#KnowYourWood – A Guide To The Different Types Of Wood Flooring
Here at Chester Wood Flooring, it’s safe to say we know our wood.
With years of experience in both installing and restoring wood flooring, we’ve gained a wealth of knowledge about the different types of wood available on the market today.
In order to help you #KnowYourWood, here’s our guide to understanding the different characteristics of each wood type.
European Oak
Traditionally considered to be one of the finest wood types for construction and flooring in particular, European Oak has been used for centuries throughout Europe in the highest quality and most prestigious locations. European Oak flooring is found in almost all the Palaces, mansions and stately homes across Europe and certainly in the UK.
European Oak flooring is hard-wearing, versatile and lends itself to be used in both traditional and contemporary interiors. Due to its rich tannin content, over time European Oak develops a beautiful patina from warm golden to deeper brown tones.
Its grain structure makes it suitable for a wide variety of surface treatments and finishes which enables us to make the most beautiful flooring products to suit all interiors in an almost endless range of colours and shades.
European Oak is harvested from sustainable and well-managed forests throughout Europe with its versatility for finishing making it the number one choice for flooring.
Walnut
Luxurious, rich, classy and warm are the words that come to mind when mentioning Walnut flooring. Its distinct colour and grain make Walnut a choice to showcase luxury and quality in an interior. There are two main varieties of Walnut flooring – American Black Walnut and European Walnut.
American Black Walnut generally has a deeper and darker colour but misses the warmth and richness of the European variety. Depending on the grading Walnut comes with clearly visible, light coloured sapwood that creates a distinct light-dark pattern across the floor.
Even though Walnut is classified as a hardwood it is softer than for example Oak flooring and this should be taken into consideration when choosing this beautiful wood.
Maple
Maple flooring is a great choice when selecting a light contemporary interior. Although there are different Maple varieties, the one commonly used for flooring is Canadian Hard Maple. Depending upon the grade chosen a Maple floor is a hardwearing, evenly coloured, light-toned floor.
As Maple is darker at the heart of the tree, certain grades can create an interesting shade variety of light and dark across the floor. Because of its hardwearing properties, Maple is often used for commercial and sports use.
Jatoba
Jatoba is a rich warm wood with a distinct reddish colour. It is also known as Brazilian Cherry even though it is not part of the Cherry tree family. Its warm rich red colour combined with its hardness makes Jatoba a popular choice for a warm carefree interior.
Jatoba comes with a range of warm tones varying from warm orange to rich deep reddish-browns. Over time Jatoba darkens down to an even deeper reddish-brown colour.
The hard-wearing strength of Jatoba makes this wood very suitable for domestic and commercial use turning any home, shop or hotel into a statement of luxurious quality.
Talk to our team today to discover the ideal type of wood for your floors.
