Deciding which wood species to use for your flooring project can be one of the most difficult decisions you will be faced with. This is because there are many different wood types that can be used for flooring, giving you a lot of excellent choices. Each is beautiful in its own way and has varying characteristics that will add to is overall appeal. One of the best ways to start the decision-making process is to know whether you want dark wood flooring or a lighter toned one.
Dark Woods can include some of the following:
African Mahogany, which features a lovely reddish brown heartwood that can even have a purple cast. Keep in mind, however, that the sapwood can be a creamy white. This is a hardwood with good stability and low shock resistance, and has a straight grain.
Cherry is often a favorite and has reddish brown heartwood, though the sapwood can be a lighter brown or even a pinkish hue. The wood has an almost satin-like texture with a flowing grain pattern. It is light-sensitive and can darken over age with sun exposure.
Walnut is a deeply rich and dark wood, though, like many other woods, features lighter colored sapwood. It’s a generally straight-grained wood, and though it doesn’t feature much luster, over time and use, it may develop a glossier surface.
Lighter Woods may include choices such as:
White Oak, with both the heartwood and sapwood, is a light color that can range from white to cream to light brown. Grains are long, and the wood itself is highly durable and has a high shock resistance. It also stains well in case you’d like to showcase your own personal coloring.
Yellow Birch can be a nice change from what you see in everyone else’s home. It is a hardwood that can be a pale white or creamy yellow in sapwood, with heartwood showing a light reddish-brown. It does have fantastic shock resistance and is quite pleasing to the eye with its curly or even wavy figuring.
Poplar can also be a bit of a switch from other more common woods with its unique blend of creamy white wood to slightly green-tinged wood. Because of these color switches, it makes staining difficult, but this hardwood is an excellent choice for paint.
These are only a few woods that you can choose from. Take some time to look at all the wood offered and then narrow down your choice, beginning with the best colors for your project. Speak with the manufacturer so you fully understand all of the wood’s characteristics and what will make the best possible option for your new floor.