Hardwood flooring for kitchen

A complete guide to the various types of Hardwood Flooring

Hardwood flooring continues to be the most popular choice of homeowners since long. The reasons behind this are plenty, like for starters, it can last a lifetime. There is no way you can ever go wrong with wood flooring. Hardwood flooring is available in a variety of textures and finish and are therefore versatile enough to perfectly fit in every room.

Hardwood flooring for kitchen
Hardwood flooring for kitchen

Let us take a look at some of the most popular choices of hardwood flooring.

25 Types of Hardwood Flooring

1. Bamboo

This is a wood floor but not a hardwood floor; let us explain further. As you know, bamboo is actually a type of grass and bamboo wood is available in ample colour options.

One thing to be kept in mind before you go through the execution process of installing bamboo wood floors in your home is that you should not choose it for shady and damp areas. If you do that, it can either get scratched or sanded easily.

2. Maple

The astonishing thing about maple wood flooring that makes it a top favourite of homeowners is its subtle grain pattern which makes it perfect for both small and large spaces. Maple wood flooring founds its most use in high-traffic areas like kitchen, staircase because it is extremely durable.

3. Rosewood

If you look rosewood closely then you would find that it has very unique grain patterns and it also comes in a ton of attractive colours, from purple to yellow! Although rosewood has recently made its presence felt in flooring, it has been used in furniture making since centuries.

4. Walnut

One of the strongest hardwoods in the market, different species of walnut flooring is available. It looks great in most homes owing to its dark and exotic look. It is best for those spaces in homes which receives major traffic or which shelters kids and pets.

5. Pine

Contrary to the popular opinion, Pine is actually softwood or a character wood and not a hardwood by any chance. But the term softwood doesn’t imply that it is soft, rather it is more susceptible to dents and dings. Also, many people say that pinewood looks better as it ages because it reminisces of the south due to its rustic nature.

6. Brazilian Cherry

This floor owns a brown tone and thus they can add richness to any room quite easily. Brazilian cheery floors flaunt certain elegance and it also very durable at the same time.

7. Cherry

Although it is less durable than that of Brazilian cherry, normal cherry wood floors have the potency to make the spaces more beautiful on which it is installed. Upon installing, you would find the floors wrapped in a pink hue but it will deepen over time.

The only drawback of this type of floors is that it tends to scratch more easily but with refinishing, you can make them last longer.

8. Oak

It is a grand choice for old fashioned homes. Oak exudes the classic old feel and comes in two varieties which are the red oak which is much lighter and has a red hue. The other is white oak which is pale brown.

9. Hickory

One of the hardest and strongest hardwoods available, hickory hardwood flooring is known for its durability. Hickory with its rustic look and feel is perfect for log houses. It is light red-brown to medium tan coloured wood generally.

10. Ash

Ash is a type of hardwood that is specifically suited for upscale apartments which demand a chic look. Ash is a type of wood that is strong enough for heavy loads yet soft enough to stand barefoot. The negative point of ash is the amount of maintenance required.

11. Douglas Fir

The speciality of Douglas Fir is the uniformity. No matter the source tree of the planks, each one looks almost identical.  Its colour is a tone of orange and brown. Douglas Fir, however, is one of the softest woods in the market.

12. Teak

One of the hardest yet classiest woods available in the market, Teak is fast becoming a preferred choice in hardwood flooring. Known for its beautiful grains and sheen, teak can be polished to look wonderful.

13. Birch

Birch has been a very popular type of wood flooring material and is relatively cheaper and holds on to colours very well. The problem with birch is that it is very soft and is susceptible to dents and cracks.

14. Mahogany

Mahogany is a deep and dark wood that is very expensive but it is very hard and durable. Mahogany grows in warm climates.

15. Brazilian Tigerwood

As the name suggests, Brazilian Tigerwood is grown in Brazil and is extremely hard.

16. Alder

The Alder wood belongs to the Birch family and is a softer wood. It is a less expensive alternative compared to woods like cherry and maple.

17. Beech

These trees are native to Europe, Asia and Eastern US. They are slow-growing trees and can reach to giant heights. They are disease resistant and typically of pale cream colour.

18. Ebony

Probably the hardest of all hardwoods Ebony is a dark-coloured wood which is so dense that it doesn’t float in water. Because it is very rare it tends to be extremely expensive.

19. Poplar

The trees are one of the tallest and the wood is very light and soft. Poplar is a considerably inexpensive wood.

20. Acacia

It is a medium-dark coloured hardwood that is comparatively less expensive and hard.

21. Cork

Cork is a medium tan coloured hardwood that is relatively inexpensive.

22. Cypress

Cypress is known for beautiful grains and has a lighter colour tone. It is not very expensive.

23. Eucalyptus

Considered to be very hardwood, Eucalyptus is another inexpensive flooring option.

24. Pecan

Pecan is a light-coloured hardwood which is extremely strong and shock-resistant.

25 Cedar

It is one of the most popular woods of North America known for its aromatic nature. It is known for its durability and ability to slow down decay over time.

Hardwood flooring can be a great addition to your home and increase the asset value, but it is important to choose the right services that offer the best hardwood flooring options.

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