Hardwood Species for Flooring

Hardwood is the close-grained wood (lumber or veneer) harvested from deciduous species - a species that sheds its leaves. The term 'hardwood' has no direct relevance to the actual hardness of the wood for flooring, although density is generally greater in hardwood when compared to softwood species. Some of the more commonly available hardwoods in North America for flooring are ash, cherry, alder, white oak, red oak, and maple. Brazilian cherry, or jatoba,is an increasingly popular hardwood species for flooring, noted for hardness as well as aesthetic value.

Hardwood species are more varied than softwood. There are about a hundred times as many hardwood species than there are softwoods. Similarly, there is a variety of types, styles and finishes of hardwood floors available. Hardwood floors are popular as they are easy to clean and maintain and add value to homes. Most of the hardwoods often grow in sub tropical regions such as North America and Europe. Hardwood is very useful as it is tough and heavy with a compact texture. It is typically used for flooring, furniture and other fine interior finishes.