Hardwood flooring has many benefits: It is beautiful and durable, and more hygienic than carpeting. If there’s a downside to hardwood floors, however, it is that installing new flooring can cost a hefty sum. If you’d like to renew your kitchen, entryway, bedroom—or any room—by adding new hardwood floors, but high costs are preventing you from achieving your dream home, take heart. There are affordable options for hardwood flooring, if you know where to look. When shopping for hardwood flooring, pay attention to the grade and the Janka hardness rating. Grade refers to the quality of the wood, and indicates the likelihood that boards will be marked by visible imperfections like knots, holes, wormholes, and color variation. Because these imperfections do not appeal to all consumers, lower grade wood floors like Natural or Cabin are generally less expensive than higher grade floors like Clear or Select. The Janka hardness rating, on the other hand, is a measure of the durability of the flooring. Trees like Bamboo, Hevea, and Acacia are softer than consumer favorites like Maple and Oak, while Hickory is harder and more durable than almost any other hardwood flooring. Even if you don’t have a big budget to spend on new hardwood floors, chances are you can find something that works for your home and your budget. Check our list to see some of the affordable hardwood flooring options that exist today.