Species
The wood's species is important because it can influence both appearance and durability. Not all species are equally hard. Wood, as a natural product, is subject to color changes with exposure to normal sunlight. Such changes are expected and are a desired element of the beauty and distinctiveness of wood floors. It is advantageous to move or rearrange area rugs, furniture, etc., periodically to avoid defined lines between the exposed and unexposed flooring.
Oak - species contain pronounced variations in grain and shade, adding to its character. Red Is the largest and most used species. Red oak offers a medium range of color variability from light tan tones with pink highlights to darker browns. (Color change: Pink to tan amber.) White Is one of the most loved and used wood species. It has some degree of color variability from light tan to medium brown colors. (Color change: Some muting of color variation to medium, straw brown.)
Maple - presents a cleaner more understated wood grain. It is a pale wood, offering the lightest coloration of any wood flooring. (Color change: Cream white to golden cream. Maple is an inherently smooth hardwood that will show scratches and dents more readily than oak.)
Pecan (Hickory) - provided Pecan and Hickory form an important group within the Eastern hardwood forests. Botanically they are split into two groups; the true hickories, and the pecan hickories (fruit bearing). The wood is virtually the same for both and is usually sold together. Hickory is the hardest, heaviest and strongest American wood. The sapwood of hickory is white, tinged with inconspicuous fine brown lines while the heartwood is pale to reddish brown. Both are coarse-textured and the grain is fine, usually straight but can be wavy or irregular.
American Cherry – Has a cream colored sapwood that contrast sharply with the reddish heartwood. In the heartwood the color ranges from pink red to dark red. (Color change: Pronounced change pink hues to deeper red tones. One of the hallmarks of cherry is the way that it continues to take on character with age. Its subtle graining pattern and natural color variation darken to a rich patina).
Ash – A wood renowned for its toughness and resilience. Ash varies greatly in color from a blond/cream color to a darker tan and brown, found closer to the heart of the tree. (Color change: Pale cream darkens to straw tan.)
Beech – Is a contemporary looking wood with an orange/tan color. Beech ranges in color from light cream to medium tan/brown with pink/orange overtones. (Color change: Pink/Tan tones to amber.)
Oak - species contain pronounced variations in grain and shade, adding to its character. Red Is the largest and most used species. Red oak offers a medium range of color variability from light tan tones with pink highlights to darker browns. (Color change: Pink to tan amber.) White Is one of the most loved and used wood species. It has some degree of color variability from light tan to medium brown colors. (Color change: Some muting of color variation to medium, straw brown.)
Maple - presents a cleaner more understated wood grain. It is a pale wood, offering the lightest coloration of any wood flooring. (Color change: Cream white to golden cream. Maple is an inherently smooth hardwood that will show scratches and dents more readily than oak.)
Pecan (Hickory) - provided Pecan and Hickory form an important group within the Eastern hardwood forests. Botanically they are split into two groups; the true hickories, and the pecan hickories (fruit bearing). The wood is virtually the same for both and is usually sold together. Hickory is the hardest, heaviest and strongest American wood. The sapwood of hickory is white, tinged with inconspicuous fine brown lines while the heartwood is pale to reddish brown. Both are coarse-textured and the grain is fine, usually straight but can be wavy or irregular.
American Cherry – Has a cream colored sapwood that contrast sharply with the reddish heartwood. In the heartwood the color ranges from pink red to dark red. (Color change: Pronounced change pink hues to deeper red tones. One of the hallmarks of cherry is the way that it continues to take on character with age. Its subtle graining pattern and natural color variation darken to a rich patina).
Ash – A wood renowned for its toughness and resilience. Ash varies greatly in color from a blond/cream color to a darker tan and brown, found closer to the heart of the tree. (Color change: Pale cream darkens to straw tan.)
Beech – Is a contemporary looking wood with an orange/tan color. Beech ranges in color from light cream to medium tan/brown with pink/orange overtones. (Color change: Pink/Tan tones to amber.)
Birch - A stiff wood with excellent shock resistance. The sapwood is pale yellow, while the heartwood is light reddish brown. (Color change: Freshly sanded tones to a more red/yellow color.)
Brazilian Cherry (Jatoba) – A floor made from Jatoba is beautiful and durable, retaining its appeal over the years. (Color change: Pronounced deepening of all color tones.)
Jarrah - The heartwood is uniformly pale to dark red, often with a rich mahogany hue. (Color change: Some muting of color variation darkening towards deeper red/red browns.) Merbau – Is a medium brown wood with red/orange highlights and coarse graining.
Merbau comes in a range of color variability including light, medium and dark browns. Many boards have a golden yellow dust in the pores which appears as gold “flecking” when finished. (Color change: Some muting of color variation darkening towards medium brown.)
Rosewood The warm russet tones create an interior impression that many individuals desire. The color of the hardwood is dark red which becomes red/brown with exposure. The graining is bold, straight and moderately open, with occasional wavy figuring. There can be strong contrasting in the grain of plain sawn boards. (Color change: Some muting of color variation – pink/reds become more red.)
Walnut - A medium to high degree of color change, the dark brown heartwood lightens over time to a golden brown.
Bamboo - Technically a grass bamboo compares favorably to, and even exceeds, the most popular, stable and durable of the hardwood flooring. Harvested after only 6 years it a Think Green" product.
Cork - Unlike the above trees where primary value is derived from the lumber of the trunk, cork is obtained from the bark of the tree. Cork is a sustainable Think Green product for its bark is harvested every ten years and trees live to be 150 to 200 years.
Brazilian Cherry (Jatoba) – A floor made from Jatoba is beautiful and durable, retaining its appeal over the years. (Color change: Pronounced deepening of all color tones.)
Jarrah - The heartwood is uniformly pale to dark red, often with a rich mahogany hue. (Color change: Some muting of color variation darkening towards deeper red/red browns.) Merbau – Is a medium brown wood with red/orange highlights and coarse graining.
Merbau comes in a range of color variability including light, medium and dark browns. Many boards have a golden yellow dust in the pores which appears as gold “flecking” when finished. (Color change: Some muting of color variation darkening towards medium brown.)
Rosewood The warm russet tones create an interior impression that many individuals desire. The color of the hardwood is dark red which becomes red/brown with exposure. The graining is bold, straight and moderately open, with occasional wavy figuring. There can be strong contrasting in the grain of plain sawn boards. (Color change: Some muting of color variation – pink/reds become more red.)
Walnut - A medium to high degree of color change, the dark brown heartwood lightens over time to a golden brown.
Bamboo - Technically a grass bamboo compares favorably to, and even exceeds, the most popular, stable and durable of the hardwood flooring. Harvested after only 6 years it a Think Green" product.
Cork - Unlike the above trees where primary value is derived from the lumber of the trunk, cork is obtained from the bark of the tree. Cork is a sustainable Think Green product for its bark is harvested every ten years and trees live to be 150 to 200 years.
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