What you need to know about
different hardwood species.

Canadian Hardwood

1) Ash Hardwood Flooring

If you’re looking to renovate your home with Ash flooring then it’s good to know these three essential characteristics: flexibility, durability, and resilience. We call Ash “the warrior of woods” because the Ancient Greeks and Romans relied on Ash’s flexibility and resilience to make their spears. And that ain’t all… 

Ash flooring’s quality of excellent shock resistance has made it a trustworthy material in the sporting world with craftsmen using it to create baseball bats, tennis rackets and hockey sticks.  The flexibility and shock resistance also extends to the hardwood flooring product!

 Ash wood is a reliable hardwood. With over 65 species spanning across North America, Europe, and Asia, Ash flooring is malleable in any climate. That means you won’t have to worry about wood warping. As “the warrior of the woods”, Ash flooring is dense and strong meaning the product guards itself well against scratches and decay. This reliability has helped keep Ash floors popular amongst homeowners. So if all this sounds good to you, don’t be afraid to browse our own selection of Ash flooring.

2) Beech Hardwood Flooring

At Canada Floors Depot we see the Beech tree as the lumber equivalent of a contortionist; the wood is flexible and can be manipulated in multiple ways just like the art performer. An example of this manipulation can be found in the Early Medieval period where the German Teutonic tribe used Beech wood to make runic tablets, chairs, tables, and even goblets! 

With that much flexibility, some individuals would imagine that Beech wood would not be a strong and dependable flooring option. Those individuals would be wrong. Beech flooring has a Janka scale rating of 1300 out of 4000. With that score, you won’t have to panic over scratches or heavy foot traffic (pet owners take notice!)

These characteristics make Beech ideal for a family person who’s worried about whether their children’s toys will damage the flooring. It’s also a suitable option for those home decorators that move furniture around periodically to match their interior decorating ideas.

3) Oak Hardwood Flooring

When it comes to flooring options, one question always comes up: How reliable is the product? In our opinion, Oak is the “old reliable” of hardwood flooring options. Oak is dense, heavy, and durable. Its superb rot-resistance qualities, insect resistance and long lifespan have seen Oak wood become a staple for hardwood floors.

 Did you know that Oak is so reliable that shipbuilders use the product as their preferred wood when making boats and ships? You may not be a naval or shipbuilding enthusiast, but with a Janka scale rating of 1,360 out of 4000, you can rest assured that Oak flooring will last the test of time against scratches, dents, warping, and rot. Want old reliable?

4) Maple Hardwood Flooring

If there is one thing Canadians have in abundance, it’s Maple trees. In Quebec, the Maple tree plays an important role for the winter culture. Locals and tourists flock to the various cabanes a sucres- “Sugar shacks”- across the province to indulge in maple syrup inspired delights. With such a strong cultural background surrounding the wood, it’s an incontestable fact that Maple is delicious. But Maple has so many other important qualities that makes it an ideal flooring option.

Maple is tough. Bowling alleys and basketball courts are usually made out of Maple flooring since the hardness and density of the wood makes it difficult to damage. If Maple can take a daily beating at the bowling alley and still look brand new, imagine the longevity at an office or home? 

If you want flooring that blends Canadian culture with strength and hardness than look no further!

5) Hickory Hardwood Flooring

At Canada Floors Depot, Hickory is known as “the Presidential selection”. Before his time serving as the seventh U.S. President, Andrew Jackson was a decorated military leader. His toughness in battle, resilience, strength, and reputable character earned him the nickname “Old Hickory” by his troops in 1813. I know what you’re thinking: ” Being compared to an inanimate object cannot be a compliment”. It was. American soldiers lionized leaders with tough, resilient characters that inspired by example. Hickory was considered reliable because its characteristics complemented one another; it is dense, stiff, hard, shock resistant, and stains well. In the eyes of the soldier, Andrew Jackson was as reliable as Hickory. 

In the last 204 years since Jackson was given this nickname, not much has changed about the image of Hickory wood. Its density combats scratches and dents well, making it an attractive option for family and heavy furniture homes. Aesthetically, the grain is varied and distinct; a perfect option for those who want their flooring to have a unique and standout feature. This flooring is ideal for anyone seeking a rustic, countryside based theme for their home.

