When considering hardwood flooring for personal residences or places of business, invariably the first choice that comes to mind is oak flooring. Oak flooring is superseded not only by a long tradition of performance and lasting qualities, oak flooring is also considered to be one of the most affordable and beautiful hardwood flooring materials in the world. Installed in some of the finest homes and places of businesses in North America, oak adds elegance, charm with a hint of rustic ambiance that makes oak flooring an attractive feature sought for many generations.
With pattern of rays and sheen, oak is noted for open and coarse grains which absorb all stains more evenly, producing a floor that remains consistent throughout, regardless of the size of the room to which the installation is applied. Resistance to splitting, spills, scratching and denting are only a few of the qualities that oak is often associated with, remaining brilliant throughout many years of active lifestyles regardless of traffic patterns with superior maintenance free characteristics of this ornate hardwood flooring material.
Generally pale brown in color, oak is also seen in other distinctive colors which include white, black and red, making it a very versatile hardwood flooring material that meets all pre-set home and business owners expectations. Of the classic varieties of oak flooring available including engineered, oiled, pre-finished wide boards and planks, solid un-finished “strip” oak continues to be the most widely selected and installed variety in all homes. With recent increased interest to oiled oak flooring with the five step finishing process, oiled flooring finishes are perhaps the most durable of all available natural finishes with retaining qualities that are considered superior with respect to all others. Finished oiled oak brings to surface the true grain and texture of this remarkable hardwood flooring material that is both stunning and alluring.
Competitively priced, oak flooring is maintenance free with only light sweeping periodically required to maintain the true brilliance of it. Contrary to popular beliefs, solid oak should never be mopped or cleaned with any product that involves the application of water. Since this flooring is for all practical reasons, real wood, frequent cleaning of oak with water based cleaning solution may cause irreversible damage to finishes over extended periods of time that may result in re-finishing. When in doubt, always consult an experienced and knowledgeable wood flooring manufacturer or distributor for recommendations on cleaning solutions.
With a never-ending selection of pre-finishes available, the cost for oak flooring will average from $4-$7 per square foot with higher end material resulting in a higher price per square foot. Oak is available in four grades which include: clear, No 1 common, No 2 common and “shorts” with the clear grade the most commonly selected of all available grades. Each grade of oak flooring has distinctive qualities that separate and categorize the grade according to features and grain patterns. Oak flooring grades are priced according to quality of material with pricing per square foot pricing remaining higher for quality grades.
Installed in glued, nailed or “floating floor” fashion, nailed remains the most common method of installation used compared to all others. Nailed un-finished or pre-finished oak is typically installed by highly skilled and experienced craftsmen with specialized tools and not recommended for home or business owner installation. Although the price per square foot may rise slightly with this method of installation, the overall appearance of the finished flooring installation is well worth the expenditure of a few additional dollars.
With current trends in hardwood flooring and subsequent new developments being introduced on a daily basis, oak remains consistent in use with availability that coincides with an eco-friendly environment. Above all others, oak flooring will remain the number one choice.
