“. . . is a very, very, very fine house . . .” to quote Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young. But for your place, it’s a perfect fit. It’s beautiful and everyone says what wonders you’ve done with it. You’re ready to step it up, but not quite sure what that next step is.
Right under your Feet
You’ve upgraded everything else in your house, the only thing is to get rid of that carpet. It’s getting a little threadbare, and the pads underneath are shot. They simply must go.
Nothing says class like hardwood floors. But, of course, you want the right hardwood for your floors. There’s no sense is doing something that will have to be redone in a few short years. Invest in a wood that’s going to last for a good long time, and look good that whole time.
The Best Choice
Just like everything else in your house, you want the best investment for your money. Something with durability that also manages to stay attractive.
To meet those qualifications, there is really only one option: ipe flooring throughout your house. Also known as Brazilian walnut, it’s one of the toughest woods you’ll ever find, with a janka hardness rating of 3,680 out of a possible 4,000. No wonder they also call it ironwood. It can last up to 75 years. You’ll be dead and buried before your ipe wood floors wear out.
The kids could practically play hockey on your ipe floors and the damage would be minimal. What’s better than that?
Of course, we know you’d never do that. If you want to insure that your floors last longer, feel free to place runners on the to absorb the worst of the foot traffic.
Tougher Than You Think
The density makes it perfect to keep stay survive a lot of abuse, but there is even more to how durable and tough ipe is.
That same density makes it functionally waterproof, which is why it’s such a good wood to use in building docks and boathouses. The beauty is that if one of your horde of carpet rangers spills water or something on your ironwood floor and you don’t discover it for a couple of hours, there will be little damage if any. And the chances are on the side of the no damage.
Add to that its fire rating, which is the highest of any wood out there, and you’ve got a darn tough wood for your floors throughout the house.
Easy-Peasy
For indoor uses, we recommend using a stain, to keep your ipe floors looking good as long as possible. You’ll have to put it down once every 1-2 years. Be careful not to use too much oil, or the wood will kick it back out and it can pool where that happens and it will become sticky. To reduce wear, consider using runners and carpets in your most heavily used areas in the house. Beyond that, the care is easy, a good mopping will keep the floor clean.
We at Ipe Woods USA have everything you’ll need for to make the inside of your house look as good as the outside. We can also connect you to contractors in your area who can do the work for you.