Oak hardwood floors have been a popular choice for flooring homes for centuries. In the modern age however, home-owners not only go for oak wood depending on the climate they live in but also to achieve a traditional and contemporary look. Although actual genuine wood has been traditionally used in homes for years, it is expensive and difficult to maintain. The addition to the market of types of oak wood that looks like genuine wood has created modern and cheaper options for wooden flooring.
White Oak
White Oak is one of the more traditional types of oak that is used for hardwood floors. Having a charcoal tone with shades of gray, white oak helps create a natural look for a home. Its durability and versatility enables it to be used in all areas of a house that may be exposed to different environmental conditions. This oak can be used for flooring living rooms and also bathrooms and is easy to maintain. White oak costs more than the modern synthetic wood you can use for flooring but is still cheaper than other types of traditional oaks.
Red Oak
Another popular type of oak is Red Oak. Hardwood floors made using red oak usually have a reddish tone, thus the name. Some pieces of red oak however can have a lighter tone too and a nice shaded reddish look can be achieved. One quality of red oak is that it is easier to work with than white oak. Being more porous than white oak, it is very easy to sand. Red oak however can not withstand different types of environmental conditions in different rooms in the house and is less durable and versatile. It is mainly used for flooring living rooms.
Engineered Red Oak
Engineered red oak is not very different from traditional red oak. The look achieved after hardwood flooring based on this oak will have a reddish shade too. Engineered oak however is coated with eight or more layers of aluminum oxide. This multi-layer coating not only gives the oak a smooth and flat finish but also increases wood longevity. Engineered red oak can withstand harsh conditions over a long period of time and requires minimal maintenance. It costs almost the double the amount you would spend on traditional red oak flooring though.
Engineered White Oak
Engineered white oak is differs from engineered red oak in the way that it is not coated with aluminum oxide but is layered with real hardwood. Some types of this oak have layers of just a thin veneer of hardwood while others have a thicker layer, which increases durability and longevity. The grayish-finish oak has been known to last for around 25 years on average.
Oak Laminate
Oak laminate floors are the newest addition to the wooden flooring market. It is not pure oak but has been engineered to look like rich wood. The finish achieved after oak laminate flooring is installed is of traditional wood colors. Many home owners now prefer oak laminate as it is cheaper to buy and install and requires almost no maintenance as it is immune to regular aging that genuine wood experiences in different environmental conditions.
Source: www.DoItYourself.com
