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.

The Character and Hardness of Wood.

Wood is a dynamic medium. Like all organic materials, it has character and quirks, responds to its environment, and changes over time. Because of its "personality", wood should be treated with understanding and a certain amount of care.

As a flooring material, wood is superior to vinyl or carpet, both practically and aesthetically. A solid wood floor is more that a covering; it adds strength and stability to the floor system. A one-inch thickness of wood has the same insulating value as 15 inches of concrete. Wood is durable and long-lasting - occasional sanding and refinishing essentially results in a brand-new floor. Wood floors don't retain mildew or absorb dust, simplifying cleaning. Perhaps the most appealing characteristics of wood flooring, though, are its attractive appearance and natural warmth. A beautiful wood floor can enliven a drab room, enhance any architectural style, complement furniture and design schemes, and add value to any home or building.

A combination of qualities should be considered when selecting a species for flooring: appearance related attributes such as texture, grain and color; as well as mechanical properties such as dimensional stability, durability, machinability and ease in finishing; and finally, availability and cost.

The following is a scale of relative hardness of selected wood flooring species based on the Janka Hardness Rating. The Janka (or side) hardness test measures the force required to embed a .444-inch steel ball to half its diameter into the wood. It is one of the best measures of the ability of a wood species to withstand denting and wear. A rating is not included for bamboo, as bamboo flooring varies greatly between different manufacturers' products and between vertical and horizontal construction. Likewise, a rating is not included for cork flooring. A higher number on the Janka scale indicates a harder wood species, while a lower number indicates a softer wood species. For example, Northern red oak, has a Janka hardness rating of 1290. Spotted gum, with a rating of 2473, is nearly twice as hard.

Walnut, Brazilian - 3680
Teak, Brazilian - 3540
Purpleheart - 2890
Cherry, Brazilian (jatoba) - 2820
Bubinga - 2690
Gum, spotted - 2473
Mesquite - 2345
Mahogany, santos - 2200
Gum, Sydney blue - 2023
Merbau - 1925
Jarrah - 1910
Hickory / Pecan - 1820
Padauk - 1725
Wenge - 1630
Maple, Brazilian - 1500
Sapele - 1500
Maple, hard - 1450
Cypress, Australian - 1375
Oak, white - 1360
Oak, Tasmanian - 1350
Ash, white - 1320
Beech - 1300
Oak, Northern red - 1290
Birch - 1260
Iroko - 1260
Pine, heart (antique) - 1225
Teak, Thai/Burmese - 1078
Walnut, American black - 1010
Cherry, black - 950
Pine, Southern yellow (longleaf) - 870
Pine, Southern yellow (loblolly/shortleaf) - 690
Douglas fir - 660

If you are in the market for wood flooring this scale can help you decide which flooring will suit your lifestyle. Contact one of our professional flooring designers and we can help you pick out the perfect wood flooring product for your home or business. Check out our website at www.elliottfloorcovering.com for more information, or call (949) 279-8858 or (760)427-3933.

The preceding information come from the NWFA (National Wood Flooring Association) Technical Publication No. A200 - Wood Species Used in Wood Flooring, Revised Edition, 2004