Why oak flooring is America’s top choice for wood floors.
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Oak is the most popular domestic hardwood in America for wood flooring. And with good reason, oak flooring is beautiful, extremely durable, easy to care for, and relatively affordable compared to some other exotic and domestic hardwoods. Dollar for dollar, oak flooring is hard to beat.
Chances are that oak floors will cause you to love your home even more. And they will increase the value of your home as well. Unlike more distinctive woods like walnut or pecan, oak is liked by almost everyone – and it goes with virtually everything. Light and dark furniture both look good with oak. And it can be used in traditional, contemporary, or sophisticated settings.
Oak flooring comes in a wide variety of finishes, so if you prefer a light or dark floor, you can still use oak. You can choose from a glossy, satin, or matte finish. You can get oak in varying widths, from 2-1/4” strips to foot-wide planks. And you can buy oak flooring that’s hand scraped, quartersawn, or distressed.
No matter what kind of look or mood you want to create, chances are, you can do it with oak. And since it’s available as solid wood flooring and also as engineered wood flooring, it can be installed virtually anywhere.
It doesn’t take much effort to maintain oak flooring. When cared for properly, oak floors will last for generations.
Unlike some tropical wood, Oak is naturally resistant to fungus, insects, and other pests. And when finished correctly, it resists liquids. But to prevent damage, any spills should be wiped up quickly.
A few concerns to consider before buying oak flooring.
Although oak is quite hard, it does scratch. High-heeled shoes, dog claws, and furniture can all leave visible marks. Fortunately, these are fairly easy to prevent, except in the case of dogs. Your best bet there is to use lots of area rugs.
Place pads under the feet of your furniture and pick it up to move it. Sliding furniture across the floor is just asking for trouble. Don’t wear high heels, cleats, or other athletic shoes on your oak floors. And use door mats in front of entry ways and throw rugs inside.
On the topic of rugs, be sure to rotate them occasionally. Oak flooring will fade in direct sunlight. And many unsuspecting homeowners have rolled up their area rugs for cleaning and seen that that flooring under the rug is no longer the same color.
Oak flooring often darkens with time, but many people find this a positive characteristic. If you’ve ever visited a 100-year-old home with oak floors, you know how beautiful the patina that comes with age can be.
When you compare the advantages and disadvantages of oak flooring, you’ll likely conclude that the benefits outweigh the drawbacks. Investing in oak floors will improve your home’s appearance and value, and give you decades of pleasure and use.
You can learn about other domestic hardwoods used in wood flooring here.
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I’ve got a hole in my hardwood floor. The hole is about an inch in diameter and about 1.5″ in depth. I’m looking for the most cost-effective way to repair this without having to remove/replace the floorboard. Anyone?