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We have hardwoods throughout the entire house except the bedrooms. Kids like carpet on their floor but i have cats who barf up hairballs and it would be easier to clean up on hardwoods instead of carpet. We do have area rugs in living areas and the dogs will only play and run on these rugs cause they can't get any traction on hardwood floors.
My last house had hardwoods everywhere except the unfinished basement. I loved it! When we moved here, I was surprised to see all the carpet in homes, its not my thing, but I guess some people prefer it. Our current home has hardwoods on the first floor, carpet on the second. As soon as it fits in the budget, I'd like to rip out the carpet and have hardwoods installed throughout.
Proper installation of hardwood floors in the hallway served by the staircase would require removing the stairs and installing all new stair jacks, or uniquely shimming each riser, to accomdate the newly increased height difference between the first and second floor.
This is likely why Sherifftruman's builder would not perform that change. Either the stair jacks were already installed, or his crew did not possess the math skills necessary to custom cut stair jacks for this purpose since the "standard" jacks would not pass code with hardwood on the upper floor.
Thank you for this information. I am doing a home renovation/addition project now and we plan to do the stairway and hallway upstairs in hardwood. It will be interesting to see how the builder addresses the stair jacks issue, but knowing him, I am sure he is well adept in doing it right. We plan to only have carpet in the 3 bedrooms upstairs and will have hardwood floors in the hallway, existing bonus room and the new area off the bonus room.
If the home is already constructed I would advise against harwood floors in the hallway served by the staricase. Adding hardwood in the bedrooms only would be relatively easy - provided you don't plan to install the full 3/4-inch thick wood floors.
Proper installation of hardwood floors in the hallway served by the staircase would require removing the stairs and installing all new stair jacks, or uniquely shimming each riser, to accomdate the newly increased height difference between the first and second floor.
This is likely why Sherifftruman's builder would not perform that change. Either the stair jacks were already installed, or his crew did not possess the math skills necessary to custom cut stair jacks for this purpose since the "standard" jacks would not pass code with hardwood on the upper floor.
Our house did have prebuilt stair sections, but we thought it through and since we used the same engineered flooring they put in downstairs it was only about 3/8 thick, which still stayed within the acceptable tolerance per riser compared to the carpet. When we measured, its pretty much the same rise as before. We did leave carpet on the stairs though as much for safety as the pain in the rear factor.
All things equal, I'd buy a home with hardwoods through out in an instant over one with carpet. I just moved to a house with carpet after 6 years of living in one with all hardwoods and tile and I despise the carpet. My dog (a mastiff) slobbers and tracks dirt in from the back yard and I've spent a little bit of each day since I moved in wandering around with a bottle of woolite and a scrub brush spot cleaning the carpet. Next year, when I buy a home in the area, I'll DEFINITELY be looking for solid surfaces in the new place.
I'm in the "prefer carpeting in the bedroom" camp. Other than bathrooms/laundry rooms, I like hardwoods everywhere else, though. I would not discount hardwoods in a bedroom, as I could place large area rugs under the bed, but I would neither view it as a plus nor spend extra to buy such a house.
If the home is already constructed I would advise against harwood floors in the hallway served by the staricase. Adding hardwood in the bedrooms only would be relatively easy - provided you don't plan to install the full 3/4-inch thick wood floors.
Proper installation of hardwood floors in the hallway served by the staircase would require removing the stairs and installing all new stair jacks, or uniquely shimming each riser, to accomdate the newly increased height difference between the first and second floor.
This is likely why Sherifftruman's builder would not perform that change. Either the stair jacks were already installed, or his crew did not possess the math skills necessary to custom cut stair jacks for this purpose since the "standard" jacks would not pass code with hardwood on the upper floor.
Good point.
However, many custom builders provide an oak nosing at the top of the stairs, so the 2nd level will at least accommodate engineered wood, and possibly full wood floors without changing the rise of the top step.
Hardwood in the hall of the 2nd level is becoming more common in newer construction.
It is an easy tell that an amateur did the wood floors if the top rise is different from the others.
I have even seen where laminate floors are put on the 2nd level, and one of those butt-ugly transition strips is put right at the edge of the 2nd floor to create a significant trip hazard.
Fail!
Last edited by MikeJaquish; 04-02-2012 at 03:46 PM..
One thing to consider...after so many years they can be very creaky and noisy downstairs. I think they were added to our house, we have them in our master & bonus room. I love the look, and I guess its like a security system since there is no way someone could sneak around....
I love hardwoods. I have them entirely on the first floor, including the kitchen. My house is 20 years old and they still look great. I did have them screened and a coat of poly put down a couple of years ago.
About 5 years ago, I took the carpet off both the front stairs and the back ones. That carpet was disgusting and we don't wear shoes in the house. I had the back stairs refinished, they already were pine. The front stairs, I added oak and had them finished to match the floors.
Upstairs, I put hardwoods in the hallway. You can hear people walking up there but I love the look and it is so much easier to clean up.
If I had my way, I'd have hardwood in the bedrooms too but hubby and kids didn't want it!
I think many folks would love hardwoods but the cost keeps them from having it all through the home.
Vicki
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I hate carpet
Next year, when I buy a home in the area, I'll DEFINITELY be looking for solid surfaces in the new place.
