Four Steps to Selecting a New Wood Floor:
Step 1: Wood Type: Solid
| Prefinished Laminate | Laminated
| Acrylic |
Step 2: Wood Floor Styles |
Step 3: Stain Selection |
Step 4: Finishes | Jobsite
Finish | Factory
Pre-Finish |
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New Flooring Selection
#1 Wood Species/Type Selection
Lets start with wood species selection. More than 22 domestic and imported wood species are used for wood flooring. The most common of these are Red Oak, White Oak, Maple, Pine and Hickory/Pecan. Other domestic woods that make beautiful flooring are: Ash, Beech, Birch, Black Cherry, Mesquite and Walnut.
If you're interested in a more exotic species, there are many imported woods available. Some of these exotics are Brazilian Cherry, Australian Cypress, Jarrah, Mahogany, Merabau, Padauk, Purpleheart, Teak, Wenge and many others.
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We installed this Jarrah wood flooring throughout this home. It is 3/4" x 3 1/4". The color is natural and we applied a polyurethane finish. |
The most common and versatile species is oak whether it be white or red oak. Oak flooring is most versatile because it takes stains most evenly. If you choose an oak floor you can stain it anywhere from white to black and any brown in between. With many other species it's best to leave the flooring natural in color which enhances that species' natural beauty. This is especially true with exotic woods. Some species can look uneven when stained.
When selecting the type of flooring, there are more choices today than ever. Following is a comparison of the main types of flooring available:
Solid Wood
Prefinished Laminated Wood
Laminated
Acrylic Impregnated Wood
#2 Wood Style Selection
Wood flooring is available in several styles. The style you choose is strictly a matter of personal preference. Below is a brief description of your available options
#3 Stain Selection
A wide range of stains are available for use on your floor that will be finished on-site, giving you unlimited possibilities for customizing your floor's color.
#4 Finish Selection
Job-Site or Factory Finish
Next take a look at whether you prefer a finish that is applied at the job-site or applied at the factory. All solid wood flooring and some laminated wood flooring is unfinished which gives you several options on how the finish will be applied. If you choose an acrylic impregnated floor, these are always factory finished as are most laminated products. Read through our Comparing Finishes section in the Install Section for more specific information.
Comparing Finishes
Job-Site Finish
Factory Finish