Why Install Hardwood

Making the choice to install hardwood flooring in your home is one that comes with a wide range of benefits. Hardwood flooring adds value to your home, increases its visual appeal, raises your quality of life and more, making it one of the single best upgrades for your living space.

Most Popular Hardwood Flooring Options

There are several different species of wood to choose from when deciding which type of wood floor you want to install. The two most prominent choices of wood used for wood flooring in the United States are oak and maple, with oak being the more popular of the two. Maple is a harder wood than oak, but both are very durable and sufficient for use in numerous ways. Maple is often used in gym flooring and bowling lanes, while oak is the number one choice for homes. Oak wood comes in two main variations: red and white. Other woods include ash, bamboo (which is technically a grass but has a similar hardness to oak) and cherry. Below is a simple list describing the most popular hardwoods used for new floors.

• Red Oak – slightly pink in color – grain is more pronounced than white oak – open, porous wood – easy to finish

• White Oak – slightly more brown than red oak – grain is more subtle than red oak – easy wood to finish – stains are normally darker

• Maple – more “whitish” in color – generally lightens up darker rooms – closed pores – smooth wood – should be professionally finished

• Bamboo – actually a grass, but still used for floors – same hardness as oak – only available as engineered wood

• Cherry – a lighter, reddish brown with closed pores – tough wood, softer than oak – easy to work with – attractive