Baltimore wood flooring is a flooring material with some huge upsides, starting with appearance. In fact, if people made flooring decisions based on looks alone, it's a hard to imagine why anybody would think about installing anything but wooden flooring in Baltimore. In reality, however, other factors such as price, durability, and flooring conditions, play just as large of a role in determining whether wood flooring is the right choice for each individual homeowner. That being said, here's some helpful information to help you determine whether wooden flooring in Baltimore is the right flooring material for you.
Baltimore Wood Flooring Costs
In a perfect world, cost isn't an issue. In the real world, price is probably the single biggest determining factor when it comes to deciding whether a flooring material is a viable option for your home. ServiceMagic.com compiles data on jobs in Baltimore that began as contractor referrals in our system. Based on that data, an average Baltimore wood flooring installation costs about $5,000, though we have recorded jobs that range from $1,300, all the way up to the $10,000 range. What explains that gap of nearly $9,000 between low- and high-end installations? Your choice of materials, and the square footage of your Baltimore wooden flooring installation are the two biggest factors that influence the final cost.
Baltimore Wood Flooring Benefits
Whether you're new to the world of Baltimore wood flooring, or just need a reminder as to why this is such a popular material across the metropolitan area, here are some of the most common reasons homeowners choose wood flooring in Baltimore over other options.
Appearance—As we already stated, if appearance was the deciding factor, Baltimore wooden flooring would win the flooring material competition nine times out of 10. The classy, warm, and inviting feel of wood flooring complements just about any home design, from traditional to ultra-modern, and contributes to an overall atmosphere that is second to none.
Materials—With the exception of ceramic tile, no other flooring material offers you more choices when it comes to materials. Wood flooring is available in as many looks as there are species of trees (and with the rise in popularity of bamboo flooring, you can throw grass into the mix as well). Choose from less expensive softwoods like pine and spruce, traditional hardwoods like oak and maple, or exotic species like angelim and tigerwood. With wood flooring in Baltimore, the sky, and your budget, are your only limitations.
Design Options—There is more to choosing wood flooring than just selecting the right wood, however. Different sized flooring planks, planks that are hand scraped or distressed, mixing different wood species, installing hardwood floor inlays, choosing from different stains and finishes, and introducing other materials into the flooring design (such as ceramic tile borders), all make it possible to do more with wood flooring in Baltimore than just about any other flooring material in the industry.
Baltimore Wood Flooring Negatives
All that being said, wooden flooring in Baltimore doesn't come without a few downsides. The three biggest concerns homeowners run into are durability, location of installation, and high costs.
Durability—The biggest complaint homeowners have about wooden flooring is related to durability. Wood is not an impervious material. Over time it will get scratched up from normal day-to-day use, and if you drop a heavy object on it, you're going to see the ding. If you've got a house full of kids, or a backyard full of dogs, you might want to think twice about whether wood flooring in Baltimore is the best choice for you.
Location—Wood flooring cannot be installed just anywhere, especially in a climate as wet as Baltimore's. As a rule, you should avoid putting in solid wood floors anywhere below grade (i.e. basements). In Baltimore, that's asking for warped, misshapen flooring not too far down the road. If you want the look of wood flooring in a basement, engineered flooring is the best way to go.
Cost—Cost can be a big deterrent, especially for those on a budget, as the figures above can attest to. Wood flooring in Baltimore is not cheap, and the rarer the species you choose, the more you're going to have to spend. There are ways to cut costs, however, such as choosing engineered wooden flooring, or less expensive softwoods like pine and spruce.
Baltimore wood flooring is a great flooring material, but it's not for everyone. The best way to determine whether Baltimore wooden flooring is right for your Monument City home is to call in a contractor experienced in hardwood flooring installations. They'll be able to survey your home, determine whether wood flooring in Baltimore will meet your flooring needs, and they can give you recommendations regarding the best Baltimore wood flooring choice for you. 
Matt Goering, formerly a carpenter and house painter, is a freelance writer for the home improvement industry who has published over 600 articles.
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