Popular styles and trends in flooring
Updating your hardwood floors is a great way to increase the value of your home, and popular styles of wood flooring can have great impact in your living spaces. Hardwood floors have a great visual impact and are a classic, timeless choice for any home. Whether accented with a throw rug or left unobstructed without distractions, hardwood is a great investment.
Types of hardwood floor
There are many types of hardwood floors. They come in a wide variety of colors, finishes, and types of wood. Each wood has its own set of advantages.
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Oak flooring – Oak is a very popular choice. When most people picture hardwood floors, they usually think of oak flooring. It is available in many different plank widths and colors. It is durable and family-friendly. Oak is highly durable and resistant to dents and scratches. The wood has a lot of character, with its distinctive wood grain. The porous surface takes well to wood stains, which help the wood grain stand out.
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Maple flooring – Maple is a harder wood than oak. Like oak flooring, it is also available in different widths and colors. Unlike oak, maple planks have less visible wood grain, but can have visible mineral streaks. Maple is a lighter, blonde-shaded wood. The lack of visible wood grain creates a smooth, uniform, modern looking floor. Maple is a durable, strong wood flooring that is dent-resistant and non-porous.
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Strand bamboo flooring – Strand bamboo flooring is the hardest form of bamboo flooring. It is strand woven for strength and comes in natural or carbonized form. Strand bamboo is stronger than traditional bamboo flooring because it is compressed and bonded with resin. Bamboo has been used for centuries in East Asia and the South Pacific, but has only recently gained popularity in the United States. Its durability and strength makes it suitable for high-traffic areas. Bamboo flooring now comes in a variety of colors and types, and can mimic the style of other varieties of wood. Bamboo is not wood – it is a grass that grows very fast. Because bamboo grows and regenerates quickly (bamboo has been seen to grow more than 3 feet in one day!) bamboo flooring has come to be known as an ecologically friendly alternative to traditional types of flooring.
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Brazilian cherry flooring – Cherry flooring is an exotic wood that darkens over time. It is the most popular exotic hardwood flooring option. Brazilian cherry has a medium grain and is a very hard and dense wood. It does come from the rainforests of Brazil, but it is also grown in Mexico and Peru. The wood is similar in color and appearance to teak.
There are many types of flooring to choose from. If you are looking for a traditional look for your home or if your home is modern, you can find the perfect kind of hardwood floor that will compliment your décor. There are beautiful classic woods, exotic woods from the rainforests, and even environmentally friendly sustainable options to choose from. Choosing a hardwood floor to suit your needs has never been easier.
To learn more about hardwood flooring options, [contact a SMART Carpet specialist today! ](https://www.smartcarpet.com/?keyword=blog