Maple Vs Oak Wood Flooring

They differ a lot in grain patterns and colours.

Maple vs oak wood flooring.

Overall white oak is the best choice for projects that call for water resistant decay resistant wood. Maple is commonly used for bowling alleys dance floors and high end homes. Oak wins over maple when you want a dark or dramatic but for neutral tones or to lighten up a space oak is less popular. This is largely because it is virtually non porous.

Three essential factors make oak and maple stand apart from each other appearance durability and pricing. Oak has been used for centuries and will continue to be in demand for generations. 3 15 to 7 00 per square foot. Which style of flooring is the easiest to stain or refinish.

Choosing between maple vs oak hardwood flooring can be challenging. It s comparable in price to oak cherry and ash which are also american hardwoods. Hard maple is a premier flooring material. Differences between oak and maple flooring.

A recent survey of retailers we conducted found these hardwood flooring prices for just the material. Red oak flooring is also durable but with its more prominent grain lines it s more time consuming to maintain. They also come in different species which makes the choosing process tricky. The strength and consistency of oak measures up well against maple hardwood flooring and traditional themes demand the use of traditional building materials.

Hickory takes stain well and so does oak. Depending on your location and the brand it could be red or white oak but either is cheaper than quality maple or hickory flooring. To bring your flooring costs down even further consider second or third grade maple wood. Oak offers more options as far as grain pattern and will provide a richer look when used as cabinetry or flooring.

Hardwood harvested from the outer wood of the trunk or sapwood is usually a light creamy white color while hardwood harvested from the center of the tree or heartwood is a deeper shade of brown with a slight reddish hue. Other types of maple flooring are softer and they should be avoided. This is largely because it is virtually non porous. Maple on the other hand is more challenging to coat with stain.

Durable maple flooring is extremely hard and dent resistant even more so than oak flooring. Maple grows relatively quickly and abundantly around the u s which keeps the cost of this wood low. Fewer imperfections maple has a consistent grain pattern that is more subtle than oak with fewer imperfections. Maple wood is harder than oak but not as stable.

Its durable and glassy surface finishes to a high gloss that can take punishment. Maple is lighter more affordable and works well in contemporary spaces and for indoor projects. Initially it seems that maple is more costly than the other most popular choice in hardwood flooring oak but that is not necessarily the case. Exotic hardwoods such as teak and mahogany will cost more.