It’s no secret; BC loves white oak hardwood flooring. But why? Well, aside from the trendiness of the different colours available and the beautiful grain it has to it, it’s also one of the most resilient and hard species of oak that you can have in your home.
BC Loves White Oak Hardwood Floors
BC loves white oak hardwood flooring because of its strength, resiliency, and density- it has a closed cellular structure that ensures your flooring will last for years to come. It has an open grain with long rays, and occasional crotches, swirls, and burls. They are available in narrow and wide planks and are completely customizable to match any space and aesthetic.
The second top-selling oak type, and previously one of the most popular, is red oak. Red oak was popular for many years while a red-tinged flooring, whether it be dark or light stained, was the way to go for your flooring. Nowadays, however, white oak flooring has become the top-seller, but why is that? What’s the difference between white and red oak flooring that is making people today go for the white over the red?
White Oak Flooring: Aesthetics
Shockingly, white oak, naturally, is a darker colour than red oak, and it has brown and yellow undertones, and has a smoother grain. Red oak is slightly lighter in colour and has pink undertones.
With white oak hardwood flooring, you get a broader spectrum of the shades and colours of stains that you can achieve. If you’re going for more modern stains, like grey, white, or darker stains, white oak flooring is the way to go as it doesn’t have any pink undertones like red oak has. If you’re going dark for your flooring, white oak tends to get darker without as much work as red oak. Also, white oak hardwood flooring, when stained, looks slightly more consistent than red oak due to the consistent spacing between the grain and the porousness of it in general.
In recent years, the demand for rustic looking flooring has risen significantly. If you are going for a rustic look, white oak flooring is a great option! White oak hardwood flooring looks naturally distressed when artificially weathered due to less harsh graining and the more neutral colour palette naturally in the hardwood.
Durability of White Oak Flooring
Aside from the visual, aesthetic appeal of white oak hardwood flooring, it’s also slightly more durable than red oak. When it comes to denting, white oak hardwood flooring is less prone to damage, however this does not affect the likeliness of scratching overtime without taking the proper precautions to protect your white oak hardwood flooring.
Although no engineered hardwood is waterproof, white oak hardwood flooring is more water resistant than red oak. Due to its closer grain and genetic makeup, white oak hardwood flooring is less porous than red oak, and so is more impervious to water. Historically, white oak has been used in the making of ships, and more recently in the making of exterior doors due to its resistance to water.
Price of White Oak Flooring
In terms of purchasing engineered hardwood for your home, white oak hardwood flooring is a great choice if you’re trying to save some money without compromising on beauty and functionality. White oak is an abundant hardwood, so it tends to be quite reasonably priced. Even when you are looking for a wider plank option, white oak hardwood flooring is still a lower price than other species of hardwood flooring.
When choosing a flooring for your space, picking out something that will last, while looking modern and new is certainly the way to go. Whether you are looking to find something lighter, darker, simplistic, or rustic, white oak hardwood flooring can do it all! Luxurious, durable and comes in a variety of colours and finishes, white oak hardwood flooring checks all the boxes!
White Oak Flooring and Ease of Maintenance
When it comes to maintaining your white oak hardwood flooring, a good sweep a few times per week and consistently wiping up spills as they occur, along with a monthly deep clean is really all these floors need. Easy as pie!
How to clean your white oak hardwood flooring:
When cleaning your white oak hardwood flooring, always begin by removing any excess dirt and debris- either with a vacuum or a broom- to prevent scratching when you go to deep clean.
Next, using a damp microfiber mop head, wipe up your flooring. Ensure not to let any water stand on the floors, but rather only wet enough for any water to evaporate within a couple minutes. After mopping, check your floor to ensure there are no puddles of water and soak them up immediately.
Occasionally, you may need to deep clean your white oak flooring. For this, find a cleaner that is specifically designed for hardwood without any hard chemicals, and ensure to follow the directions from the floor’s manufacturer.
White Oak Engineered Hardwood Flooring
Solid hardwood is a great option, however, in recent years, engineered hardwood has become the way to go when it comes to purchasing white oak flooring in BC. About 80% of all new, high end developments are opting to go for white oak engineered hardwood due to its durability, unlimited stain possibilities and overall quality.
So many, high end, trusted brands offer white oak engineered hardwood flooring options in unlimited lengths, widths, and stains to choose from. Brands like Pravada, Shaw, Good Fellow, Torlys, EckoWood, Vidar, Biyork, Fusion, and TwelveOaks. All these brands are also available on our website.
White Oak Flooring at Word of Mouth Floors
At Word of Mouth Floors, we love white oak flooring, and we know you will too!
Interested in installing white oak flooring in your home? Don’t settle for less than flooring experts when making that pivotal home-design decision. It’s not an easy decision to make, so don’t do it alone! Talk to the experts at Word of Mouth Floors to find out the best flooring for your space and get it at the absolute best price. Visit us in our showrooms, at either unit 6 - 11240 Bridgeport Road, Richmond, BC, or 1481 Barrow Street, North Vancouver. Or please give us a call at (604) 370-8769.