Best Hardwood Floors

Wood floors come in a variety of styles, grains and colors. The look of your floor will depend a great deal on the species of wood you choose.

There are two species of cherry used in flooring – Brazilian Cherry and American Cherry. American Cherry is native to southeastern Canada, and the north and central U.S. It’s a relatively soft wood with a wide variance in color from board to board. Generally, it has a pinkish red tone to it that can change substantially with exposure to light.

Here are some specifics about cherry wood floors:

Color: Both American and Brazilian Cherry have a reddish cast, but they vary greatly in tone and color. American cherry is a soft pinkish color, with variations that can be as pale as white. Some manufacturers use a steam process to bleed the darker heartwood color into the sapwood. Cherry changes color dramatically with exposure to light, and will show a clear difference if, for instance, part of the floor is covered with a rug or by a piece of furniture for months. Brazilian Cherry is darker in color, and more uniform. While it too will darken with exposure to light, the changes wont be as dramatic or obvious as it is with American Cherry.

Grain: Cherry has a very distinctive grain – fine and uniform, with a wavy pattern often evident. Quarter sawn wood shows a ‘flake’ pattern that can be very attractive. The texture of the wood is satiny smooth.

Properties:

Strength: While not as strong as birch or oak, cherry has superior dimensional stability, making it an excellent choice for flooring.

Flexibility: Cherry is durable and flexible. As a softer wood, it may mar more easily, but ‘bounce’ and stability make it a good choice for floating floors that are laid over a sub-floor without nails or glue.

Stainability: Cherry takes stain well, with no known problems with any kind of finish.

Hardness: Wood hardness is measured using the Janka scale, a test that measures the force required to embed a steel ball into a sample of the wood. It’s an excellent measure of the durability and ability of wood to withstand everyday wear and tear. It’s also useful in determining how difficult it is to work with. American Cherry measures 950 on the Janka scale, making it one of the softer woods used in flooring. This hardness rating makes it more suitable for living and dining rooms than in rooms that will take a beating from hard traffic.

Brazilian Cherry, on the other hand, measures over 2800 on the Janka scale, making it extremely durable, tough and moisture resistant. Brazilian Cherry is a good choice for a hardwood kitchen floor.

Be aware that there are two different kinds of Cherry, with far different properties. Brazilian Cherry, with its durability and moisture resistance, is an excellent choice for rooms that will see heavy use, including kitchens and bathroom. Its deep red tones and the wide variability in coloring from board to board can make a dramatic background in a contemporary or Mediterranean style room. American Cherry is more rustic in appearance, but no less attractive. With a smooth satin finish, it would be a beautiful choice for a formal dining or living area.

Buying wood flooring online

Online wouldn’t be the first place most people would go to look for wood flooring, but now it’s essential to look online. Why? Simply because online prices are so competitive.

Think about it. An online store doesn’t need to position itself where it attracts local traffic, so it can house itself and store it’s products in low cost locations, thereby keeping costs down. That’s why online stores are so competitive. But make sure you look for a large reputable store.

LumberLiquidators.com is the biggest online flooring store. If you’re looking online for flooring you’ve got to check them out!