If you want the look of beautiful hard wood floors, you are not alone. Hard wood floors are one of the most sought after home furnishings. The average price of standard wood floors (typically oak, maple or cherry) starts at around $7/per sq. foot and can go all the way up to $15/per sq. foot when labor is factored in. When you want to save yourself some cash, there are a couple of options that can help you get the same look and feel without breaking the bank.

•  Ask for pine – Pine is often overlooked because it is a “soft wood,” meaning that cupping in all likelihood will occur. Cupping is the only downfall though, so if you think this adds character to your floors, make sure to ask your installer about it. If pine is common near or in your area, that can also help keep the price down.
• DIY – If you have some handyman skills, changing the floors in your home could be a very viable option. When making the pricing estimate, make sure to factor in time. If the time it takes you to do it doesn’t come out below the price of paying someone else to do it, it may not be worth it. If there are steps of the process that you don’t mind doing yourself (purchasing and delivering the wood, removing old flooring, etc.) ask your installer if there are fees that can be eliminated if you complete those steps yourself.
• Floating floors – Floating floors are called that because they do not need to be glued or nailed to the subfloor, each piece is glued to the one next to it. They are a great way to save money but should not be installed in bathrooms or other places in the home where floors often get wet.
• Laminate – If none of these options seem like the right one for you, maybe you should stray away from real hard wood all together and head straight for the laminate. It used to be thought of as just the cheaper alternative, but laminate has come a long way and can provide you with a beautiful wood look and feel for a much lower cost. Even better, it can handle any room in the house!