Petrified Wood Flooring – Pros and Cons

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  • Author Rajesh Karavadia
  • Published January 16, 2008
  • Word count 555

A lot of people today are considering getting petrified wood flooring. If you are one of these people, then you ought to be aware of the different pros and cons of getting this type of flooring. Before we tackle this, what actually is petrified wood? Well, it is actually a sort of fossilized wood. Through a process taking thousands of years, the wood has become crystallized and has become rock-hard.This presents one of the biggest advantages of petrified wood: durability. When you make use of this as a flooring material, you won't have to worry about it showing wear easily. After all, it has lasted thousands of years already, right?We all know that durability is very important when getting any type of flooring material. This is simply you will be using that material to be trampled on day after day. Since petrified wood costs so much, you do not want to end up having to replace your flooring every few years.Petrified wood flooring is also prized because of its beauty. There's nothing quite like the look offered by the fossilized wood. Although a lot of people may say that hardwood is the most beautiful type of flooring material, they most likely have not yet seen just how beautiful petrified wood can become.This beauty is also the reason why its value is so high. If you thought that authentic hardwood was expensive, wait until you see the order list for petrified wood flooring. However, this disadvantage is also compensated by the fact that getting petrified wood flooring definitely increases your house's resale value. This means that if you should decide to move, this type of flooring material will definitely help you clinch the sale fast.Another truth about petrified wood is that it is not really wood anymore. As mentioned before, it becomes rock-hard. This means that nailing it down is not really an option. You also can't use it to design a floating floor. Actually, this flooring material usually comes in the form of tiles, much like ceramic. You might try gluing it down but that will leave you with a very unsteady surface. The only option that's left is to use cement to hold it together.It also requires a whole new level of maintenance. This flooring material needs to be polished in order to keep its luster. It is also quite prone to staining. The problem with this type of flooring is that you can't really sand it down like hardwood. Well, actually, you could try, but it will take far more work and effort than you think.However, it rises above regular wood flooring in one factor: water-resistance. With petrified wood, you get something that does not need to be treated with special chemicals in order to prevent water damage. This means that if you get this type of flooring material, you can use it as flooring for your bathroom or at least areas outside them.Another advantage is sort of circular in its logic. Because of the virtues of petrified wood mentioned above, people find it prestigious if you have them. This means getting this type of flooring material will help you wow your guests. In fact, a lot of people buy petrified wood flooring simply for the prestige and end up totally amazed by its virtues.

Rajesh Karavadia is the author and webmaster of http://www.woodflooringweb.com, an website about wood flooring and Engineered Wood Flooring

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Pam MacDonald
Pam MacDonald · 16 years ago
PPPPPLLLLLLEEEEAAAASSSSEEEE help me!!! The idea of petrified wood flooring more than intrigues me, but now, I hae spent over 4 hours online looking for a place where I would purchase such a product. I do believe that Brazil was the closest I came! Help! Where do I find this product for sale? Thanks - pam

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