The United States is fortunate to have a wealth of natural wood resources, offering a diverse range of species suitable for various applications, including home construction, furniture, and, notably, flooring. With numerous wood types available, the most common ones are ideal for flooring. Here's an in-depth look at several popular hardwood flooring options, along with their respective advantages and disadvantages.
Top Hardwood Flooring Choices
Here is a list of common types of hardwood floors in the U.S., starting with the most popular-Oak-followed by Maple and Hickory. American Cherry and Walnut are also quite popular. The subsequent hardwoods have lower demand, and buying options may be fewer. However, the vast majority of floors in the US are made with one of the top 5 on our list. Bamboo is included last, though technically not a hardwood.
1. Oak Flooring
Oak is the most common type of wood used for wood floors in the US, especially Red Oak. It grows abundantly in the US. Thus Oak is an affordable hardwood. There are several reasons why Oak flooring is ideal. Oak is also very durable, with a hardness rating of 1290, making it stand up well to traffic. A medium hard wood like Oak is ideal for several reasons: ideal for applying stain & easy to change the color - there’s many stain colors available from light to dark. Also, Oak’s obvious grain pattern helps to hide dents and scratches.
Oak's classic look complements various decor styles, making it a versatile choice for any home. For all practical purposes we consider oak flooring to be the gold standard. There’s two types of Oak flooring available - Red Oak and White Oak. They differ only slightly in color, graining and hardness. Otherwise both have the same qualities. Red Oak has more of a reddish hue with White Oak having a range of golden to brown to gray tones. Some White Oak has a more subtle grain pattern. As mentioned Red Oak is most common, though both are widely available.
2. Maple Flooring
Maple is a common wood species growing in the Northern US and Canada. There are many species of maple and they vary in grade. Maple tends to have a swirling grain pattern. With some Maple wood flooring the grain pattern is prominent. Then there’s some where it is barely noticeable and the planks are very consistent in color. This is an option if you prefer a more uniform look. And it’s ideal for a natural clear finish. Maple flooring is often harder than Oak with a hardness rating of 1450. The harder maple is used in bowling alleys as it’s very resistant to dents & scratches. On the other hand it’s hardness makes it less absorbant of stains. Stain tends to blotch on Maple unless the wood is first prepared with conditioner. This is a style that some prefer and which we offer.
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3. Hickory Flooring
Hickory is common for wood floors in log homes and rustic settings, though today it’s used in all kinds of settings. It is popularized by it’s strong knotted grain pattern and color variance. With it’s variable texture it’s more common in wide planks. Small planks can result in a floor that looks very busy. Hickory flooring is very hard with an 1820 rating. It’s one of the hardest US grown types of hardwood flooring. Thus it’s very durable and resistant to dents & scratches. Hickory wood floors are ideal for high traffic areas and homes with pets. It can last a lifetime with proper care and generally requires relatively low maintenance.
While it’s hardness has these advantages, the downside is that the costs will be higher for installation, sanding & refinishing. Harder types of wood require more labor and skill for these jobs. That includes staining as well. But because Hickory is naturally colorful, staining isn’t really necessary.
4. American Cherry Flooring
The American Cherry tree grown in the northern US is another common domestic species. Cherry wood floors are more expensive. Though it’s a soft wood, cherry is harder to work with. Softer wood means it is more susceptible to dents and scratches. It’s more suited for low traffic areas like bedrooms. It does however have good dimensional stability. The allure of a cherry wood floor is it’s beautiful natural color and distinctive grain pattern.
Cherry has a deep reddish brown color. The wood surface is sensitive to light which causes it to darken. This happens mostly in the first 6 months. It’s advisable to wait at least that long before placing any area rugs. All types of wood floors however are photosensitive to varying degrees - after time the color changes by exposure to light. Some wood floors get lighter and some darker. Cherry flooring installation is often done with wide planks, 5-8 inches. This is to showcase the gorgeous grain pattern. And cherry flooring is usually not stained.