6) Birch Hardwood Flooring

Birch is a French-Canadian classic. Grown heavily in La Belle Province, Birch is a wood that takes abuse. Carvers detest working with Birch because the wood’s toughness makes it difficult to mold into various shapes. But the woes of the carver are your benefits. With a 1260 Janka scale rating, Birch is ideal flooring for buyers who want a heavy, durable, shock resistant product. The straight grain gives the flooring a smooth look. If you have a home or office with plenty of natural light, Birch would be a suitable option as the grain and pale color gives the wood minimal color variation when exposed to light!

Exotic Flooring

1) Sucupira Hardwood Flooring

If there was one distinctive feature that differentiates North American woods from Exotic, it is that on average Exotic wood is tougher. Take Sucupira as an example. The heavy dark and richly brown South American classic from Brazil and Venezuela has a Janka hardness rating of 2140 out of 4000. 

The wood is used for railroad crossties because of its great durability and shock-resistance. If you’re someone who worries about how foot traffic can dent, ruin, or scratch flooring than we believe a flooring option that handles the weight of a train will keep your mind at ease.

2) Jatoba Hardwood Flooring

Also known as “Brazilian Cherry”, this beautiful flooring option is the pride of South and Central America. Jatoba checkmarks everything on a hardwood flooring list.  The wood is one of the heaviest, dense and stiffest options around with a Janka rating of 2690 out of 4000. The flooring’s strength makes it nearly impervious to rot and insect problems meaning repairing and replacing the wood would not be an issue Jatoba owners face often. 

With such reliable stats behind Jatoba, homeowners and decorators have been using the wood as a versatile flooring option for indoor and outdoor living spaces. Jatoba can be a perfect outdoor flooring option for backyards and terraces. If you are considering using this wood for an outdoor living space, be sure to remember that the color tends to darken when exposed to light. The heat won’t change any of the flooring’s impressive and resilient stats, but the darker color would give a more rustic look in the future. 

3) American Walnut Hardwood Flooring

American Walnut is a soft flooring option with a lot of class. The softness means that compared to Jatoba or Hickory, American Walnut is more susceptible to scratches and dents. But if you want elegance, aristocracy, or Ivy-League appeal; you want American Walnut. The irregular graining pattern of light and dark colors gives the wood a beautiful mixture that would make any room distinct. 

Believe us when we say: “ You won’t get bored of American Walnut flooring”. The wood has the unique quality of having its colors intensify through the passages of time. Those irregular grains that make the wood such a prized artistic possession will intensify in time and appear more distinct. With such beauty and artistic appeal, American Walnut makes a powerful flooring option statement.

4) Tigerwood Hardwood Flooring

   Tigerwood shares the same pale cream and reddish orange colors as the tiger it was named after. Historically, this wood from the tropical forests of Brazil and Peru has always been an eye-grabbing, rare option for the style conscious buyer. In the 19th century, the wood was renowned across Europe for its unique and rich look. Artisans used Tigerwood to construe items like knife handles, pistol grips, and jewelry boxes away from the ordinary and into pieces of exotic and elegant taste.

 Even today, Tigerwood has kept its historic tag as the style conscious option. The wood can give a living room space more life with its peculiar color scheme and variation. It is important to note that beauty aside, Tigerwood is dense , hard, and insect resistant!  The flooring is both trustworthy and decorative, making it an appealing option for the stylistically inclined.

5) Guajuvira Hardwood Flooring

Guajuvira is loved in South America. The yellowish-creamy-white and dark brown wood calls Argentina, Paraguay, Bolivia, Uruguay, and Brazil its home. In North America, Guajuvira has adopted a second name in “ Brazilian Hickory” since the density, hardness, shock resistance, and reliability is akin to the American classic. 

What differentiates “Brazilian Hickory” from its North American alternative is the former’s breadth in artistic possibilities. The contrast of the yellowish-creamy-white and dark brown makes the wood blend beautifully with an array of home decor styles.

You want the cottage look?  The dark brown components can give rooms a rustic feel. Maybe that style is not for you. You like the sleek, minimalist perspective of the modernist art style? Well, the yellowish-creamy-white aspect can give the room a brighter option and works well for modern settings. The beauty of Guajuvira is that the wood caters to various styles and tastes. If you’re uncertain about how your style, Guajuvira can be a safe and beautiful option that gives you many possibilities.

If you have any questions on which hardwood floor is right for you, then feel free to send us an email at sales@canadafloorsdepot.com.