A real hardwood floor will last the life of the home and can be refinished multiple times as needed. Most other types of flooring will be replaced every 5 to 7 years. Therefore, when considering the life-cycle cost of different types of flooring, hardwood actually ends up being less expensive in most cases. If bought with a new home for example, hardwood flooring will still be in service at the end of a 30 year mortgage, while most other flooring will have been replaced approximately 5 times. 

Onsite refinished floors can be walked on the day after the final coating is applied. The floor can withstand light traffic.