Red oak flooring is the most common hardwood flooring installed throughout North America. With reduced prices per square foot, red oak flooring was considered as one of the most expensive hardwood flooring in the past however have gained renewed interest of consumers due to new introduction of lower price schedules. With new pricing per square foot, red oak flooring once again continues to dominate the hardwood flooring market.
The appearance of red oak flooring is stunningly beautiful; with even flow appearance and consistency across the floor surface with patterns of light rays reflected in random fashion. Red oak wood flooring produces a slight red shade or tint which works extremely well with all interior design applications from modern to contemporary. The pattern of this flooring is unlike any other hardwood flooring material due to open porous grains revealing the true characteristics of this flooring, further increasing the demand.
Of all installation methods and availability of this type of hardwood flooring material, the nailed down, 2-1/4″ strips often referred to as “shorts”, remains the most popular selection. Although this flooring is available in other styles including engineered and laminate, solid red oak flooring continues to out-sell all other styles by a wide margin.
Depending on preferences of finishes, pre-finished red oak wood flooring offers a wide range of color selections that has become yet another popular feature of this type of flooring. For the more traditional home or business owners, the demand for un-finished red oak remains high however requires professional installation and finishing which adds to the overall cost per square foot. In addition, sanding the un-finished flooring material often creates dust regardless of precautions taken however is kept minimal with specialized sanding equipment. Advocates of the solid “nailed down” flooring installation are firmly convinced that un-finished material is by far superior to pre-finished material allowing for finishing options not available by any other finishing means. Of course, whether installing pre-finished or un-finished hardwood flooring material, all pros and cons of each installation method must be taken into consideration before a final selection is made.
Other than adding value to the home with higher re-sale value of great interest, the installation of this type of flooring offers additional benefits which include:
• Durable long lasting luster that lasts for years
• Easy staining and polishing
• Tremendous brilliant overall appearance with interesting grains and patterns
• Easy to maintain and clean
• Can be re-finished up to three times to accommodate changing interior styling preferences
• Natural product which is environmentally friendly
• Allergen free with no accumulation of dust mites found in traditional carpeting material
This flooring is not only solid but exceptional. Excelling in all respects to other similar hardwood flooring material, it is both versatile and durable even under high traffic conditions, maintaining brilliance for many care-free years.
Recommended installations locations include bedrooms and dining rooms adding a sense of comfort, peace and tranquility not found in other traditional hardwood flooring materials. The soft, rich tones of red oak are soothing and relaxing yet remain durable, reliable and a hardwood flooring material that will continually withstand the test of time.
