If you tell someone that you plan on installing wood flooring in your home, they will generally respond in one of two ways. They might tell you how incredible that is and how beautiful they find wood flooring to be. Or, they might tell you that wood flooring is high-maintenance and advise you to choose something else. The thing is, both of these points can be true. Wood flooring is beautiful, and it can be high-maintenance — but it does not have to be. Here are some tips to help you choose wood flooring that requires less maintenance than average.

Choose a very hard wood.

If your wood floors are made from softer wood, then they are likely to develop dings and worn spots that you'll often be working to get rid of. The harder your floors, the less likely this sort of damage is to develop. Some of the hardest woods that are used to make floors include oak, cherry, and teak. Mahogany and ebony are also good choices. So, put these at the top of your list of options. Avoid soft woods like pine and cedar and softer hardwoods like elder and cottonwood.

Consider engineered wood flooring.

When people hear the term "wood flooring" they usually imagine natural planks of wood made into a floor. This is one type of wood flooring; it's the kind that was common for decades. However, these days, you can also buy engineered wood flooring. This type of wood flooring consists of several layers. The bottom layers are usually padded. The middle layer is often made from a cheaper, softer wood like pine, and only the top layer is made from hardwood. Engineered flooring is a lot less prone to shrinkage than plain, plank flooring. You don't have to worry as much about it swelling or shrinking, which makes for less maintenance over the years.

Choose a hard wax finish.

There are many different kinds of finishes that can be used on hardwood floors. One top option to consider is a hard wax finish. It's easy to apply, and you can spot-apply it to any areas that get worn or damaged without having to refinish the whole floor. There's also little to no odor, so you can refinish or improve the floor yourself. This makes maintenance easier.

Wood floors can be high-maintenance, but they do not have to be. Keep the advice above in mind when choosing a wood floor. For more information, contact a company like New York Hardwood Floors.