.
Before installation, check with Hardwood Floors of Lancaster to make sure the home – not just the flooring – is ready.
The best hardwood installation starts before the first board is ever laid.
2. New Home Acclimation
Installing hardwood flooring in a newly constructed home requires special attention. New homes can contain substantial moisture from concrete, drywall compound, paint, framing lumber, and other building materials.
The permanent heating and air-conditioning system should be operating under normal living conditions before the flooring is installed. Installing hardwood before the house has stabilized can contribute to expansion, contraction, cupping, or gaps later.
Hardwood Floors of Lancaster can help evaluate job-site conditions before installation begins.
Give your hardwood the environment it needs before asking it to perform.
3. Building a New Home? Your Flooring Decision Could Affect Future Property Taxes
When building a new home, many buyers put expensive flooring upgrades into the builder’s contract before settlement. Depending on local assessment practices, homeowners may want to investigate whether installing an inexpensive qualifying floor through the builder and then installing their desired hardwood flooring after settlement could affect the property's initial assessed value.
Because property-tax rules vary, always verify the strategy with the appropriate local taxing authority or a qualified tax professional before making a decision.
After settlement, Hardwood Floors of Lancaster can install the hardwood flooring you really wanted.
Sometimes when you install your hardwood can be almost as important as what hardwood you install.
4. Engineered Hardwood vs. Solid Hardwood - What Is the Difference?
Both are real hardwood floors, but they are constructed differently. Solid hardwood is made from one solid piece of wood from top to bottom and, depending on the product and installation, can often be sanded and refinished multiple times.
Engineered hardwood has a real hardwood wear layer over multiple supporting layers. Its construction can provide additional dimensional stability, making it useful in certain environments and installations.
The right choice depends on the subfloor, moisture conditions, location in the home, installation method, desired appearance, and how long you expect the flooring to remain in service. Hardwood Floors of Lancaster can help determine which construction makes the most sense for your home.
The best hardwood floor is the one designed for the conditions in your home.
5. Prefinished Hardwood vs. Unfinished Hardwood
With prefinished hardwood, the stain and protective finish are applied at the factory before the flooring reaches your home. Installation can generally be completed with less disruption, and the floor is ready for use sooner.
With unfinished hardwood, the flooring is installed first and then sanded, stained, and finished inside the home. This allows greater flexibility in choosing stain colors and can create a more uniform site-finished appearance.
Both can be excellent choices. Hardwood Floors of Lancaster can explain the advantages of each so you can make an informed decision before purchasing your floor.
There is no universal best finish – there is a best finish for your particular project.
6. Not All Flooring Adds the Same Value to Your Home
Many homeowners spend thousands of dollars on laminate, vinyl plank, or click-together flooring believing that the cost will automatically increase the value of their home.
In many cases, that money should be viewed primarily as a home-improvement expense, not an investment you can expect to recover when the property is sold. Buyers may like the appearance of these products, but they generally do not carry the same long-term perception of quality, permanence, and value as genuine hardwood flooring.
By comparison, hardwood flooring can often be refinished rather than replaced, can last for decades, and has historically shown strong cost recovery in remodeling studies. The 2022 Remodeling Impact Report from the National Association of REALTORS and NARI reported an estimated 147% cost recovery for hardwood floor refinishing and 118% for new wood flooring.
Before spending thousands of dollars on flooring that may eventually be removed and replaced, check with Hardwood Floors of Lancaster and consider whether genuine hardwood may provide better long-term value for your home.
Do not just consider what a floor costs today. Consider what it may be worth to your home tomorrow.
BEFORE YOU MAKE A FLOORING DECISION, TALK WITH HARDWOOD FLOORS OF LANCASTER
There is more to choosing a hardwood floor than color and price. The right floor depends on your home, subfloor, moisture conditions, installation method, lifestyle, and long-term expectations.
Hardwood Floors of Lancaster
25-Year Member of the National Wood Flooring Association
2026 Wood Floor Business Outstanding Retailer Award Winner
Experience matters. Knowledge matters. The right flooring decision can last for generations.