Hardwood Flooring: A Look At The Most Common Hardwood Options
One of the top benefits that hardwood flooring offers is that it is very versatile. There is not just one type of hardwood floor out in the market. If you want hardwood flooring for your home, you would be able to pick from a number of options. Here are the most common hardwood flooring options:
Oak
Oak is among the top choices when it comes to hardwood. This is not a surprise since oak really features a lot of advantages. One of this is durability. If you would visit a lot of antique homes these days, there is a huge chance that their oak floors are still in excellent shape. In fact, oak which has reached more than two centuries can still look excellent. Basically, it is like red wine since it improves as it age. Oak is also abundant in styles and grades. Oak also keeps looking better as it sustains staining and minimal colouring. It might be costly but it surely is worth its price.
Cherry
Also another one of the top hardwood options is cherry flooring. Cherry flooring is highly regarded for its elegant, dark tones. Thus, it is perfect for those homeowners who seek to achieve a dark and cozy look for their home. Basically, there are two cherry types to choose from – American and Brazilian cherry. American cherry is known for its soft shade that is lighter than that of Brazilian cherry. But it is not practical for heavy traffic areas since it is not as durable as Brazilian cherry. Brazilian cherry is preferred by many and one of the reasons for this is its inexpensiveness.
Maple
Also another option to choose from is maple flooring. Maple is very attractive especially since its look is considered glamorous and magnificent. Maple is naturally dark. But most people have their maple floors stained for a darker and richer color. Maple floors are quite easy to clean. Regular vacuuming and occasional mopping can definitely keep it in its top shape. However, it would have to be buffed every once in a while especially if it is installed in high traffic areas. If you ever choose maple flooring, make sure there would not be a high level of heat and humidity in your home. These are things that maple floors cannot deal with.
Walnut
Walnut flooring is known for its rich, brown color. Most people would like the shade that is very close to chocolate brown. Walnut also shows a high level of grain variation. And it is for this that meticulous designers choose it as their flooring material. Sometimes, walnut also comes in black. Since black is a flexible color, it is a common choice in interior designing. Thus, black walnut has always been trendy. Also, walnut is considered to be a durable type of hardwood. Among the hardest walnut varieties would be the Brazilian Walnut.
Hickory
The final option that would be included in this list would be hickory flooring. Hickory is best known for its extreme durability. It is one of the hardest hardwood species out there and that makes it suitable for high traffic areas like the kitchen or even the living room. Hickory is also available in various colors ranging from whites to medium browns. Though the texture of hickory wood would make it ideal for traditional design schemes, it can also be applicable for contemporary design schemes.
These are the options that you can choose from if you ever consider hardwood flooring for your home. Do you need to have hardwood installed in your home? Do you need someone to maintain your current hardwood floor? Contact La Floor Inc. as our specialty in the area of hardwood flooring will impress you!