Durable Wood Floors

Your guide to durable wood floors

When choosing wood for your hardwood floors, a durable hardwood is likely high on your list. After all, you want your hardwood floors to keep their beauty as long as possible and to resist environmental changes that can cause solid wood floors to warp or crack.

You can think about durable wood floors in several ways. Highly dense hardwoods will resist scratches and dents but may be affected by humidity and prone to swelling. Some softer hardwoods have prominent grain patterns that can conceal dents and scratches more easily. And even very soft woods like Pine can last for generations or centuries as they become denser and more compacted with years of foot traffic.

For rooms or locations that are exposed to fluctuations in moisture or temperature, engineered wood may make the most durable wood floors. Engineered floorboards are made with a top layer of hardwood that’s glued to multiple layers of backing material to form a floorboard that’s more resistant to moisture and temperature changes. Engineered floors make great bathroom or mud room flooring, and they can be installed below grade, over radiant heat and on concrete slabs.

At Carlisle Wide Plank Floors, we offer a broad range of durable wood floors to meet the needs of any interior design. Our design specialists will work with you to identify the right floor for your space and to explore all your options for a one-of-a-kind wide plank floor. We can help you explore the durability of Hickory vs. Maple and decide on the best wood for stair treads. We’ll explain the benefits of prefinished Maple flooring and the appeal of random width flooring. And every step for the way, we’ll answer questions and provide guidance to help you create a floor that will set the stage for your life at home.

Which woods make the most durable wood floors?

The denser your hardwood floor is, the more resistant it will be to scratches and dents. The density of hardwoods is measured with the Janka hardness test which measures the amount of force it takes to embed a small steel ball halfway into a sample of the hardwood. Here are the most common hardwoods used in durable wood floors, along with their Janka ratings.

• Hickory (1820) is one of the most durable wood floors available, boasting a tensile strength that rivals steel. Color tones range from lighter blonde sapwood to cocoa brown and beige heartwood.
• White Maple (1450) boasts cleaner and lighter hues with strikingly beautiful grain patterns reminiscent of flowing water.
• Brown Maple (1450) has distinctive brown hues and subtle and consistent grain patterns.
• White Oak (1360) offers dramatic grain patterns that range from simple and sleek lines to vibrant swirls, with light nutty brown hues.
• Ash (1320) features meandering grain and comes in colors ranging from rich nutty brown to light blonde hues.
• Red Oak (1290) offers deep, salmon tones in the heartwood and comes in exceptional widths and lengths.
• Birch (1260) often has grain patterns that evoke highly figured flames or subtle swirls, with hues that include blonde, warm amber and rich reddish-brown.
• Walnut (1010) offers rich chocolate hues and surprising auburn undertones as well as complex grain patterns.
• Cherry (950) has a subtle grain structure and deep red tones that will mature to a rich, burnished auburn color.

What makes Carlisle a leader in durable wood floors?

Carlisle craftsmen have been creating the finest and most durable wood floors in America for more than 50 years. Employing time-honored processes and relying on the soundest and most reliable timber grown in American forests, we handcraft masterpieces in wood that are the perfect expression of your sense of style and beauty. Carlisle floors are guaranteed to delight and amaze all who enter your space, and to become a defining feature of your home for years to come.

When you come to Carlisle for durable wood floors, you’ll work with a wide plank specialist who will help you decide on every detail of your Carlisle floor. By answering every question and offering expert guidance, our customer service team helps to make the process of designing your floor almost as exciting as living on it. It’s for this reason that our customers feel the only thing that matches the extraordinary beauty of our durable wood floors is the unwavering quality of our customer service.