3 Ways Natural White Oak is Changing Interior Design
Natural White Oak floors are a staple of the flooring market and are known for their durability, resilience, and versatility. At Carlisle, we love our White Oak hardwood flooring as much as anyone. Explore the design options in this popular hardwood floor and pick up some design tips for your next project.
Durability, Stability & More
Natural White Oak hardwood flooring is best known for its durability, which depends on the type of tree it came from and where it was cut from the tree. Architects and engineers know that Oak cut past a specific part of the Appalachian mountains is not going to be as hard, durable and stable as that of its northern counterparts.
How do you determine that your White Oak hardwood floor is durable and of the highest quality? Look for characteristics like tight growth rings, high heart content, and long lengths, which show the wood came from the center of old, mature timbers. Shorter, narrower boards come from the tree’s upper portion and branches, implying an inferior product. This will impact your floor’s overall performance and longevity, as well as its durability and aesthetic.
It’s a proven fact that White Oak is more resistant to water than Red Oak. White Oak is a closed-grain wood with many pores plugged with Tyloses, making it more resistant to water, decay, and rot. This doesn’t mean it’s waterproof, so minimizing water and moisture and wiping up spills immediately will keep your floor looking and performing its best. Here’s an interesting demonstration by skilled Shipwright Louis Sauzedde that explains why White Oak is more water-resistant and has been the wood of choice for whiskey barrels and boat building for centuries. Did you know that in the late 1700s, America’s first wooden warships used White Oak, including the U.S.S. Constitution, whose sides were made of White Oak and not iron? Now that’s one sturdy hardwood.
Endless Inspiration for the Floor of Your Dreams
GET DESIGN BOOKWhite Oak Texture
Natural White Oak hardwood floors are one of the best species for a distressed wood floor. Its rich grain and light tones naturally accept a variety of textures. Increasing in popularity, the brushed wood texture will make new floorboards look like they have been lived on for generations, adding character and a sense of heritage to the floors.
Another in-style texture is a Footworn surface. Durable hardwood floors like White Oak are more wear-resistant and won’t ding and dent like a Pine floor. If you want a slightly worn look to your floor, this may be the surface texture you are looking for. Created by hand, this flooring technique creates soft undulating waves through the boards as if they had been walked on for centuries.
A more subtle version of our Footworn texture is Timeworn. This has the same handcrafted process as our Footworn surface, with the undulations being softer in appearance and underfoot yet still creating an aged, timeless look.
Hand-scraped edges may be the right texture if you are considering a relaxed look and using planks over 7″ wide. Hand-scraped techniques are done by hand for an authentic look and feel, just like the original Pine floors were over 200 years ago.
White Oak Color Options
One of the most challenging decisions is what color to stain your White Oak hardwood floor or leave it au natural with a clear finish. The choice is entirely based on your aesthetic and preferences as quality White Oak takes stain very well when prefinished or site finished as long as it’s applied correctly.
Light wood floors are a hot trend in hardwood flooring, especially on White Oak. From natural and muted tones that give your space a raw, organic look to the increasingly popular whitewash that creates a relaxed vibe, light wood floor color options reflect light and will brighten and open up your space. These light color tones are perfect for many design styles from contemporary to the wildly popular modern farmhouse. And it’s not just about the look. These light colors show less dirt, scratches, and dents than darker wood floors, which means less cleaning and maintenance.
Medium wood floors are the perfect balance between light and dark wood flooring and, in terms of investment, will appeal to most home-buyers if you ever decide to sell. Medium wood floors are more versatile and will work with just about any design style from modern to rustic. And as you can see, it’s not just shades of brown anymore!
Dark wood floors create an overall elegant and luxurious feel and will highlight the prominent grain that quality White Oak hardwood is known for. Create contrast in your interior by pairing white or light-colored cabinets, walls, or furniture with a dark wood floor for a dramatic effect. There is one major drawback to dark hardwood floor colors. They tend to show footprints, dog hair, dust and scratches more than light wood floors and require regular cleaning and maintenance. But if you love the look, they are worth it!
Looking for more flooring inspiration? Here are a few projects with custom wood floors from a Miami beachfront to a pop culture-infused estate in Pittsburgh, PA:
Custom White Oak in a Minimalist Dallas Residence
Custom White Oak Floors in Plank & Herringbone in Boston Suburb
Custom Engineered White Oak in Miami Beachfront Condo
White Oak Flooring in a Stunning Georgetown Residence
