Oak parquet has long been a standard floor in the United States, and it has a valid reason to be the top choice. It has an attractive feature since it is durable and suitable to apply it in every room at home. Most people opt for white and red oak for common timber floors, as they both popular for its warm wood flooring.
In this stage, you might wonder to choose which one would be the best for your home. Is one variety more durable than the other for living or bedroom? This article will help you weigh in the quality of both oaks, so you can make a wise decision to go with the white or red oak.
Durability and Strength
The Janka hardness and density rating have a vital connection in terms of strength and durability. It happens because its hardness evaluates the hardwood resistance to an indentation in pounds to measure wood strength. Meanwhile, the density measurement uses how much wood is packed per cubic meter. The mixture of hardness and density will tell you exactly how much a particular hardwood species can withstand daily usage. Both oaks have a high rating in Janka hardness and density, but white oak has a little better strength to hold heavy foot traffic and furniture. If strength and durability are not a major concern for you, both hardwoods could do the job well.
Appearance
Appearance might be one of the important matters in oak flooring, especially whether it suits the room. Both oaks have complex patterns and warm tones, although they both have an ambiance of warming features. Red oaks are the best alternative for a much more exotic-looking floor with its reddish-brown heartwood and glowing tones. However, if your preference requires a more unbiased and robust base, it would be wise to choose white oak with its pale and dark grain contrast.
Movement in Service
Movement in service explains the likelihood that a hardwood species will expand or shrink during delivery transportation or subsequent installation. It needs a lower percentage of tangential and radial shrinkage, including the gap in between, to measure its longevity service. White oaks have 7.2% and 4.2%, and red oaks are 8.6% and 4.0%. It means that white oaks would have better resistance for bending and warping than red oaks when they are placed in similar environments.
Maintenance
When it comes to maintenance, both oaks flooring have the same treatment. Both show a great resistance to wear and tear with little maintenance when treated with a high-quality stain or sealant. You can also ask cleaning service company to do a regular cleaning or choose to do it yourself, as it only needs sweeping and mopping to have a great impact on the oak flooring appearance. However, it would be best to have occasional refinishing to ensure its original form and pattern. Both can retain their beautiful appearance for many decades unless you have a crowded gathering every day at home.
Both floors are equally incredible options for homeowners because they will increase their home value while giving a sense of elegance and refinement. If it has to do with the superiority, white oak is only slightly more valued in strength and movement. Both types are very similar, so whichever wood you choose, you can be sure to purchase an attractive solid wood floor that you will enjoy for years to come.