Hardwood is every bit as tough and durable as the name suggests. It can take everything that active families subject it to day-after-day and still look great for decades. Today's hardwood, which can be had in a very-complete selection of colors and styles, is bright and beautiful to look at and provides long useable life.
Hardwood floors will actually last for a lifetime or more; they can still be found in good condition in homes that were constructed more than 100 years ago. Although hardwood is not inexpensive initially, it will prove to be quite cost effective over time, since you only need to install it once. However, when it eventually does lose some of its original shine, it can be inexpensively refinished to restore its good looks and last for many more decades.
Hardwood flooring will also keep your home cooler during the summer and warmer in the winter thanks to its insulating qualities. Therefore, you can count on seeing a meaningful reduction in your energy bills after it has been installed in your home.