763-784-3000. Oak, maple, and hickory are the three most popular hardwoods for flooring. Why? And how do you choose between them?
Oak is the most popular choice for hardwood floors and with good reasons! Starting around $2 per square foot, It is also affordable. This is thanks to Its wide availability. With proper upkeep, it can last at least 25 years. Many oak floors have lasted longer than a century! An oak floor provides this value without skimping on quality. It’s one of the most structurally stable woods available. Oak is naturally resistant to fungus and insect infestation, helping to make these floors last a long time.
The colors of oak boards are varied. You can get whitish-gray boards with touches of pink, or a deep hue reminiscent to redwood. For deep, rich tones, you can stain oak flooring, highlighting any knots, grains, and textures in the wood. Whatever color you prefer, the classic warmth of oak flooring can be both unique and appealing.
Maple is the second most popular hardwood. Compared to oak, maple boards have a less-pronounced grain. Maple flooring usually comes in lighter shades, though it can range from mauve browns and grays to darker a red-brown. The often familiar lighter sandy-blonde tones of maple and choose it for a minimal, clean design. Because of the density of maple’s wood grain, it is difficult to stain, so it is better in its natural tones. However, if you’re looking for a durable and light-colored hardwood, maple could be the ideal choice for your home.
The grain in maple is much less dramatic, less busy. Because of this, you can use it in larger rooms without distracting from your home’s décor. Maple can help create a calm atmosphere. There are some higher-end styles of maple with exciting patterns, but they can cost as much as $15 to $20 per square foot. Maple hardwood is much denser than oak, giving maple a slight edge against wear and tear. You’ll often see this lighter colored hardwood on basketball courts, because of its durability.
Hickory, a hardwood native to the United States, is a lot like oak in its visual appeal, except it is much harder. It ranks 1820 on the Janka hardness scale, making it resistant to scratches and dents. Hickory is more expensive, costing at least $2 to $3 more per square foot than oak does. This is because it takes about 200 years for the hickory to mature. That’s five times longer than oak. This difference means you’ll pay. But, for strength and character, hickory will give you the best return on your investment
Whether you choose oak, maple, or hickory, you will want to make sure that your floor is installed by the best. Contact us today, for a free estimate of your floor installation project.