Hardwood Floors Species: The Luxury of Choice in Flooring
Hardwood Flooring is an option for floors that present a range of choice for
the consumer
to consider. One such choice is that of species. Some species are very hard,
and stand
to be a notably durable choice. Others are less hard, but more forgiving when
sawed
or nailed to a subfloor. Some species of hardwood have colors which remain more
or
less constant. Others exhibit "photosensitivity", which means that the color of
the
hardwood flooring species changes as it is exposed to light. Whatever your
requirement, hardwood flooring presents an option in floors that enable you to
choose
the perfect look, texture, and general effect. Here is a selected list of
species common
for use as hardwood flooring:
Red and White Oak - These species are naturally pale in color, with hints of
pink running
through the Red Oak. Both are known for their utility across all kinds of
applications.
White Oak is known to be slightly harder than red oak, although red oak in turn
is
slightly easier to saw and nail.
American Cherry - Used for cabinet making as well as flooring, American Cherry
is
known to be an attractive species that is very easy to work with. It is not as
hard as
either red or white oak, but offers a greater tonal range of color that darkens
over time
to become even more rich in tone, due to photosensitivity.
Hard Maple - Harder still than oak, the uniform texture of maple as well as its
naturally
abrasion-resistant surface makes it an excellent choice for hardwood flooring.
Early
North American settlers relied upon maple for its hardy nature, and it
continues to be
popular today.
Brazilian Cherry AKA Jatoba - One of most notable features of this exotic
species is its
color - a rich, reddish brown that eventually ages into a lustrous burgundy.
Another
important as aspect of Jataba is how hard it is; it is harder than some species
of
mahogany. So for look as well as durability, Brazilian Cherry excels.
Hardness of hardwood species used for flooring - The Janka Hardness Scale
The Janka hardness scale is a common reference for judging the hardness of each
hardwood species. The scale is based on a test that presses a .444 inch steel
ball into
the tested hardwood species at a constant pressure. In the simplest terms, the
measurement of the scale rating is in accordance with how deep the ball is
embedded
into the wood - the deeper the ball, the softer is the wood. Listed here are
some of the
more popular species of hardwood used in flooring that have been rated
according to
the Janka test.
Along with the advantages of appearance, hardwood is and continues to be a
choice in
flooring that can add structural strength to a residence or office, whatever