There are many factors that go into selecting and installing a hardwood floor. It’s a multi-faceted process and each step along the way will require careful thought and decision making. One of the most crucial choices of all is selecting the type of wood to use for your flooring project.
Choosing a hardwood floor isn’t as simple as deciding whether you prefer dark or light wood. There are many types of wood to choose from and the one you ultimately choose will depend on a number of factors.
Before you make your choice, ask yourself a few key questions:
What kind of home do you have and where in the home will the hardwood be installed?
How much traffic will the room get?
What is the décor of the room?
How much sun does the room get?
Are you looking for a particular color?
What kind of home do you have and where in the home will the hardwood be installed?
In single-family homes, the floor you choose can depend upon the existing subfloor, while your choice may be limited by your landlord or condo association in rental properties. The location of the room where you install the floor may also factor in, e.g. basements or mudrooms would likely require engineered wood rather than hardwood due to the additional moisture.
How much traffic will the room get?
The more heavily trafficked an area is, the more important it is to choose flooring that is durable and can stand up to regular wear and tear. This is especially important in homes with pets whose claws can take an even heavier toll on floors. Oftentimes, it is much more recommended to choose a denser hardwood rather than a softer one.
What is the décor of the room?
You want your hardwood to complement the overall design of your space, so you need to take the décor into consideration. If there are other woods in the room, you’ll want flooring that will work with them for a more attractive finished look. In general, some types of wood will lend themselves better to modern and elegant décor, while others are better suited to cozy, country looks. We find that the lighter the wood color, the warmer & larger the space becomes.
How much sun does the room get?
Sunlight can take a toll on wood, causing it to lighten or change hue over time, so you need to consider how much sun your room gets before choosing the type of wood to use. In rooms that get a lot of sun, you’ll want to choose a type of wood that will not fade easily. In these situations, it’s best to go for an engineered product.
Are you looking for a particular color?
Each wood has its own natural color and you can add to that with stain to achieve a more individualized look. However, not every type of wood takes to stain the same way, so if you want a particular color of flooring, you need to consider how easy it will be to achieve it with a specific type of wood.
Most stain samples you’ll find online are completed using Red & White Oak. Woods like Maple take stain entirely differently.
Where Hardwood Floors Work Best
Let’s start here, just to get a base understanding of where you might want to put your new hardwood flooring. Hardwood floors are best in rooms that are less exposed to natural elements, like water. They are not suited for mudrooms or bathrooms due to the excess moisture.
It is also best not to use solid hardwood floors in sunrooms or porched areas because the relative temperature and humidity in these locations are much less stable.
It’s a good idea to have hardwood floors in the main living parts of your home and high-traffic areas, like hallways & living rooms. This is because maintenance is much easier on wooden floors. If you get some dirt or debris somewhere it’ll be much easier to clean up on hardwood flooring than on a carpet.
If you need some advice on cleaning hardwood floors check out our blog, The Yes’s and No’s of Cleaning Hardwood Floors.
Wood floors are also great when you need to solve a design or structural problem. They are the main design component in any new home or remodel. When installed by hardwood floor contractors accordingly, they can even strengthen a floor system making it firmer and quieter to walk over.
Another place where hardwood floors are great is in areas that would otherwise be aesthetically and temperature-wise cold. They can help warm up an environment since wood is an excellent insulator.
Types Of Flooring
Now that you’ve got a better grip on where wood flooring will work best let’s take a look at the three major types: strip, plank, and parquet. Because these are the three major types of wood flooring, they are very likely to be available in a large variety, whether you are looking for finished or unfinished flooring.
Strip Flooring
This type of flooring consists of narrow boards nailed side by side to the subfloor, all running straight from wall to wall. For most, when they think of this type of flooring, red oak hardwood flooring comes to mind. It is by far the most popular method of installation as well as wood type here in Chicago.
Strip flooring comes in a wide variety of widths, ¾ in., 1 ½ in., 1 ¾ in., 2 ¼ in., and 3 ¾ inch widths. Most strip flooring installed by hardwood floor contractors today are side and end-matched. This means that both the long edges and short ends of each piece are tongue and grooved.
Most flooring today is milled this way, with a tongue and groove. This type of flooring is very versatile, so it’ll work in just about any space.
Plank Flooring
This type of flooring is very similar to strip, yet it is wider and is making inroads into strip’s dominance. Plank flooring is heavily used in modern architecture and new construction builds. For most, when they think of plank flooring, wide plank white oak flooring comes to mind. Plank flooring is available in 3 ¼ in., 4 in., 5 in., 6 in., and 7 inch widths.