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5. Walnut Flooring
Grown in the central and eastern US, Walnut is another favorite for hardwood floors. And it’s delicious nuts are a favorite for snacks. Like Cherry, Walnut is also an expensive, soft hardwood. Though these types of wood are softer and more suited for low traffic, their elegant beauty is what makes them popular. Walnut wood has wide color and grain variation depending on the part of the tree. Colors vary from light to dark brown.
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6. Pine Flooring
Pine is a sustainable type of wood as it grows rapidly and very commonly in the US and Canada. There’s various Pine species and hardness will vary depending on the species as well as the part of the tree it’s from. The most common type is Eastern White Pine from the the northeastern states. Southern Yellow Pine is a harder species from the Southern US. Most of the Pine flooring which is available is the Eastern White or Southern Yellow which is much softer. You have to be more careful as it dents & scratches more easily. It has less dimensional stability & requires more skill & labor to refinish. Softer types of wood such as Pine are more common in older homes from back when wood mills were less capable of dealing with harder wood. The advantage of Pine is it’s traditional look with gorgeous grain & characteristic knots. And it’s appearance gets even better with age.
7. Ash Flooring
Ash is another tree which grows widely across the US. It’s less expensive than Oak but has some similarities which make it a good alternative. It’s medium hardness is like oak, making it good for traffic. It’s good to work with for installation, staining & refinishing. It also has a unique grain which is comparable to Oak. Ash wood floors are known particularly for light color.
8. Birch Flooring
The Birch tree gives a great flavor and is also used for floors. It grows abundantly in the US and is affordable. It looks similar to Maple in color & grain while it’s less expensive. It also has a fine, often indistinct grain. Like Maple it also tends to blotch when stained. It also has a similar range of hardness depending on the species and part of the tree. You’ll find a few types of Birch wood floors, namely Paper, Yellow, Sweet & Red, from soft to hard with Red Birch - a heart wood, the hardest type. Most Birch available is Yellow, a soft wood - suitable for low traffic, less resistant to damage & with less dimensional stability. Yellow Birch has white & yellow tones.
9. Douglas Fir Flooring
Douglas Fir grows mostly along the US West Coast. It’s another of the soft types of wood more common in old in homes. Douglas Fir is one of the softest woods used for wood floors with a hardness rating of only 660. The reasons for using Douglas Fir are for one it’s low price. And it’s look is appealing for those who prefer a floor with a uniform texture. Floor boards come with a very consistent color and subtle grain giving the uniform look. Douglas Fir is available in tones of gold, orange, red and brown. The color darkens with age.
10. Bamboo Flooring
Since around the year 2000 Bamboo flooring has increasingly emerged as a competitor for hardwood. Bamboo is technically a type of grass, not a hardwood. Bamboo is mostly produced in China. Some species grow as much as 3 feet in a day. It is touted as a “green” renewable resource because it grows so amazingly fast. Either way, Bamboo is in abundant supply. There’s over 1,000 species. Unlike hardwood, it has only recently emerged as a flooring material.
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But today there is a vast selection of Bamboo flooring available. It comes in a wide variety of colors, styles and finishes. Due to the large variety of species and manufacturing standards Bamboo flooring varies widely in quality. One must beware of cheap Bamboo products which are generally not very durable. Various species can be soft as Pine or harder than Maple. Much of the available Bamboo is of good quality and has a hardness rating of 1200-1400, comparable to oak. Bamboo is not as easy to stain or refinish as Oak. It is best to install prefinished Bamboo flooring. In general Bamboo floors can be refinished only two or three times.
Hardness Comparison of Wood Flooring Types
Here’s a table summarizing the hardness ratings of the discussed wood types:
| Wood Type | Hardness Rating (Janka) |
|---|---|
| Red Oak | 1290 |
| Maple | 1450 |
| Hickory | 1820 |
| Douglas Fir | 660 |
| Bamboo | 1200-1400 |
There are so many options to consider when shopping for new flooring that it can seem overwhelming. This covers the main types of domestic woods used in US flooring. We install all types of floors and find that hardwood floors are the most popular here in New York City. And amongst all the types of hardwood, Red Oak is the most popular with all of it’s fine qualities.
