Hardwood floors are getting really groovy these days.
I don’t mean “groovy” as in “cool.” I haven’t forgotten what decade it is!
Besides, hardwood floors have always been “groovy” in that sense, so nothing new there.
I’m talking about the increasing popularity of hardwood floors that highlight grooves in the wood. Whether they’re hand-scraped, wire-brushed, or distressed, groovy floors are catching on.
Imperfections such as grooves are beautiful to many people. They want a craftsman-style look, with its lived-in feel. Grooves give the flooring just the “old,” “worn” character they’re after.
Another reason people like grooves is that they help hide dents, gouges, and scratches that might happen (think pets and children). Any hardwood floor can be kept in good condition with proper care, but hand-scraped, wire-brushed, and distressed floors make it far less noticeable if any wear does happen. It just blends in.
It’s sort of like the “if you can’t beat ’em, join ’em” idea. Homeowners are deciding they would rather embrace imperfections than worry about them.
This is also why we’re seeing dull sheens growing in popularity—like grooves, they help hide any imperfections that occur. People want to get on with their lives after installation without having to feel like they’re walking on eggshells.
Wire-brushed hardwood floors are created using a machine with hard wire brushes that scrapes off the soft top layer of the wood. The wood that’s left shows more natural characteristics (e.g., grain, knots), and we don’t sand it flat, so the slight natural grooves in its texture remain.
Hand-scraped floors are manually scraped, just as they were many years ago. When you had a crew of eight guys all scraping a floor, there was no way they were going to get it perfectly flat—there were always variations (grooves) in their texture. When we hand-scrape floors, we recreate that look.
Distressed floors are just what they sound like—wires, chains, nails, screws, etc. are used to beat up the floor. The result is a floor that looks like it might have once been the floor of a barn, workshop, factory, etc. Some people really embrace imperfections!
All of these styles appeal to homeowners who like a worn look and also want to be able to live their live—to “get on with their groove,” if you will— without worrying about dinging their floor in a way that will draw the eye.
You need to see these floors in person to fully appreciate them, so come by our showroom and check out the possibilities. Many people who see samples have an ah-ah moment, realizing this style of floor can enrich their lifestyle and serve as the centerpiece of their interior design.
Photo courtesy of Chelsea Plank Flooring®
