Types of wood flooring

The best hardwood floors are made with wood species that are readily available and — you guessed it — very hard. Oak flooring, maple flooring and cherry flooring are all good choices. Other species include bamboo (which is actually a grass), walnut, ash and mahogany.

Five hardwood species (oak, walnut, hickory, maple, and cherry) are among the most common choices for residential flooring and each has its own properties.

Most Durable Hardwood Flooring

Ebony, cherry, live oak, or bamboo are the most durable choices. These extremely hard woods (and wood-like bamboo) wear well and are more resistant to minor damage than other options.

Bamboo Flooring

Bamboo has become one of the most popular choices for flooring because of its price and durability. This option is not only cheaper than hardwood, it’s tough and can withstand a lot of abuse. Another benefit to bamboo flooring is that the planks look similar to hardwood.

Other Options for Wood Floors

Some popular alternatives to hardwood floors are laminate, vinyl, and ceramic tile. All of these can imitate the look of wood. (yes, even tile!)

Laminate flooring (also called floating wood tile in the United States) is a multi-layer synthetic flooring product fused together with a lamination process. Laminate flooring simulates wood (or sometimes stone) with a photographic applique layer under a clear protective layer.

Tile or vinyl are the most durable flooring options for entryways and foyers. They are waterproof and scratch resistant.

Laminate, vinyl plank, and hardwood floor colors will be focused on the natural tones of wood, excluding the warm ones. That’s right, cool tones will remain strong even going into the new decade. Dark tones are not completely canceled, but light tone wood looks will be one of the most prevalent 2020 flooring trends.

Carpet is usually the best choice for bedrooms and master bedrooms because it is soft and cozy. It is warm and can reduce sound, versus hardwood, which helps sound resonate and makes bedrooms feel cold.

Dark stained hardwood flooring is by far the best selection when it comes to overall popularity and resale value. Some of the best darks stains for wood are espresso, dark walnut, and antique brown. These darker colors often give way to more color combinations since they do not lean towards a yellow or orange tint.

There will be a higher chance of scratches and scrapes, which light hardwood can hide better than dark hardwood. While you’re free to mix and match styles, many homeowners find that darker hardwood flooring lends itself to a more rustic design, while lighter wood is used to create a more contemporary style.

If you ask me, the blonde wood look will become the most popular wood floor color before you can even think about switching it up to something new. If you like them, go for it! They’ll be a hit for quite a while.

While dark hardwood flooring has a special beauty of all of its own and it has been fashionable for a while now, it’s likely to fade out in favourability. Trend is going towards lighter woods such as natural oak. At the same time if you have them, they will add to the value of your home a and increase durability.

A light-colored flooring such as light oak or a light-colored carpet will make the room appear brighter and more open. The same applies to the ceiling—use a light color or white to “open up” the space above.

A good rule to live by for decor is “The Cantaloupe Rule.” That rule states that no piece of decor should be smaller than a cantaloupe, because a lot of small decor will clutter a space rather than flatter it. You’re better off going for a couple pieces of larger decor to decorate and enlarge a space.

Wide planks are easy on the eyes and can even change the size or shape of a room. If your room is narrow, a clever way to make it seem wider is to use wide boards that are laid perpendicular to the long side of your room. By doing so, your room will instantly appear larger.

Wider planks can work to make your room look bigger. They can also be more affordable because you need fewer of them. Larger tiles provide depth: A newly popular type of flooring is luxury vinyl tile (LVT).

Both light colors and wider planks have been the hardwood styles of choice with designers and architects for years, however 2020 forecasters predict that this will be THE hot look in flooring for consumers.

Wood Flooring Trends: Past And Present

Traditional flooring typically uses 2 ¼ inch to 3 inch wide planks. This style works well with most décor and has clean, consistent lines. It’s versatile and has general overall appeal. But over the years, as trends have changed, many have come to prefer wider plank flooring.

Diagonal Dreams

The key to making rooms look bigger with flooring starts with the diagonal rule. Diagonal lines work to create the illusion of more space, because when a person enters a room, their eyes are drawn to the widest part of a pattern—the same is true in art.

The best flooring for a bedroom is a floor that is comfortable for bare feet and available in designs that meet your interior design style preferences. Many types of flooring meet these criteria including wood, vinyl, laminate and carpet.