The biggest trend we have been seeing in the styling of hardwood floors is longer and wider planks.
1. Many hardwood flooring manufacturers have come out with product lines that showcase extra wide planks. The average plank width for hardwood flooring is currently when it used to be 2 - 3 Wider planks tend to make your space feel larger and give it more of a modern feel.Mullican's “Mount Castle collection includes planks ranging from 7.44-9.45 wide.
2. Another trend in the style of hardwood flooring is extra-long planks. Most hardwood flooring manufacturers package wood flooring in random lengths anywhere from 12-72. There are a few new product lines from MaxWoods that have planks up to 96" in length. These product lines range in wood species and are all American made.
Hardwood Finishes
This year we have been seeing the trend of hardwood finishes moving away from the traditional semi-gloss and more to a subtle, matte, distressed finish. Both finishes discussed below offer this look.
1. One of the most popular finishes today for hardwood flooring is the wire brushed finish. It gives a weathered, textured look to the surface of the wood.This finish is created when wire bristles etch into the woodgrain. This process scrapes off the softest part of the wood allowing the stronger core to be exposed. This makes the floors more durable and more likely to mask any daily wear and tear the floor may experience. Armstrong's Artistic Timbers TimberBrushed line (pictured above) is a great example of wire brushed hardwood flooring that we carry here at Indoor City!
2. Another popular wood finish is a hard-wax oil finish. This finish gives a rustic, distressed, barn wood look to your home.DuChateau is one of the largest manufacturers of hard-wax oil finish products. Their products are created with a variety of production methods and surface treatments that are then topped with hard-wax oil.This oil provides a more subtle, matte finish than most polyurethane finishes. DuChateau uses their own brand of hard-wax oil that is “all natural, non-pollutant, non-toxic, and VOC-free. These oils also preserve the original beauty of the wood and allow it to patina naturally.DuChateau also supplies maintenance oil, that when applied to the surface of the floors help to rejuvenate and protect your floors.
Hardwood Species
1. In the recent years we have seen a big shift towards consumers wanting to buy products that are manufactured in America. Because of that, domestic woods are dominating the market. The most popular hardwood species that come from the United States are red oak, white oak, hickory, maple, birch, and pine.2. Up until recently, red oak has always been the most used hardwood species in America. We are currently seeing a changeover to white oak due to many key factors. White oak has a lighter color and a smoother, tighter graining than that of red oak. White oak also ranks higher on the hardness scale(1360 on the hardness scale vs. red oak's 1290).
