One of the more requested species of domestic flooring, oak hardwood offers several options for a space. Aside from the choice of red or white oak, this hardwood can be added as a solid or engineered product or with or without finish. If you have been considering red or white oak for your space, what are the options you have for hardwood flooring?
Red and white oak species have similar qualities but also notable differences. Characterized by open and coarse grain, both species are receptive to stain and, at the same time, are not difficult to install. As harder domestic species, red and white oak are both durable, resistant to wear and tear, and provide good shock resistance.
Red oak, with a pinkish color, has monochromatic heartwood and sapwood and a plumed or flared appearance; this appearance, however, is changed when the wood is plain sawn, rift sawn, or quarter sawn. With a Janka scale rating of 1290, red oak is resistant to splitting, ideal for bleaching, easy to sand, and has good holding ability.
White oak, on the other hand, is a white, cream, or light brown color and is characterized by longer rays; the appearance, however, is less altered by plain sawn, rift sawn, or quarter sawn cuts. Slightly more durable than red oak, white oak has a Janka scale rating of 1360 and has a high concentration of tannic acid, which makes the hardwood more resistant to fungi and insects. In terms of installation, white oak is better for machining but is not ideal for bleaching.
Solid hardwood is one option for oak flooring. Considered the highest quality hardwood available, solid oak is used in conjunction with wood subfloors or built with floor joist systems. Planks are typically 3/4ths of an inch to one-inch thick, although smaller boards are available, and widths start at 2.25 inches and go up to seven inches.
Solid oak flooring, on the other hand, is affected by humidity and high temperatures and, as a result, cannot be placed below grade. If you’re looking to have oak hardwood on every floor of a home, from the basement to the attic, consider engineered flooring. Made out of three to nine plys of hardwood bonded together, engineered oak flooring is made up of the same or different species. The top layer, also called a wear layer or veneer, is high-quality oak hardwood, and each veneer below has the grain facing in a different direction. This composition allows engineered oak flooring is expand and contract less than its solid hardwood counterpart, and as a result, engineered oak flooring can be placed below grade and on top or concrete or radiant heat.
In addition to two types of hardwoods, oak flooring is available unfinished or prefinished, and one of these products may benefit your needs. Unfinished oak flooring allows you to choose a stain and blends in better with existing flooring, but installation takes significantly longer. Prefinished flooring, on the other hand, has a limited selection of stains but is installed quicker and can be used immediately after.
