Is Maple Hardwood Floor Better Than Oak

If hickory oak and maple flooring are on your list of options to consider this flooring guide will help you make an informed decision you ll be happy with both now and for all the years you own your home.

Is maple hardwood floor better than oak.

Maple floors are beautiful and one of my favorites but i love white oak floors too. Don t let shopping for new engineered hardwood flooring become a complicated process. Maple has a lighter and creamier complexion than oak. So maple should be the just slightly harder wood flooring.

For fans of solid hardwood flooring or engineered hardwood oak maple and hickory are three favorites each wood has unique characteristics that draw homeowners to it. The janka hardness test is often used to determine the strength of wood by measuring the resistance of a wood sample to denting and wear and tear. According to the janka scale hard maple is rated 1450 whereas white oak is rated 1360 and red oak 1290. A color from the natural spectrum is the most common choice as maple doesn t take well to custom staining.

Maple timber is less porous than oak making it more resistant to dents and scratching. If you can live with the natural tone maple presents an excellent value for any room. Harder woods can be susceptible to decay while softer wood resists it. According to the oak vs maple hardness janka test oak has a score of 1290 while maple is rated.

But hardness doesn t always translate into durability. Where you use the hardwood is more important than its density and hardness. Pros and cons of oak hardwood flooring. Oak flooring creates a traditional look perfectly.

Maple can deal with moisture better than oak or hickory but none are ideal for damp areas when better options are available like lvp or linoleum. When it comes to strength maple is harder than oak wood. Maple is harder than oak. White oak vs hickory vs maple by allie finkell july 8 2018.

Maple wood is harder than oak but not as stable. It is ultimately cheaper than maple but not by much. Flooring is the foundation of your home and so choosing hardwood that will perform is critical. While you can use hardwood flooring in any room in your home it s not ideal for any rooms where moisture can be a concern.

Both these flooring types are highly durable. 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. Maple cannot absorb stain as well as oak mainly due to its consistency. The non porous property of maple doesn t hold stain well.

Either should serve you well. Differing sub species of each variety also play an important role when considering the choices between oak and maple.