Many home builders today are willing to sacrifice quality and durability for the sake of saving money. However, when compared to the relatively short lifespan of carpet and laminate, it is easy to see that hardwood flooring, such as oak flooring is a better option.

Home builders choosing their hardwood flooring options often choose oak flooring due to both its looks and durability. Oak flooring brings a warm and homey feeling to any room. In addition, it comes in a variety of colors and styles that can be adjusted to the needs of the homeowners.

Engineered and Solid Oak Flooring

There are two types of oak hardwood flooring, solid oak and engineered oak. Solid oak is a natural product that is as its name implies solid oak wood. It is very durable; however, as with many types of wood, it is susceptible to heat and humidity.

Engineered oak flooring, on the other hand, is not as susceptible to heat and humidity. Engineered oak flooring is layered with plywood, which allows for hiding of nails and adds to the durability. Engineered oak flooring tends to cost more than solid oak flooring but in the long term it is worth the investment.

Oak Flooring Styles and Colors

Homeowners can choose the style and coloring of their oak flooring based on their own personal tastes. There are different textures available like Hand Scraped Walnut Finish or Hand Scraped Antique. Brushed and White Oiled styles, along with Smoked, Aged, and Distressed variations are other options.

Color options include the Red Oak and the White Oak. Red Oak is one of the most popular hardwood flooring options. It is a warm reddish color with a coarse grain. Red Oak adds warmth and beauty to any room. It is durable hardwood, though not as durable as White Oak.

White Oak is brown in color but it can have a grayish tint. This hardwood has a grain similar in nature to Red Oak but with more swirls in the pattern. White oak is also more durable and harder than Red Oak, making it longer lasting.

Engineered Oak Flooring

Because of its stability and its ability to withstand humidity better than solid Oak, engineered Oak flooring is typically more expensive than solid Oak. Engineered Oak flooring is available in a variety of finishes, including lacquered, oiled and unfinished.

Because of the way engineered oak flooring is manufactured and is resistant to heat, humidity and moisture, it can be installed on more surfaces than solid oak flooring, including being installed as a floating floor on concrete or timber.

Advantages

Oak flooring has many advantages. It is healthier and warmer because of its insulating properties and gives warmth to any room it is installed in.

Oak flooring makes rooms look larger and more spacious. Adding oak flooring to the house adds to its value and gives the house more character. Homeowners who consider their homes to be long term investments should consider adding oak flooring to their homes.

Choosing Oak flooring for the home makes good financial sense in that the flooring will last for hundreds of years, the house will increase in value and be more appealing to prospective buyers should it ever be on the market.

Oak flooring has been an option for homeowners for hundreds of years, and now, thanks to advances in engineering is an even more durable option that will last hundreds of years into the future.

-Sharon V Chapman