Hardwood floors can last for decades with proper care. Some wood varieties outshine others in toughness, making them ideal for high-traffic spots or commercial settings. Width variations and a diverse palette of stain colors also provide a wide range of opportunities to match the flooring with the venue’s style and decor.
Whether you’re a seasoned professional or embarking on a DIY adventure, this guide to wood flooring types offers insights into materials, applications, and current trends. It’s a valuable resource for choosing the right hardwood floor choice for any space.
Hardwood floor characteristics
There are some things you must consider when recommending, or choosing the right type of hardwood floor for a project.
Basics
- Length: Opt for longer strips to reduce distracting end joints. In smaller spaces, shorter strips create an illusion of more roominess.
- Width: You can either go for the rustic charm of 6-inch planks, though they might widen gaps during dry periods, or choose the snug fit and go for the 2 1⁄4-inch strips. Create a balanced aesthetic with mix widths.
- Thickness: Solid boards at ¾-inch thickness offer up to 10 refinishing opportunities. Thinner variants have limited sanding capacities but, when coated with robust factory finishes, they demand less frequent refinishing.
- Hardness: This feature directly influences its resistance to dents and gouges.
Grading
Hardwood floors can be categorized based on defects like knots and color inconsistencies. The fewer the defects, the higher the cost. However, remember that what constitutes a defect varies among species; for instance, top-grade maple lacks knots, whereas they’re abundant in the same grade of Australian cypress.
Finish
- Prefinished: Go for the prefinished hardwood flooring, sanded and stained at the manufacturing site, reducing the work needed at the venue.
- Unfinished: Choose unfinished hardwood if you are interested in a personalized stain color or aiming to match existing floors.
Types of hardwood floors
1. Hickory
Characteristics:
- With its reddish hues, hickory is ideal for cabin-style flooring, enhancing rustic vibes.
- Other tones, such as copper or cinnamon shades, offer versatility for various interior applications.
- Choosing hickory often depends on its appearance and its harmony with the owner’s aesthetic preferences.
- Recognized for its “busier” grain patterns, each piece of hickory flooring boasts unique characteristics, creating a different look in every setting.
Pros & cons:
- Hickory stands out as the most durable among wood flooring options, perfect for heavy-traffic areas and homes with pets or children.
- Its varied grain pattern naturally conceals scratches, making it more resilient.
- Its rustic appearance might not go very well with modern styles.
- The wood’s hardness can also pose challenges during installation due to its lack of flexibility.
2. Oak
Characteristics:
- Oak stands as the most favored wood flooring choice due to its balanced characteristics of durability, color range, and affordability.
- European white oak floors differ notably from their American counterparts, presenting a more diverse grain pattern that shows the entire tree’s characteristics.
- Floors crafted from European oak have wide widths and extended lengths, a result of distinct log cutting and drying methods.
- Light-toned European white oak flooring is particularly effective in creating spacious, well-lit rooms, amplifying the effect of natural lighting and adding a touch of openness to the space.
Pros & cons:
- Available in red and white oak variations, its grain effectively camouflages scratches, making it suitable for heavy-traffic areas.
- It has a classic look, suiting various design styles, even ultra-modern ones.
- If exposed to sun, it yellows over time.
3. Cherry
Characteristics:
- This type of hardwood flooring has a warm hue that tends toward red or orange, due to the choice of stain.
- It is not as robust as oak or maple.
Pros & cons:
- It has a unique warm color, different from other wood flooring types.
- Its softer nature makes installation significantly easier.
- It’s suited for low-traffic areas due to its softer material composition.
- It tends to darken when exposed to sunlight over time.
4. Heart pine
Characteristics:
- Heart pine presents a gold tone with a creamier, tan sapwood, showing a striking visual contrast.
- It boasts tight grain patterns and distinct growth rings, complementing a wide range of interior designs.
Pros & cons:
- Unique visual appeal.
- It has a softer nature than other hardwood options.
5. Maple
Characteristics:
- Similar to oak, but slightly more durable.
- It’s mostly used in its natural color because the tight grain pattern poses challenges for staining darker colors.
Pros & cons:
- It’s more durable than oak.
- It’s less prone to yellowing from sun exposure compared to oak.
- Due to the tight grain pattern, it’s hard to achieve stains beyond its natural light color.
6. Barn wood
Characteristics:
- They are often reclaimed from old barns and buildings.
- It’s popular for interior spaces and frequently found in modern farmhouse styles.
Pros & cons:
- Each plank has distinctive features such as nail marks, sawn markings, and natural weathering, ensuring individuality and a unique style.
- Barn wood boasts inherent durability acquired through the aging process.
