Wood Types

Wood floors are an investment just like any other repairs or additions you do to your home. With the proper installation and maintenance hardwood floors can last the lifetime of your house. The beauty and versatility of wood ensure that it works with any décor, and they vast array of stains and finishes provide endless variations on the same surface.
There are many considerations you'll want to take explore when selecting the proper wood for your floor. The types, sizes, colors and variety of wood available can be overwhelming without some previous knowledge. You will also want to consider the wear warranties, thickness, type and number of finish coats, and construction. Below is a general overview of some important information that should be a factor in your decision making process.

Ash

Appearance:Heartwood is light tan to dark brown; sapwood is creamy white. Similar to white oak but more yellow.

Grain: Bold, straight, moderately open grain with occasional wavy figuring, and can have strong contract in grain in plainsawn boards.

Durability: Elastic, hard, excellent shock resistance.

Beech

Appearance:Reddish brown heartwood, with pale white sapwood.

Grain:Mostly closed, straight grain, uniform texture.

Durability:Elastic, hard; excellent shock resistance. Wears wells, stays smooth when subjected to friction - popular for factory floors.

Birch

Appearance:Sapwood is creamy yellow or pale white in yellow birch; heartwood is light reddish brown tinged with red. Sweet birch has light colored sapwood and heartwood is dark brown tinged with red.

Grain:Medium figuring, straight, closed grain, even textured. Occasional curly grain or wavy figure in some boards.

Durability:Hard and stiff; very strong.

Black Cherry

Appearance:Heartwood is dark to reddish brown, lustrous; sapwood is light brown to pale with a light pinkish tone.

Grain:Fine, frequently wavy, uniform texture. True quatersawn has distinctive flake pattern. Texture is satiny, with some gum pockets.

Durability:Strong, moderately hard. Usually considered too soft for an entire floor-mostly used for accents and borders.

Cypress

Appearance:Sapwood is cream colored; heartwood is honey-gold to brown with darker knots throughout.

Grain:Closed.

Durability:Excellent.

Douglas Fur

Appearance:Yellowish tan to light brown heartwood. Sapwood is tan to white Heartwood may be confused with that of Southern yellow pine. Radical color change upon exposure to sunlight.

Grain:Normally straight, with occasional wavy or spiral texture.

Durability:Durable but easily dented like soft pine.

Heart Pine

Appearance:Heartwood is yellow after cutting and turns deep pinkish tan to warm reddish brown within weeks due to high resin content.

Grain:Dense, with high figuring. Plainsawn is swirled; rift or quatersawn is primarily pinstriped. Curly or burl grain is rare.

Durability:Natural resistance to insects in heartwood; dense.

Hickory / Pecan

Appearance:Pecan heartwood is reddish brown with dark brown stripes; sapwood is white or creamy white with pinkish tones. Hickory heartwood is tan or reddish.

Grain:Pecan is open, occasionally wavy or irregular. Hickory is closed, with moderate definition; somewhat rough-textured.

Durability:Combination of strength, hardness, toughness and stiffness not found in other commercial wood.

Mesquite

Appearance:Light brown to dark reddish brown.

Grain:High in character, with ingrown bark and mineral streaks. Used in end-grain flooring blocks.

Durability:Dense and very strong.

Red Oak

Appearance:Light brown to dark reddish brown.

Grain:High in character, with ingrown bark and mineral streaks. Used in end-grain flooring blocks.

Durability:Dense and very strong.

Yellow Pine

Appearance:Heartwood varies from light yellow/orange to reddish brown or yellowish brown; sapwood is light tan to yellowish white.

Grain:Closed, with high figuring; patterns range from clear to knotty.

Durability:Soft, fairly durable, not as resist to scuff, & dents as true hardwoods.