Maple, Oak and Hickory are the Three Most Popular Hardwood Flooring Choices
There are a number of reasons Maple, Oak and Hickory are the most popular hardwood flooring choices today. Each wood type brings a unique look and feel to the area they are installed, and each has characteristics which make them perfect for hardwood flooring. Because these three gorgeous options represent the greatest number of customer requests, I felt it necessary to dedicate today’s blog to them.
Let’s explore the qualities and similarities each wood type has, and how each one will suit your specific needs.
Maple, Oak and Hickory Come in a Broad Range of Board Widths and Styles
They are all available as solid wood and engineered wood, which can reduce the dollar investment necessary while maintaining the look and feel you want your flooring to have. They also offer a great deal of flexibility when you are considering the design and look you want to accomplish with your hardwood flooring. It really all depends on what you have in mind.
Hickory Hardwood Flooring is the Hardest of the Three
With a Janka Hardness Test rating of 1820, Hickory is easily the hardest and most wear resistant of the three. However, the cost of that hardness and wear resistance is a greater tendency to expand and contract with humidity and temperature changes. If your home or office is subject to significant changes in temperature and humidity, you might prefer to use Engineered Hickory Flooring, because the attached subflooring significantly reduces expansion and contraction. Hickory’s complex graining makes it very popular as a wide plank installation, used in high traffic areas.
Maple Hardwood Flooring Comes in a Variety of Hardness Ratings
Hard Maple and Sugar Maple Hardwood Flooring bear a respectable Janka rating of 1420, but most other Maples are far softer. Consequently, those other Maples can be more susceptible to dents and scratches. We always recommend against the softer types.
Maple Hardwood Flooring offers a creamier, lighter complexion than the other woods, with a very fine, light graining.
Red Oak Hardwood Flooring is the Single Most Popular
The dark, rosy undertones and medium to heavy graining seems to appeal to the greatest range of homeowners and businesses. The wood is beautiful, and very resistant to moisture and temperature variations.
White Oak Hardwood Flooring is the Most Stable
Not only is White Oak hard, but is the most resistant to shrinking and expanding. Olde World Craftsmen have been using White Oak to make boats, ships and barrels for thousands of years. It makes a beautiful floor and works well in kitchens.
Artisan Hardwood Floors is the Right Choice
Once you pick from your hardwood flooring choices, Artisan Hardwood Floors is the right company to choose. We have the experience and expertise your Reno/Tahoe home or business requires.
I would love the opportunity to consult with you on your next project, to show you how fast and affordable Old World Craftsmanship can be. Contact me right away, while the ideas are still fresh and percolating in your mind.
Sorin Giurca
Master Craftsman, Owner, Artisan
775-831-1379