Deciding the best type of wood for hardwood floors starts with the space. It’s difficult to go wrong with the most reliable woods, but these won’t necessarily set a room or home apart. If you’re looking at the most expensive wood flooring – which offer unbeatable value in terms of durability, quality, and style – there are four great types to explore. What are they?
The Best Hardwood Floors
-
Brazilian Walnut
Brazilian walnut is an exotic hardwood that’s extremely durable. It’s valued for the striking visual texture of the wood grain. You’ll find an array of dark, rich browns. It’s often hard to find a darker floor that makes a space feel more open. Darker colors tend to make a space feel tighter, but Brazilian walnut‘s richness of color helps to reflect light. This makes it one of the best hardwood floors for spaces where you want to combine a dark tone without losing openness.
-
Cypress
Cypress is a very even-toned wood famed for its unique knots. It has a golden tone that looks similar to pine. Yet, where pine is a softwood that’s more easily damaged, cypress is even harder than oak. Because of its similar aesthetic to pine, it lends a space an outdoorsy look. That makes a space feel more relaxing and de-stressing, which is incredibly valuable these days. The aesthetic of cypress fits practically anywhere because it brings a sense of the outdoors in. It helps keep a room calm and reassuring in its presentation.
-
Mahogany
Mahogany possesses a timeless look. It can make any room appear more stately and classic. You know it’s durable because it’s also used to make boats. This also points to its exceptional water-resistant qualities. That durability and water-resistance is why mahogany is one of the best hardwood floors. It’s also why it’s such a popular choice for high-end outdoor decks.
-
Tigerwood
The name “tigerwood” might give you a clue why this hardwood is so remarkable. It possesses dark veins that run lengthwise down rich, red-orange planks. You might also hear tigerwood referred to as Brazilian Koa or Congo wood, among other names. The complexity of its visual texture makes it ideal for hallways, entryways, and other spaces between rooms – especially because those lengthwise stripes help to lead your eye from room to room. Another wood that’s popular in boat decking because of its rot- and mold-resistance, tigerwood is also a great choice for outdoor decks.
What Makes These the Best Hardwood Floors?
Brazilian walnut, cypress, mahogany, and tigerwood are featured as the best hardwood floors because they each cover a different aesthetic for the home. When it comes to the most expensive wood flooring, the costs typically average from $8 to $14 per square foot, with installation running $4 to $8 per square foot. Are there even more expensive, rarer woods? Sure, there’s always something even rarer for those going all out. These woods are highlighted because they combine aesthetic, quality, luxury, and durability that makes them a steal even at a higher price than the more everyday options.
Ready to install one of the best hardwood floors in your high-end South Florida home? Contact East Coast Flooring & Interiors today for a free estimate.