Category: Flooring Comparison

How Your Lifestyle Should Influence Your Hardwood Floor Choice in Chicago

When it comes to choosing hardwood flooring for your Chicago home, style and color aren’t the only things to consider. Your lifestyle plays a major role in determining which type of hardwood will serve you best for the long haul—especially with the ever-changing Chicago weather, foot traffic from city living, and family or pet dynamics.

Here’s a quick guide to help you choose the right hardwood floor based on how you live.

1. Chicago Families with Kids or Pets? Think Durability

If your home in Chicago’s North Side or surrounding suburbs is filled with little feet (or paws) running around, durability should be your top priority. Engineered hardwood floors with a high-quality finish like UV lacquer are excellent choices. Oak—especially European White Oak—is known for its strength and resistance to wear.

Tip: Opt for a textured surface, like a brushed finish. It hides scratches better, which is perfect for homes near Chicago parks where pets and kids track in debris.

2. Busy Urban Living? Low-Maintenance Options Work Best

Living in neighborhoods like Wicker Park, Logan Square, or the Loop often means busy schedules and less time for home maintenance. If this sounds like your lifestyle, go for prefinished engineered hardwood with a protective coating. These floors are easier to clean and don’t require refinishing for years.

Look for:

  • Matte or satin finishes
  • Mid-toned stains that hide dust and dirt
  • Easy-install systems like glue-down or nail/staple with glue assist

3. Chicago Condo Owners? Consider Radiant Heat Compatibility

Many modern condos in downtown Chicago come with radiant heating systems. Not all hardwoods can handle that, but engineered wood with a stable construction is a great fit. Just make sure the flooring you choose is rated for radiant heating.

Bonus: Engineered hardwood also handles Chicago’s fluctuating humidity better than solid hardwood.

4. Love Entertaining? Go for Stylish and Sturdy

If your home is the go-to gathering spot in the neighborhood—whether you’re hosting game day or dinner parties—your floor needs to be both beautiful and tough. Wide plank hardwood (5” or more) adds a luxurious look while providing a solid surface for foot traffic.

Hot picks in Chicago homes right now:

  • European White Oak with a brushed texture
  • Neutral tones like natural, beige, or soft greys
  • Water-resistant options for kitchen and dining areas

5. Want a Cozy Vibe for Chicago Winters? Choose Warm Tones

Chicago winters can be brutal, so why not warm things up indoors with your flooring choice? Richer wood tones like honey, chestnut, or walnut bring warmth to a room—both visually and literally when paired with area rugs or radiant heat.

Your hardwood flooring should match the way you live—not just your aesthetic preferences. Whether you live in a classic Chicago bungalow in Lincoln Park or a sleek condo in River North, the right flooring will combine function, style, and longevity.

Hardwood vs Flagstone

Floors in contemporary homes have come a long way. Wood and carpet are no longer the only options. Homeowners can choose from Ceramic tile floors, wood, vinyl, marble, linoleum and other beautiful choices. If you enjoy showing off your beautiful home, and floors, here are a few tips to make cleaning and condition easy.

HARDWOOD

Your beautiful hardwood floor might have a sealer on it like lacquer, varnish or shellac. If this is the case you will need to care for your floors with solvent-based cleaners and polishes. But if your floor is treated with polyurethane, you have a few more options for cleaning and shining your floor.

Hardwood floors can be cleaned with this really easy method. Two teabags steeped in a pot of boiling water. After a few minutes put the tea in something convenient to work with, like a bucket, and using a soft cloth soaked in the tea and then wrung out until it is only damp, wash the floor. The tannic acid in the tea will leave your wood floor with a beautiful shine.

To repair cracks in hardwood floors, borrow one of your child’s crayons, the color of the floor, and rub it into the gap, filling in the crack. Heat the repaired crack with your blow dryer and then buff the area with a soft cloth.

If you’d rather not use such homegrown methods, try cleaning your floors with a liquid floor cleaner for wood floors. Open a window or other source of ventilation since these stronger chemicals can combust. With a dry wax applicator, soak a small area and then wipe clean. When your floor is dry, buff it with a floor polisher.

FLAGSTONE

Natural stone floors give look contemporary and sophisticated. Cleaning these floors is a little more work than wood, but you will love the results.

Keep them looking their finest with a commercial sealer instead of varnish or lacquer. Dirt can be cleaned from your floor with a mixture of one-quarter cup of low-sudsing cleaner mixed with one-half gallon cold water and one cup ammonia.

Wearing work gloves and with an open window for ventilation, apply the mixture using a sponge mop. When ready to rinse the floor, use clear, cold water and buff dry with a soft rag.

Upkeep is an easier process using a damp mop with fabric softener in water and applied evenly with a mop. Fix a dull film appearance with a cup of white vinegar in water. Then sit back and admire your beautiful floors.