Ever Wonder Where Your Hardwood Floor Comes From?

These days, wood flooring can literally bring the world to your feet, thanks to the speed of transportation, industrialization and global commerce.  And with all that comes an endless rainbow of wood colors, grains and textures, all of them unique characteristics that make each of the species in the wood flooring portfolio unique themselves.  Further enhancing the character of the species you select are steps we humans take, such as the manner and size in which each board is cut, processsed and finished.

When we talk about "species" we are simply defining the kind of wood your floor is made from.  In the case of the multi-ply engineered variety, that's the top layer you see.  It is the species that determines everything from color to grain to hardness.  Regardless of the species, it's best to begin with what kind of look you want.  Hardwoods are typically deciduous trees, meaning they have broad leaves that fall, leaving the tree bare during the winter.  There are hundreds of hardwood varieties just in North America, and more than 1,600 worldwide.