One of the most reliable and sought-after building materials available on the market today, hardwood flooring continues to impress homeowners with its performance in terms of durability and lasting beauty. More elegant than carpeted floors and more durable than vinyl tile, hardwood flooring rarely fails to please.
Choosing Hardwood Flooring Materials Guarantee Durability and Lasting Beauty There are many hardwood species to choose from, and all of them have their own characteristics that suit a homeowner’s need in terms of color, texture, hardness, and general effect, as well as specific functions. With that much variation, you are sure to find one that’s best for you. Variances in grain, board widths, natural color, and hardness of the wood are all things that are unique from one species or manufacturer to the next.
Testing For Hardness in Hardwood Flooring: There is a way to accurately measure the hardness of each type of hardwood flooring available. It is called the Janka Hardness Test. The Janka test involves pressing a .444-inch steel ball into a test piece of hardwood with constant pressure and measuring how deep the ball is embedded into the wood. The faster the ball gets into the wood, the softer it is. Woods that take much more pressure to achieve the same depth are harder and therefore have higher ratings. Oak Flooring Oak flooring is available in red and white species and has a Janka rating of 1290 and 1360 respectively. These species of hardwood appear generally pale in color, very hard, and are thus prized for their durability, although they are sometimes quite difficult to saw and nail due to the same reason. Since red oak is a bit softer than white, it can be somewhat less difficult to saw and nail to the subfloor during its installation.
More Hardwood Flooring Species Maple hardwood is a very popular hardwood for use as flooring materials because of its scratch-resistant surface. Maple ranks in at 1450 on the Janka scale and is pale in color. American Cherry is a very attractive species that is very easy to work with and has also been used in cabinet making as well as flooring. Maple is not as hard as oak at 950, but has greater range of color that eventually turns into a deep rich color over time due to its photosensitivity.
Brazilian Cherry, also known as Jatoba, it is noted for its reddish brown color that ages into a rich burgundy. It is also very hard and durable with a Janka rating of 2345. Ash is a light-colored wood that is a member of the olive family. Flooring materials made from ash hardwood exhibit good overall strength and excellent shock resistance with a Janka rating of 1320. It is seldom stained because of its large pores, but does take all other finishes well.
Black Walnut Hardwood Flooring Another popular flooring materials choice due to its smooth finish, rich color, and beautiful grain, Black Walnut is one of the more durable hardwoods. It is noted and highly prized for its dark, rich color that grows darker and richer with age. Black Walnut ranks 1010 on the Janka Scale, not as hard as Oak, but harder than Cherry. Whichever species you choose, make sure it will serve the needs of your and your family’s lifestyle.
