Oak Hardwood Floors
Oak still reigns as king of the hardwood floor choices because of its solidness, grain, warmth and rich appearance. Oak is truly a form of wood that can you can experience during the lifetime of your home with proper maintenance. It's these enduring qualities Mother Nature gave to this tree aided to its popularity in hardwood flooring over the centuries.
Oak has several different species that can add different hues, and grain types that add effect to its personality when installed into the home. The look of oak varies within its species. Typically you'll have red and white oak to choose from. White oak colors range from light to medium tans, grey and medium brown. Red Oak has medium colors of light tan, pink and dark browns. Color changes for the both Red and White Oak will tend to amber over time to a more golden color.
Oak has a reputation to being a sturdy and rugged wood in its nature and is considered to have a longer lasting life span as a floor than other species may offer. It also tends to have a resiliency against moisture which aids to be a great choice when considering installation in a humid climate. Some other added benefits of oak is its has natural defense against scratching and abrasions which tends to be a higher than that of denser wood species.
There appears to be many reasons why oak is the reigning champion in hardwood floors and its versatility and its affordability ranges from inexpensive to moderate. Mother Nature birthed unto us a legacy with a tree such as the oak. The larger than life natural characteristics of the oak are applied to so many uses within our everyday lives has added to the oaks legacy over the centuries. It's no wonder why we invited this species to live along with us in our homes and lives.