About Wood
The warmth, beauty and durability of wood make it one of the most popular
flooring materials. Wood can add a special feeling of quality, permanence, and
livability to any room, and it will last the lifetime of the house if it is
properly installed. If it is well protected and well cared for, it will never
have to be refinished but will only look better as it takes on the patina of
age.
| Wood | Description | Color | Grain | Texture |
|---|
| Red Oak |
Most popular flooring wood. Beautiful light red tone of natural finish. Can be
stained in any color. Qualities: No.2, No.1, Select, Clear(the best).
| Tan to light pink | Highly figured | Medium density |
| White Oak |
Very hard. Darker in finish than red oak. Similar to red oak in working and
finishing charakteristics.
| Light to yellow | Straight to highly figured | Medium density |
| Maple |
Beautiful light color. Durable and hard underfoot.
| Light honey to near white | Fine and close | Fine texture |
| Pine |
Looks beautiful especially in wide planks. Soft and easy to scratch. Best
material for subfloors.
| White to golden | Vertical or flat; open | Low to medium density; gains patina of dents |
| Douglas Fir |
Flat grain takes stain unevenly. Vertical grain stains uniformly.
| Golden orange | Flat grain wavy and open; vertical grain very straight | Flat grain variable and uneven density; vertical grain smooth and even texture |
| Redwood |
Rich, deep color when sealed. Prone to splintering.
| Pink to rosy | Flat grain wavy and open; vertical grain very straight | Low to medium density; gains patina of dents |
| Walnut |
Makes attractive borders and accent strips. Takes finish coats uniformly.
| Reddish or chocolate brown to light tan | Straight to highly figured; burly | Hard texture; high density |
| Teak |
Best finished with oil base polyurethane.
Contains natural moisture resistant oils.
| Light to dark browns and reds | Generally straight and uniform; some species have wild grain | Smooth texture; high density |
| Pecan |
Hardest wood flooring. Spieces are interchangable.
| Honey brown to light pink | Character marked; open | Hard texture; high density |
Wood is also an insulating material, and its natural resilience makes it
comfortable to walk. When it comes to design, wood is flexible as well. Wood
floors work equally well in traditional and modern houses and form a perfect
backdrop for all sorts of interior design motifs. They can be simply finished
to show off the natural grain, or they can be stained, bleached, or painted to
add pattern and character and enhance the beauty of the wood.