What Is The Best Wood for Hardwood Floors

The question on which is the best wood for hardwood floors comes up a lot, especially to homeowners. When choosing for wood for your hardwood, there are things to consider before making the decision.

One is torn in between light, dark or neutral woods.

For homeowners, the best wood depends on the price, hardness, and color. A certain wood may be good for one person and not preferred by another.

It’s usually down to homeowners’ lifestyle and preference when choosing. When choosing for woods you need to consider their reaction to changes in weather and temperature changes.

You need to consider where you installing the wood flooring either in the basement or other rooms.

One has to find the balance between the woods because there is no wood that is better than the other, taking into account one of the challenges of solid woods ability to contract and expand in different natural humidity and variations.

There is a wide range of wood types used to make hardwood flooring, some are more durable than the others.

Wood is rated by their hardness in the Janka Hardness Scale. The higher a wood is on the scale, the stronger it is and best suited for making hardwood floor.

Here are a couple of the common woods used

1. Maple

maple wood

Among maple wood types, sugar maple is the hardest and popularly used for flooring. Maple floors give a more modern than classic look due to the wood sleekness.

It’s more durable compared to other hardwoods. Its patterns are exceptionally subtle they absorb stain more.

2. Walnut

walnut wood

It’s an exotic kind of hardwood which is termed to be a robust strain. It has a darker appearance which makes it stylish.

3. Cherry

cherry wood

Compared to Brazilian cherry its durability is lower and has a pinkish hue which with time darkens. It needs great care and maintenance to last a lifetime due to its

4. Oak

oak wood

It’s one of the most popular wood floorings. Red and white oak are two types of oak species. Red oak contains a high grain pattern and varies in color and tone.

It also has a pinkish undertone. White oak, on the other hand, takes a stain which is more even than red oak. It has a  high resistance to scratches and dents.

Most homeowners go for this wood to avoid rugs. Oak comes in various stain hues and it has great patterns.

5. Mahogany

mahogany wood

The cost of purchasing this wood is high because of its color, durability, hardness, and appearance.

Apart from floors, it is also used to make musical instruments, boats, and furniture due to its durability and water resistance. Its timeless and classic look has added up to the popularity of the wood.

6. Lyptus

lyptus wood

Many individuals confuse lyptus for mahogany due to its hardness. It is harder than oak wood and its easy to finish and mill. The availability of wood across the world has increased its market value share yearly.

Its identical look to mahogany has positively increased the demand not forgetting it is way cheaper.

7. Hickory

hickory wood

It is popular in homes with a rustic touch or long finish due to its hard exteriors. For homeowners expecting a lot of traffic in their homes, it is most preferred for flooring and exterior finishes.

Families with more children get great value from this wood flooring. The advantage of hickory wood is that it goes with almost all designs.

8. Ash

It is a dense and durable hardwood. It is quite similar to oak due to the wavy and large grain patterns. Ash flooring is commonly used in high-traffic rooms in the house. Ashwood is a less expensive hardwood.

9. Eucalyptus

The wood brings a high style look to your space. Its easy availability makes it even more popular across the world and also less expensive.

Exotic wood flooring types

Generally, exotic woods are quite high in the Janka scale making them harder than other woods. They are quite costly compared to other traditional hardwoods.

They have a wide and rich grain and also contain vibrant usual colors ranging from classic brown, even purple and red.

Exotic woods such as tigerwood and Brazilian cherry show day and night contrasts in colors, from light tan to deep black.

Brazilian cherry

brazilian cherry wood

It is also known as jatoba, and is mostly grown in Brazil, Mexico, and Peru. It has a fiery red color. It’s very hard and takes sanding well.

It can also be refinished many times in its course lifetime. It is an undoubtedly commonly used exotic wood in hardwood floors. It has a beautiful variation of colors and is very durable making it popular.

Rosewood

rosewood wood

It has a unique look and the colors vary from purple to yellow.

Tigerwood

Its grain is really wide.

What to know before deciding on the best wood

Basics of choosing a wood apply

The basics of choosing a wood for your hardwood flooring usually apply. They include the lifestyle of the homeowner, room to install the flooring, and amount of traffic in the rooms helps one to choose the best wood.

Other aspects to consider include hardness of the wood, moisture resistance, and stability.

Sensitivity towards direct sunlight

A few exotic kinds of wood like tigerwood, rosewood, and Brazilian cherry darken with time. Slot of light lightens the areas with direct sunlight making them look uneven.

The location you install a certain wood floor matters and should help you in deciding the best wood for which room.

Environmental impact

Overharvesting of some exotic wood leads to some woods being endangered. This is because some species take long to mature making them less popular over time due to unavailability in the market. 

One should always make an eco-friendly section to avoid deterioration of the Forrest’s.

Knowing what you want

Knowing the names of the hardwood you want helps especially their botanic names. This is dying to the similarity in look and reference names eg Brazilian cherry and Brazilian maple.

Conclusion

Deciding on the best wood for your flooring might look like an overwhelming job but on a second thought finding the best is always everyone’s wish.

For homeowners, the look for a wood that will bring warmth to your house and elegance is never negotiable.

You don’t want to install a hardwood floor and with no time start dealing with repairs here and there due to a bad uninformed choice. 

Looking for a hardwood floor that is easy to maintain and less tear and wear is always on top of the list.

Always consider all the basics and aspects that make wood the best among many for your space. If possible do research on homeowners to get reviews of different woods before making a decision.

No wood is better than the other, it narrows down to an individual’s lifestyle and the space you want to install the hardwood. Choose best and wisely.

Leave a Comment