- Barnwood flooring can be more expensive compared to other types of flooring due to its unique and reclaimed nature.
- Reclaimed wood might require specific maintenance routines or treatments due to its age, potential for wear, and exposure to elements. It might need more attention or specialized care compared to new wood flooring options.
7. Ash
Characteristics:
- It resembles oak in its grain pattern, often leading to mistaken identity between the two types of flooring, but it’s better in terms of durability and appearance.
- It has a character suitable for contemporary styles, presenting a light, clear color that suits modern homes.
Pros & cons:
- It’s ideal for well-lit rooms and open floor plans due to its light color palette.
- Ash ranks impressively with a Janka hardness scale score of 1320, surpassing oak, beech, and heart pine.
- In high-traffic areas, ash could lead to visible wear over time.
- Due to its tight grain pattern, ash wood might pose challenges when attempting to stain it to darker colors.
8. Walnut
Characteristics:
- It shows a rich, dark brown hue, making it an ideal choice for historical settings, adding a touch of elegance to interiors.
- Despite being less hard than oak or hickory, walnut stands as a durable flooring option suitable for any space.
Pros & cons:
- Boasts durability, ensuring longevity in various household settings.
- Features a luxurious, warm color that enhances the ambiance of any space.
- More expensive compared to other materials due to its limited availability.
- Not as widely accessible in the market, due to its higher price point.
9. Bamboo
Characteristics:
- Despite being a grass, bamboo rivals hardwoods in terms of durability and design, offering a natural, wood-like appearance.
- Showcases a light color and exhibits moisture resistance, making it suitable for various settings.
Pros & cons:
- It’s durable and ensures longevity in different environments.
- It’s resistant to moisture, making it an excellent choice for areas prone to dampness.
- Quality can vary significantly among suppliers due to the manufacturing process.
10. Mahogany
Characteristics:
- It’s considered one of the most aesthetically pleasing hardwood flooring options due to its deep color and intricate grain.
- It’s well-suited for formal and traditional spaces.
Pros & cons:
- Exceptionally durable, ensuring long-lasting performance.
- Resistant to moisture, making it a reliable option for areas prone to dampness.
- Showcases a one-of-a-kind grain and color, adding distinctive character to any space.
- Higher cost compared to other materials, making it a more expensive flooring option.
11. Tobacco
Characteristics:
- It’s a distinct type of reclaimed wood, sourced from structures historically used for drying and curing tobacco.
- Distinguished by its origin from old structures, these refurbished wood floors provide a unique character to interior spaces.
Pros & cons:
- Tobacco carries a distinctive charm derived from its reclaimed nature, offering a unique appearance that adds character to any space.
- Structures used for tobacco curing were often built with high-quality wood, resulting in durable, solid material.
- Tobacco wood might not be as readily available as newer wood options. This limited availability could impact sourcing and pricing, making it more expensive.
- Due to its reclaimed nature and potential irregularities in pieces, installing tobacco wood flooring might be challenging, requiring more time and expertise for proper fitting and finishing.
Finishing options
Prefinished boards are ready for use upon delivery, while unfinished wood requires sanding, optional staining, and coating before furniture placement.
Here’s a breakdown of finishes to consider:
- Oil-based polyurethane: Known for its durability, it imparts a warm amber tone to wood. Allow 24 hours between coats and three days for full curing.
- Water-based polyurethane: Applies milky but quickly dries to a transparent finish. Two coats can be applied in a day, with minimal odor. Allow three days to cure.
- Stain: Uses penetrating pigments to deepen wood color and accentuate grain. Application precedes the protective finish coats.
FAQ: Choosing the right hardwood floors
What’s the purpose of the room?
- Bedroom and home office: Choose softer woods like black cherry or black walnut for less low-traffic spaces.
- Basement: Avoid solid-wood flooring due to high humidity; engineered wood is a more stable choice for below-grade areas.
- Bathroom: Wood isn’t suitable due to potential water damage from tubs and showers.
- Kitchen and entryway: Opt for durable hardwood like oak or hickory to withstand heavy foot traffic.
What’s your hardwood floor going over?
- Existing wood floor: Thinner boards with durable factory-applied finishes ensure seamless transitions to adjacent areas.
- Radiant floor: Engineered floors are a compatible choice for radiant heating systems.
- Concrete slab or tile: Nails aren’t an option here; consider click-together floating floors or those suitable for glue-down installation.
- Plywood subfloor: Any nail- or glue-down hardwood works if the subfloor is solid and even. Engineered strip or cork plank floating floors are suitable too.
For more tips on hardwood flooring or for information on any of the products we carry, reach out to First Atlanta Flooring and we’ll get back to you as soon as we can!
