Choosing The Right Hardwood Floor Is A Difficult Decision
As there is a large variety of hardwood species, colors, patterns and grains within the same species, choosing the right hardwood floor can prove to be a difficult decision. That is why is very important to see a sample of the floor’s wood you wish to have installed in your home. Here is a short list with the most common hardwood species.
ASH
The sapwood of ash is light-colored to nearly white and the heartwood varies from greyish or light brown, to pale yellow streaked with brown. Ash hardwood is good in nailing, screwing and gluing, and can be stained to a very good finish. It dries fairly easily with minimal degrade, and there is little movement in performance.
BEECH
The sapwood of beech is white with a reddish cast, while the heartwood ranges from pale to dark reddish brown. The grain is close with a fine, even texture. Color variation between strips is moderate to wide. Beech hardwood has good nailing and gluing properties and can be stained to a good finish.
BIRCH
Birch has a white sapwood and light reddish brown heartwood. The wood is generally straight-grained with a fine uniform texture. Birch hardwood takes stain extremely well, and nails and screws satisfactorily.
CHERRY
The heartwood of cherry varies from rich red to reddish brown and will darken with age and on exposure to light. In contrast, the sapwood is creamy white. Cherry hardwood has a fine uniform, straight grain, satiny, smooth texture.
OAK
The sapwood of red oak is light-colored and the heartwood is light to dark brown. White oak hardwood is mostly straight-grained with a medium to coarse texture, with longer rays than red oak.
AMERICAN WALNUT Walnut hardwood is a tough species of medium density, low stiffness, and with moderate bending and crushing strength.
JATOBA Jatoba, also known as Brazilian cherry, is one of the hardest exotic hardwood flooring materials available. Jatoba wood species is very durable as far as rot resistance is concerned. It is also resistant to termites and most other pests.
MAPLE Maple hardwood is very durable and strong, with a smooth grain.
MAHOGANY Mahogany hardwood species is even harder, more stable and more durable than oak hardwoods.
WHITE OAK