There are several different wood species, colors and grain variations to consider and each brings its own unique personality and character to a room. If you need some things to consider, the checklist below should help you get started.
Besides your walls, your floor represents the largest expanse of color or pattern in a room. Your floor should complement the fabrics, furnishings and accessories already present in the space, as well as enhancing the unique personality of the room as a whole. Other questions to ask yourself are as follows:
Light or Dark?
A dark floor absorbs the light in your home and can affect the feeling of space. People will often choose a light flooring for small spaces and rooms, so the floor can bounce and reflect light making it appear more roomy. On the contrary, a dark floor can also create a feeling of warmth and comfort in a large expansive room. Therefore, your choice of dark or light flooring, will depend on the size of the room, the reflection of light, and the overall feeling of spaciousness, or cozy comfort, you want to achieve.
Contrast or Blend?
People often automatically think you must choose a floor to "match" the existing wood details, trim or colour palettes of the room. While a light wood floor reflects the light and increases the feeling of space within the room. You can create a dramatic and amazing contrast to dark design details elsewhere in a room, for a impressive overall affect.
Grain or No Grain?
If grain just isn't your style, then the wood you are looking for is maple. The Hard Maple [1] is a very clean looking wood, with not much of a grain at all, and very little colour variation, which gives a consistent, uniform look. If you prefer the look of a grainy wood, but not too grainy like the oak, then Hickory [2] may be for you, as the grain of the hickory is closed and tighter together in pattern.
Rustic or Classic?
The same wood can give you a rustic cottage feel or that of a classic, elegant affair. If you are looking for the traditional look of a very grainy wood, try the classic Northern Red Oak [3] or the Northern White Oak [4]. If you want to bring the outside indoors, try your wood of choice in a character grade or for that really rugged look, a pioneer grade. If you are looking for a more classic, polished floor, move up to the select and better, or select grade, and finish it with a gloss to bring out the shine and grain in your floor.
Luxurious or Chic?
If you are looking for a rich, dark, smooth looking floor, the American Black Walnut [5] is for you. There is no wood in the world which can emulate the natural dark character of the Black Walnut. If it's chic and hip you are trying to achieve in your space, you will find a modern and exotic feel in the Brazilian Cherry [6], also available in brandywine and a chocolate colour if you do not want the natural crimson tinge. If it is the tinge of red in the natural Brazilian Cherry you like, but you don't want the exotic look of this wood or the expense which goes along with it, a great alternative is the American Cherry [7].
Natural Colour or Stain?
There are certain woods which are so beautiful in their natural state, we just do not stain them. Two woods which fall into this category are the American Black Walnut [5] and the American Cherry [7]. To stain such beautiful wood, in our world at Superior flooring, we feel would just be less than civilized. So how do I get the colour I want you ask? Due to the natural colour of other species, their heartwood or sapwood, stain more easily. So, since most people seem to know the colour of wood they are looking for first, we recommend reviewing the colour collections [8] first, and then explore the forest [9]. Understanding your type of wood will help you figure out what kind of wood will give you the best blend of grain, stain options in your shade of colour, hardness, grade and finish options.
Shiny or Matte?
The finish you choose for your floor is much like those you choose for your photos. With a few exceptions, the finish is often a personal preference. If you have a colour and you want it to really "pop" when one enters a room, you may want to choose a gloss. If you are putting wood on stairs, you need to choose a matte, as these high traffic areas tend to dent. A semi gloss will highlight these nicks and dents rather than subdue them. Some woods are softer and also not as dent resistant, so matte or satin finishes are better for woods ranking lower on the Janka hardness scale [9].
Thick or Thin?
The width of your boards will determine how many overall seams, where the boards join together, you have across a floor. A thick board, with a wider width, gives a completely different look and feel than thin boards. Again, this is mainly personal preference, and you can view the available widths [10] for your floor boards by visiting step 3, to learn about how the boards are cut [11]. Find out about what makes superior flooring boards a superior length [10] and learn about our unique micro bevel [12].
Now you are aware of some of the considerations to make before choosing the right floor for you. You should choose your floor like you choose your diamonds and begin with step 1 and browse thorough our colour collections [13].