What Species of Hardwood Would Be Right for Your Home?

When you finally settle on hardwood, you’ll probably feel a sense of ease—flooring type decided, right? Not quite! With wood floors, you’ve got one more step to go before you can begin narrowing down your options to the perfect choice: species.

Far more than a cosmetic concern, the tree your hardwood floor originates from drastically affects its longevity, durability, scratch resistance, and more, so it benefits you to pay it close heed. UB Hardwoods is here to help you in your search with the few pre-buying considerations below.

Janka Hardness Testing: Only Part of the Story

When it comes to assessing a flooring’s physical durability, the Janka test is often considered the industry-wide gold standard. It measures how well a flooring holds up to impact and assigns it a corresponding number, according to The Spruce, which helps contextualize its durability in relation to other hardwoods. Broadly and generally speaking, exotic species like cherry and rosewood tend to come out on top in this respect; if your home is known to be high-energy, they’re the ideal way to go.

While the test is valuable and informative, keep in mind that there are things the Janka test cannot tell you, such as scuff-resistance and colorfastness. It’s important to look at the entire picture of a flooring’s strengths and weaknesses before making your purchase.

Knots or No Knots?

Certain hardwood species, like hickory or oak, can come with rugged, knot-filled surfaces that give the flooring texture and a life of its own. They create a rustic, down-home look, sure—but the aesthetic benefits of texture go beyond that.

Should you desire a flooring that looks fresh for longer in an energetic home, knots might be necessary, as they can help to hide gouges and scratches until your floor care pro can get out for a refinishing job. As a general rule, busier (cosmetically speaking) species such as those mentioned above are great for those looking for failsafe good looks.

Traditional or Exotic?

As we stated above, exotic species of hardwood tend to be tougher in some senses, though they’re also more expensive. More traditional varieties—think walnut or birch—while affordable, also have more than enough strength to serve the average family well. Some hardwood floor aficionados, though, will say that the price of exotics is more than worth it for the unique character they add to a space.