If you're considering installing new hardwood in your home, is oak or maple flooring better? Each has its own distinct look, especially when sporting
If you’re considering installing new hardwood in your home, is oak or maple flooring better? Each has its own distinct look, especially when sporting a natural stain or finish that highlights the grain. What other considerations should be on your list?
We’re passing it over to the experts at Carlisle Wide Plank Floors for their analysis on oak or maple flooring.
C
lean & Natural Maple
Maple floorboards have creamy, blondish hues and feature fine, subtle grain patterns with occasional swirls. The light colour and clean complexion of Maple make it a strong choice for contemporary hardwood floors.
While Maple floors can be fashioned from both hard and soft species of maple trees, most floors today are made with hard Maple.
Oak’s Classic Appeal
When installing Oak floors, you’ll have the choice of Red Oak or White Oak. Red Oak is the lighter of the two, with pinkish, salmon tones in the heartwood and medium to heavy grain patterns.
White Oak is slightly darker, featuring light, nutty brown and cocoa hues with dramatic grain patterns that range from simple and sleek to intricate swirls.
Oak or Maple Flooring: Staining Options
Oak is a more porous wood than Maple, which makes it easier to stain. It can be difficult to achieve an even stain with Maple, which is why this hardwood is often finished with light or neutral stains or with a natural finish.
Style Differences
The subtle grain patterns in Maple floorboards work well in spaces of any size and are an especially good match with modern décor. The lighter, cleaner look of Maple will give a uniform look to larger, open spaces.
Oak wood floors feature floorboards with more personality in the grain. As one of the classic hardwood floors, Oak works nicely with both contemporary and traditional interior design schemes.
Oak or Maple Flooring & Durability
Both Oak and Maple floors are considered among the most durable wood floors and can last for generations.
Maple is among the harder wood species, with a 1450 rating on the Janka wood hardness chart. As one of the densest wood species, Maple is ideal for high-traffic areas.
Oak is slightly less hard―White Oak has a 1360 rating and Red Oak a 1290 rating. Both Red and White Oak are considered to be strong and highly resistant to scratches and dents. White Oak is more resistant to decay and is often used in boatbuilding and in outdoor projects like decks.
Oak or Maple Flooring & Investment
Oak is generally slightly more expensive than Maple, the cost of the [floor] depends on the width and length of the floorboards, the grade of the lumber and several other factors.
Which Makes the Better Floor?
When choosing between oak or maple flooring, the decision really comes down to personal preference and cost. A White or Red Oak floor is a little costlier, but it offers a wider choice of grain patterns and it stains exceptionally well.
Maple provides a harder surface that’s a bit more durable, but it can stain unevenly and provides fewer choices when it comes to grain patterns.
All photos courtesy of Carlisle Wide Plank Floors.