HARD WOOD OR SOFT WOOD TIMBER STAIRCASE? CHOOSING WHAT’S RIGHT FOR YOUR HOME

11 November 2015

Staircases are essential for multi-storied homes and buildings, especially if you’re a homeowner looking to expand your available space without having to extend your home outward. In today’s trying times, when prices constantly soar, extending a home outward is no longer in vogue. The only other way to expand a home, to add more space to a growing household, is to expand it upwards.

In most multi-storied homes, staircases act not only as a means of access to the higher levels, but likewise functions as a type of aesthetic pathway that can be both practical and beautiful. Most people who decide to extend their homes upwards another story sometimes have difficulty deciding what type of staircase to have installed. There are various types of staircases that combine the best of durability and aesthetic beauty, and only one material can truly offer both – timber. That is why many homeowners opt for a classic timber staircase.

A Guide to Choosing Timber Staicases

If you’re having a hard time deciding what type of wood staircase to select, you have to consider three things: your budget, your desired aesthetic look, the ambiance you want to create, and the amount of effort to maintain the staircase.

There are basically two distinct types of timber staircases: those made from hard wood, and those made from soft wood. While each type has its own distinct pros and cons, hard wood staircases are generally presumed to last longer and require lesser maintenance than soft wood staircases. In a nutshell, staircases made from hard wood have a tendency to likewise appear darker, sporting warm or deep earthy tones, while soft wood staircases feature lighter tones.

If you don’t mind a staircase that ages well with time; one that becomes a virtual testament to your daily activities with marks of treading, footfalls, scratches and other signs of wear and tear, which is strongly desired by the Japanese in the concept called ‘wabi-sabi’, then softer wood is right for you.

Unfortunately, softwoods require more maintenance and upkeep than their harder cousins, although with the right treatment it can look just as appealing as darker woods. On the other hand, if you’re after wood that is long-lasting, that strengthens with age and time; a wood that requires very little maintenance and care outside of the occasional polishing and buffing to maintain a superior shine, then opting for a hard timber staircase is best for you.

If you are still not sure which type of timber staircases to choose, then you can get some advice from people who know all about staircases – planetstairs.com.au

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