Choosing Hardwood: Domestic Hardwood and Durability

Getting new hardwood floors can sometimes be a daunting task. You want to pick a species that fits the aesthetic of your home, but you also want to make an educated choice. Nothing is worse than unknowingly ruining new floors. Well at Plus Hardwood Flooring, we are here to help. Below is a list of domestic hardwood species, and their durability, so you can be more than prepared for all your future hardwood decisions. 

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White Oak 

This popular hardwood species ranges from light brown to tan with some boards having a pinkish tint, and others being more grayish. A big plus, you won't have to worry too much about the sturdiness of this species because compared to most softwoods, it's quite durable. The only downfall is that it isn't as moisture stable as red oak. 

Red Oak

This type of oak differs from white oak not only in color, but in durability. Even though this species can hold its own when it comes to durability, it doesn't match up to white oak. Normal coloring of this wood ranges from brownish reds to light pink. 

Walnut

This species instantly brings warmth into any room. It normally has fine, straight grain, but some boards can have burl or curly grain figures. Walnut is very durable, but not as dent resistant as oak. Walnut also goes through little movement from average changes in moisture. 

Hickory

This domestic species is one of the toughest around. It is extremely durable and very resilient, which makes it a great hardwood to put in any space. The coloring of hickory can range from creamy whites to reddish brown. 

Maple

As far as Maple goes, there are two types you can choose from, hard and soft. Scratching up hard maple is extremely difficult, while soft maple isn't as abrasion resistant. Even though this may be the case, soft maple has good moisture stability. When comparing the look of both types, soft maple normally shows more black streaking throughout.

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As always, if you'd like to schedule a hardwood flooring project with us, feel free to contact us via our contact page. We look forward to working with you!

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