Hardwood Floors Species: The Luxury of Choice in Flooring

Hardwood Flooring is an option for floors that present a range of choice for the consumer to consider. One such choice is that of species. Some species are very hard, and stand to be a notably durable choice. Others are less hard, but more forgiving when sawed or nailed to a subfloor. Some species of hardwood have colors which remain more or less constant. Others exhibit “photosensitivity”, which means that the color of the hardwood flooring species changes as it is exposed to light. Here is a selected list of species common for use as hardwood flooring:

• Red and White Oak – These species are naturally pale in color, with hints of pink running through the Red Oak. Both are known for their utility across all kinds of applications. White Oak is known to be slightly harder than red oak, although red oak in turn is slightly easier to saw and nail.

• American Cherry – Used for cabinet making as well as flooring, American Cherry is known to be an attractive species that is very easy to work with. It is not as hard as either red or white oak, but offers a greater tonal range of color that darkens over time to become even more rich in tone, due to photosensitivity.

• Hard Maple – Harder still than oak, the uniform texture of maple as well as its naturally abrasion-resistant surface makes it an excellent choice for hardwood flooring. Early North American settlers relied upon maple for its hardy nature, and it continues to be popular today.

• Brazilian Cherry AKA Jatoba – One of most notable features of this exotic species is its color – a rich, reddish brown that eventually ages into a lustrous burgundy. Another important as aspect of Jataba is how hard it is; it is harder than some species of mahogany. So for look as well as durability, Brazilian Cherry excels.

Hardness of hardwood species used for flooring – The Janka Hardness Scale

The Janka hardness scale is a common reference for judging the hardness of each hardwood species. The scale is based on a test that presses a .444 inch steel ball into the tested hardwood species at a constant pressure. In the simplest terms, the measurement of the scale rating is in accordance with how deep the ball is embedded into the wood – the deeper the ball, the softer is the wood. Listed here are some of the more popular species of hardwood used in flooring that have been rated according to the Janka test.

American Black Cherry – 950
American BlackWalnut– 1010
Yellow Birch– 1260
Red Oak– 1290
White Ash– 1320
White Oak– 1360
Hard Maple– 1450
Santos Mahogany- 2200
Brazilian Cherry– 2345
Brazilian Teak– 3540
Brazilian Walnut– 3680
Ebony- 3692

Along with the advantages of appearance, hardwood is and continues to be a choice in flooring that can add structural strength to a residence or office, whatever the species. Whatever your requirement, hardwood flooring presents an option in floors that enable you to choose the perfect look, texture, and general effect.