Hardwood Flooring: Consider These Top 3 Species
Are you looking for the best flooring stores in Markham to buy new hardwood floors for your renovation? Before you do, you have to understand that hardwood is not your average flooring. It has more variety in styles, shapes, and colours than you can imagine. Indeed, each hardwood floor is unique and offers something special, which is what makes them so popular and appealing. They are beautiful, strong, and, with proper care, can look great for decades.
But each hardwood species has its unique traits, and choosing the best among them all can be overwhelming.
Let’s break down three of the best hardwood species around to better weigh your options.
What Is the Best Hardwood Species for Flooring?
The main characteristics of hardwood flooring are texture, colour, grade, and grain.
Some hardwood has prominent patterns while others are more subtle. Both look great, and you can choose one based on the overall design of the room you are flooring. For instance, if you want a traditional design, choose the striking and noticeable grain patterns you find in oak. On the other hand, if you like a formal, minimalistic look, you should opt for subtle grain patterns like the ones found in cherry and maple. Or, if you want the strongest hardwood, choose Brazilian walnut. Its Janka scale rating is 3680 (a measurement of its hardness).
Let’s look at which hardwood flooring will look best and last the longest.
-
Oak
Oak is the most popular domestic hardwood species for flooring. There are mainly two types: white and red. It is loved for its durability, strength (on the Janka scale, white oak rates 1360; red oak, 1290), wide grain, and ability to showcase different stains.
Red oak offers a wide range of colours, from creamy pink to golden red and rusty brown, while white oak has gray undertones and no hint of red. Red oak has beautiful swirling grain patterns throughout. However, the colours and grain patterns vary from one board to the next.
Red oak complements diverse decor styles, including classic, rustic, contemporary, and country. The grain and colour of white oak do not vary much, creating an overall floor effect of smooth elegance that is suitable for many design styles. No hardwood flooring is waterproof, but white oak is more impervious to moisture than red.
-
Cherry
Cherry is known for its warm reddish and brown hues, smooth grain pattern, and textures that are shinier than many kinds of wood. It has a Janka scale ranking of 950, which is why it is best to use in lower-traffic areas like bedrooms. In sunlight, it darkens to the most beautiful, rich russet colour. For optimal visual impact, consider installing wide flooring planks (up to 8 inches) to showcase this hardwood’s beautiful grain pattern.
When it comes to hardwoods, you can’t forget Brazilian cherry. Also known as jatoba, it has a Janka rating of 2820, which makes it incredibly durable and resistant to scratches, dents, and imperfections. This hardness makes it strong enough to hold up to use in even the most high-traffic areas. It is also resistant to pests. Consider Brazilian cherry if you want a strong, beautiful, and relatively sustainable wood floor.
-
Hickory
With a Janka score of 1820, hickory is one of the most durable and commonly used hardwood species for floors. It is most suited to high-traffic zones. So, if you are looking for suitable flooring for your living room or entryway, consider hickory.
It has a wide range of tones, ranging from creamy beige with a hint of red to warm brown with dark brown streaks. It looks beautiful with large knots and colours that vary from board to board. Some may find its grain character to be dramatic; however, this is also the reason why hickory complements both rustic and country styles so well.
Each of these top three hardwood species for flooring has unique characteristics, strengths, and durability, which also distinguishes them from each other. If you are looking for the most durable hardwood flooring in Markham at an affordable price, consider any of these. And if you have a query regarding hardwood flooring, visit the flooring store near you.
