Finding just the right look and functionality in a hardwood floor is based on a number of variables:

1. The type or species of hardwood, e.g. oak, maple, hickory, etc.
2. The grade of the wood, e.g. #1 Common or #2 Common Red Oak.
3. The width of the hardwood boards or planks. e.g. 2 1/4" or 3 1/4".
4. The hardness of the wood, e.g. a softer wood such as pine vs. a harder wood like oak.
5. The type of finish applied, e.g. an oil based or water based polyurethane.

1. Species of Hardwood.
Unique color variations, grain patterns, and other inherent characteristics (such as knots) give each species of wood its own distinctive look. Wood used for floors comes from countries all around the world. (No endangered species are sold for flooring.)

Of the wood species grown domestically in North America the most common species are oak, maple and hickory. Commonly used species from other countries include Brazilian cherry, Australian cypress and Santos mahogany. Overall, wood flooring is available in literally dozens of different species, providing the consumer an amazing selection to choose from.

2. Grades of Hardwood.
Wood flooring is generally separated into several grades, determined by the specific features, colors, and extent of variations that are present. The best flooring mills will grade their products according to established industry wide standards to insure reliable quality.

One common misconception is that lower grade flooring is necessarily of lesser quality than higher grades. This is not true. Even with its more rustic characteristics, flooring used in lower grades still consists of fully serviceable and functional wood. (Lower grades of flooring will usually have a higher percentage of short length boards than higher grades.)

In reality, the single most important factor in ensuring quality, regardless of the grade of flooring, is being sure to only use products from reputable producers that have proven track records of maintaining high standards of milling and grading.

The most frequently used grades for hardwood flooring are:

#2 Common – Features boards with a wide variety of color variation and may contain a large number of knots and other imperfections (or character marks!) such as insect holes or mineral streaks Wood in this classification is often described as being somewhat “rustic”. This grade of flooring is normally less expensive than other grades within the same species.

#1 Common - Features boards with less variation in color and fewer knots than #2 grade, making it more uniform in overall appearance. It is perhaps the most popular grade of flooring used nationwide. Its middle-of-the-road features coordinate with a wide variety of other materials, allowing it to work well with almost any decorating scheme.

Select - Features boards with very few, if any, knots and has a higher degree of color uniformity. In this grade, a floor will have a more consistent appearance, and is often described as having the most “elegant” look of all the grades. Select grade flooring is generally the most expensive grade within a species. Additionally, some species are available in very finely matched colors and features in a grade often referred to as “clear”.

Different species of wood are not always graded exactly the same as others and sometimes various names are used to denote grades of flooring. A good example of this is maple, which is usually graded as Third, Second and Better, and First. Finally, different manufacturers will sometimes apply different standards and attach different names to some of the floorings they mill.

3. Board Width.
Wood flooring comes in varying widths. Almost every species is available in the standard 2-1/4" and wider 3-1/4" widths. Some species can be found in even wider planks. Generally speaking, wider boards will add some additional expensive per square foot. This is due to the fact that fewer wide boards can typically be cut from any particular piece of raw material.

When selecting board width, be aware that in several ways wider planks (typically 4” or more) behave somewhat differently than narrower strip flooring.

All wood undergoes a normal process of absorbing and releasing moisture due to fluctuations in the level of atmospheric humidity. Under moist conditions (usually summertime), the edges of the boards will tend to raise or “cup” slightly. In dryer conditions (usually wintertime), the boards will separate slightly, creating small cracks between the individual boards.

While these changes occur in all sizes of flooring, they will be more pronounced and noticeable with wider boards. Additionally, some wood species such as maple and hickory tend to be less stable in this regard, as compared to other woods such as oak or ash. These various types of board movement can best be minimized by maintaining a constant humidity level in a house.

The perhaps less stable behavior of wide plank flooring by no means makes it prohibitive to use. In some cases the distinct look of plank flooring is an integral part of the desired look for a house. As long as a homeowner is aware and accepting of how a plank floor will perform, it can be a truly exquisite feature in many settings.

4. Hardness
There are varying degrees of hardness between different species of wood. The most obvious consequence of this fact is that some woods will tend to dent or “distress” more easily than others. The types and level of use that a floor is expected to undergo is a factor in determining if installing a softer wood will be practical. Some softer woods that are commonly used as flooring include pine, fir, and American cherry.

While there are technically differences between the hardness of all species of woods, only the softest ones will be significantly impacted when used in typical household applications. In some settings, a distressed floor can actually contribute to a desired rustic ambiance.

5. Finishes
There are a variety of different types of wood floor finishes on today’s market. The most commonly used finish, polyurethane, comes in two basic classifications: water based and oil based. While the hardness and durability between products of both types will be generally comparable, each has its advantages and disadvantages in other areas.

Water based finishes dry more quickly, have a less pungent odor, and darken less as they age over time, as compared to oil based finishes. Perhaps the most significant drawback with this type of finish is a an increased occurrence and heightened intensity of a phenomenon known in the industry as “side-bonding,” or “panelizing.”

Water based finished tend to act as a strong adhesive that permanently bonds the sides of some boards together. As a wood floor contracts naturally under very dry conditions it will shrink slightly, causing some cracks between individual boards to temporarily appear. As this occurs, side-bonding results in the appearance of an uneven pattern of wide cracks developing where the bond between various particular boards is weakest. In areas between cracks where the boards remain stuck together, the floor will take on the appearance of being “panelized.” Floor contraction can best be minimized through maintaining a constant humidity level of between 40 and 50 percent in a building.

Oil based urethanes tend to cause less side-bonding, which allows a floor to contract more evenly and less noticeably under dry wintertime conditions. They also provide a thicker wear surface (when the same number of coats are applied), give wood a deeper color, cause less grain raise -which can mean a smoother surface, and are generally less expensive than water based finishes.

There are other types of floor finishes that are much less common, generally being used only in unusual or specialized situations. These finishes face practical limitations in the everyday market due to the fact they may be highly toxic, difficult to work with, less durable, higher maintenance, or be substantially more expensive than urethane finishes.

We generally recommend and use a premium quality oil based polyurethane in most floor finishing situations. We encourage people to inquire if the have specific questions about the behavior and performance of various floor finishes.

Go to Hardwood Samples

Derksen Floors is a member of the National Wood Flooring Association. This professional trade affiliation allows us to take advantage of a variety of resources and expertise within the wood flooring industry. This in turn assist us in ensuring that our customers will receive the best possible results with their project.

Additional general and technical information on wood floors can be accessed at the NWFA website