The assembly of this flooring is very similar to strip flooring, with planks being nailed to the subfloor, but plank flooring is also often glued onto the top of the subfloor as well. This is because this type of flooring tends to move and react to moisture changes much more frequently and responsively.
If you have a very large open floor plan to cover, plank flooring would be the best option for you, because it offers a more homogeneous look than strip floors in the same species.
Parquet Flooring
Unlike the other two types of flooring, this one comes in individual tiles and is hand-milled piece by piece. Some say that it aesthetically is more similar to ceramic tile than hardwood floors. For installation, it is sometimes end-matched with tongue and groove, other times it’s square-edged. They are sold in individual tiles, therefore, the idea is to nail them down in a pattern.
This flooring must also be trowel glued down as well. Regular tube glue assistance will not do with this type of floor. A full trowel gluing method is required over the entire subfloor. This floor is not great to install just anywhere in your home.
The geometric patterns if not installed properly in the right space can be a jumbled mess. Yet, if the floor is installed and handled nicely it can add an inviting formality to a living or dining room. I highly recommend installing this floor design and pattern in more traditional homes.
Usually, it works best as a centerpiece of the room or in an entryway of a house. The cost of this type of installation method plus the flooring itself also makes it not super feasible to use throughout an entire home.
A Look At The Popular Hardwoods
Ultimately, the type of wood you choose is your personal preference, but as a final tip, it also helps to have an understanding of the popular hardwoods that are used for flooring so that you can make an informed choice.
Hardwoods vary in color, grain, and hardness. Each of these factors can determine which wood will work best in certain conditions.
Oak
This is one of the more popular woods and it comes in two distinct types: red and white. Red oak comes in warm tones ranging from creamy pink and golden red to rusty browns, all with light swirled grain patterns, while white oak is slightly harder than red and has gray undertones.
Both types of oak can complement a wide range of décor styles, which is what makes them the most common hardwood flooring choice. This is the type of wood you will find in 96% of residential homes, especially around the Chicago area.
Cherry
Cherry is not as hard as some of the other woods so it should ideally be used in areas with less traffic as it won’t hold up to abuse as well. Still, it is prized for its rich, warm hues and smooth grain pattern, which make it a good choice for sleek, modern designs. This wood can be very expensive and is usually used as a highlight piece in a border.
Walnut
With deep, rich, chocolate tones and a large, straight grain pattern, walnut works well in mid to light-traffic areas. Some cuts of Walnut can be harder than others. There is very little variation in color from one board to another, resulting in a smooth and consistent overall look to the completed floor. Walnut can also be quite pricey and is again usually used for borders or highlights\centerpieces to a floor.
Hickory
Hickory rates very high on the Janka scale, which is used to determine the hardness of wood, making it an ideal choice for high-traffic areas such as family rooms and kitchens. It ranges in color from creamy beige to warm brown with darker streaks and contains large knots, making it particularly suited to country and rustic décor.
Hickory can also be stained just as beautifully as Oak can, which makes it an ultimate substitute for a customer with a higher budget that would like more wear and tear resistance to their floors.
Maple
Maple is another wood that ranks high on the Janka scale, making it quite durable. It is lighter colored than many of the other top hardwoods, with shades ranging from light cream and beige to tan with a slight reddish tint.
It has a fine grain pattern with some dark streaks that add visual interest and allow it to complement a wide range of styles. Usually, Maple looks quite blotchy after staining so it is recommended to keep it looking nice, light, and natural.
What About Pine?
Many people like the knotty look of pine and it has been used for flooring for hundreds of years, but as one of the softwoods, it doesn’t necessarily hold up well to heavy use. The knots and distinct grain patterns may also make it more difficult for pine to accept stain and finish, which can affect the overall look of your room.
Consult The Experts
If you’re not sure about which type of hardwood to choose, call us! Or send us an email for a free quote here. We have an intimate knowledge of the various kinds of wood and will know which is better suited for your particular needs.
The final decision will be yours, of course, but it never hurts to get some professional input so that you can feel more confident making your ultimate choice. Don’t be afraid to ask us questions, especially if you are local to Chicago or the surrounding Northern Suburbs!
Bottom Line
Choosing from the many types of hardwood flooring available can be a daunting prospect, but it doesn’t have to be. Take the time to consider the style, traffic pattern, and location of your room, and check out all of your options so that you can decide which one will work best for you.
In the end, the choice you make should be one that suits your design style and adds the natural beauty of hardwood to your home. But it should also be one that you fall in love with and want to live with.
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