When it comes to selecting the right type of wood for your hardwood floors, there are a few factors to consider. Maple is a great option if you're looking for a consistently toned wood that's lighter in color. The color variations are minimal between the boards and the grain is subtle. Sugar maple is the hardest type of maple and therefore the most used for flooring.
It's also a great choice for a hardwood floor that will last for years. American cherry is a softer wood that offers a wide range of tones and a satin finish. It tends to redden with age and is photosensitive, so it's recommended to wait at least six months after installation before using any carpet, as this gives the wood the opportunity to darken evenly. Wider planks are the best choice with this wood, as it has a high grain and will look smoother, unlike thinner planks that will make the grain seem too busy or overwhelming. American walnut is a beautiful, sturdy wood, and that means a higher price.
However, it's a great choice for hardwood floors. It's durable and offers a range of brown tones, from light chocolate to dark chocolate. Some owners opt for Brazilian walnut, as it is an even harder type of walnut. American walnut generally lightens over time, which is a factor to consider when choosing wood stain.
The grain also tends to have a fairly wide variety, giving the wood an interesting and classic look. Birch is a light wood with a fine texture that looks like maple. Yellow birch and sweet birch are the two types of birch most used in floors, as they are hard and durable. Birch has a great deal of natural color variation, giving floors great depth. The grain is generally straight and the wood is popular because it's easy to work with and also looks beautiful in a home.
Its light color brings luminosity to a room. Using a harder variety of birch, such as sweet birch, is recommended in high-traffic areas, such as the living room or kitchen area, while you can use a softer variety, such as paper birch, in an area such as a bedroom. Alders belong to the birch family and are considered to be a soft hardwood, often used as an economical alternative to maple or cherry. There are several varieties of alder, such as western alder, Pacific coast alder, Oregon alder, and red alder. Alder is easy to work with, has a fine, uniform texture and usually straight grain patterns.
The colors range from light tan to reddish brown, although alder accepts stains well, allowing you to customize them for a richer or deeper color if you so desire. Brazilian chestnut is almost three times harder than red oak. It has poor sensitivity to light, it only darkens slightly with age. In the form of solid wood, it is not suitable for basements, but the designed Brazilian chestnut is fine for use in a basement and is ideal for use in any other room in the house besides the bathroom. With very little tonal variation between the boards and great durability, Brazilian chestnut is an excellent choice for hardwood floors.
Its color has a slight range, from medium blonde to intense chocolate brown, giving each board a unique pattern but uniform overall appearance thanks to its distinctive grain. Sapele is another African hardwood which has gained popularity in recent years because genuine mahogany is listed as an endangered plant species. It offers the same richness of color as genuine mahogany and has very distinctive and remarkable vein pattern making it ideal for giving your room comfort and character. It is harder than red oak and has proven to be very stable as hardwood flooring. Sapeli is also fairly shiny wood and will darken over time highlighting the warm dark reddish brown commonly found in genuine mahogany. Timborana floors are slightly harder than maple floors and are quite resistant to dents and wear and tear from foot traffic as well as decay.
It has beautiful golden brown tones with slightly reddish tone which darkens with age developing its brown and red tones. Timborana can be difficult to sand so professional refinishing is recommended with this wood. Its complex color tones add touch of luxury to any room. Australian cypress is harder than red oak making your floor very durable and durable. Its medium honey color and dark knots on all boards give it rustic look while veined pattern and cream-colored stripes give it distinctive character.
It has natural resistance to termites and can acclimate well to any climate although it takes little longer to acclimatize than other species. Australian cypress has high levels of resin making it difficult to sand but also making it sustainably harvested. Homeowners should continuously explore new techniques and topics related to wooden floors. This type of flooring differs from general types of wood floors which can also include engineered (artificial) or laminated wood. Wooden floors are very durable flooring option that can withstand heavy foot traffic well; however they often contain yellow mineral deposit stains which become darker if exposed to water so it is important to properly seal these floors in order to prolong their appearance and lifespan.
