Oak still reigns as king of the hardwood flooring choices because of its timeless grains, warmth and rich appearance. Oak hardwood flooring is truly a flooring that will last the lifetime of your home with proper maintenance. It's these enduring qualities of Oak that Mother Nature gave to the Oak tree which have made it such a popular choice in hardwood flooring over the centuries.
Oak flooring has several different styles that can add different hues, and grain types that add effect to its personality when installed into the home. The look of oak hardwood flooring varies within its species. Typically you'll have Red Oak and White Oak hardwood flooring to choose from. White Oak flooring colors range from light to medium tans, grey and medium brown. Red Oak hardwood flooring has medium colors of light tan, pink and dark browns. Color changes for both the Red Oak and White Oak hardwood flooring will tend to amber over time to a slightly more golden color.
Oak hardwood flooring has a reputation of being a sturdy and rugged flooring in its nature and is considered to have a long life span. It also tends to have a resiliency against moisture which aids to be a great choice when considering installation of a hardwood floor in a humid climate. Some other added benefits of Oak hardwood flooring is that it has natural defense against scratching and abrasions which tends to be a higher than that of denser wood species. Additional defense on scratching of Oak hardwood flooring is applied by different types of finishes that are normally included by the manufacturer utilizing various technologies like UV treating and aluminum oxides.
When considering an Oak hardwood flooring or any kind of hardwood floor you have to keep in mind that hardwood flooring is a hygroscopic material. This means when Oak hardwood flooring is exposed to climate elements such as air and water it will dry or pick up moisture until it is an equilibrium with the humidity and air temperature. Moisture absorption causes hardwood flooring to swell. In return, contraction can occur in dry climate levels. In conclusion, different types of hardwood flooring species have different toleration levels to different climates. Thus, it is essential to consider what type of hardwood flooring to include within your home depending on the location of your home.
There appears to be many reasons why Oak is the most popular choice in hardwood floors..its versatility and its affordability ranges from inexpensive to moderate. Mother Nature gave us a legacy with a tree as nobel as the Oak. The larger than life natural characteristics of the Oak are applied to so many uses within our everyday lives has added to the Oaks legacy over the centuries. It's no wonder why we invited this species to live with us in our homes and lives. | 
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