Not All Hardwood Species Are The Same | Part One

Hardwood flooring can transform a mundane-styled home into an alluring utopia of beauty. Hardwood flooring is an ideal choice to integrate into your home with various styles, species, colors and cuts available; however, one of homeowners’ primary concerns about installing hardwood flooring into there space is the durability of the floor. With different species of woods being manufactured into hardwood flooring today, many species have different durability levels. We went through a couple of the most durable hardwood flooring options available to help guide you on what may be the best options for your home. To determine the different durability levels of hardwood species, the Janka Hardness Ranking(JHR) test was created. This test measures how pressure is required to mark the flooring when applying force between a given wood species and a small steel ball. If you are interested in learning more about the different hardwood species, please continue reading.

Red Oak is a domestic wood that has a respectable durability ranking. It is a very common hardwood floor choice due to its diverse range of character and graining throughout each plank of wood. Red Oak is a light-colored wood with a subtle undertone of red that makes it extremely versatile for neutral and warm-toned rooms.

 

White Oak is another great option. It is known for being even more durable than Red Oak. With a higher ranking for durability and stability, White Oak has been a traditional wood used in boat designs. White Oak is also extremely susceptible to stain which gives it many coloring options. This timeless look can transform your home and can go with a warm-tone, cool-tone, or and neutral-tone rooms.

 

This species of wood is incredibly dense making it extreme shock-resistant and durable. It is domestically speaking, the hardest wood. Hickory is commonly purchased in larger plank widths due to its variation in color. This feature can make a statement piece in a home and is very popular because of its unique variety of graining patterns and character.

 

Bolivian Koa has radical striping patterns which resemble the stripes of a tiger. This exotic species of wood is more commonly known as Tigerwood. Tigerwood is extremely scratch resistant and known for its unique rich colors and striping.

 

These woods all have different characteristics which make them desirable for your home. From exotic to domestic woods, you should be able to find a durable floor that matches your design style perfectly. Make sure you check out Not All Hardwood Species Are the Same | Part 2to learn more about other species of woods and their many benefits. Thanks for reading!