Help - What's the Best Hardwood Flooring

15 years ago

I am building a new home. We have two active young kids, two dogs and a lot of traffic. What is the best, sturdiest, scratch resistant hardwood flooring that you would recommend? We are also looking for a dark hardwood flooring (which we may have to stain to get the dark brownish or reddish color that we want)? Hence, in addition to your recommedations, we would also love to see your pictures. Thanks.

Comments (4)

breezy_2
15 years ago
It's what you like that is the best. In a previous house, we had select and better white oak. 2 toddlers, 2 labs a cat and lots of activity. The oak was almost impervious to the abuse it took. White oak stains well and has lots of character. So maybe take that as a guide and go the janka hardness table for various species of wood since there are many that are much harder than the white oak. I think the harder and more natural darkness of the wood (like ipe I believe) the harder it will be to get it to take stain, acheive the color you want or to take stain evenly. That said, ther are many available now at not too outrageously priced that may achieve the color you want with out staining it. For example, ipe and cumaru are both (from what I have seen) reddish brown in color with ipe being much darker of the two. Both rate over 3500 on the janka scale while white oak pushes about 1360.

Others here can probably advise you better of the difficulties of dealing with these super hard woods though. I have only seen the finished product in friends houses or what I have seen online.

Anyway, white oak is sort of an average price to start with and then you can go form there as to color, hardness,ease to work with (stain/sand/finish etc) and price.
terrypy
15 years ago
Ok the hardest wood besides brazlian cherry is Mesquite (as in Texas not brazilian). It doesn't require staining as it naturally turns a lovely reddish brown, does not come in wide planking (due to size of tree), and is considered to be green as its a quick growing trash tree. I have taken a steak knife with all my force to it and barely put a hint of a mark in it. May be hard to find in your area and can't be gotten at a "box" store. Its absolutely gorgeous looking, but you do need to find someone knowledgeable about it.
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myrtle_59
15 years ago
It is the finish that scratches not the wood. So the darker the finish, the more the scratches are going to show since the wood underneath is lighter. We have red oak, 3 inch boards with a natural semi gloss (3 coats) on site finished. You can see all the grain through the finish since it is essentially a clear finish. This means you don't notice scratches, imperfections etc. and keeps the poodle out of hot water. It also doesn't show dirt or dust that easily in case you don't want to spend all your time mopping it.
boxers
15 years ago
your happiness is going to be based on a happy medium of picking a wood with a lot of character (graining) so that when the scratches appear they won't be very obvious. Some of the handscraped looks have a lot of texture with lots of character. Picking a smooth finish in a clear grain such as maple is guaranteed to show every little nick and blemish. It is the finish thats important and aluminum oxide on prefinished is very hard and durable, but its also a combination as mentioned that will help. Don't make a buying decision based on hardness only.