Are you looking for a beautiful hardwood floor that is unsurpassed in its natural beauty and attractiveness? Walnut wood floors are quite popular and could add a touch of elegance to your home. Walnut flooring has dark purplish tones and beautiful swirling grain patterns that lend a unique character to any floor. Whether you are looking for a hardwood floor suitable for formal setting or one that is rustic in appearance, walnut fits the bill.
Walnut hardwood flooring adds a lot of character to small spaces. In larger areas it can be used to balance the lighter furniture or to provide a formal luxurious feel. Walnut wood floors are available as solid hardwood or engineered wood floors. Engineered wood floors have some advantages over a solid wood floors. Read on to learn more about engineered walnut flooring.
History of Walnut Flooring
A native of North America and Europe, Walnut is softer than other hardwoods. Its Janka rating is 1010 compared to 1320 of Ash wood. Walnut is therefore easy to work with. If you would like a harder floor you can opt for European walnut which has a higher Janka rating of 1300. Walnut has a low Janka rating but it is not fragile by any means. It has one of the best strength to weight ratios among all hardwood floors making it a favored wood.
Characteristics of Walnut Wood
Rapid Growth
Walnut trees grow up to 70 feet in height and can attain growth rates of 2 feet per year. Fast growth rates make walnut better suited for sustainable harvesting practices than some other hardwood species.
Hardy Wood
Walnut trees exposed to spring frosts have particularly hardy wood that is not easily damaged by pests and weather fluctuations.
Tree Age and Walnut Wood Characteristics
Young walnut wood is white. With age the wood becomes darker in color and develops beautiful veins. Some of the older woods are dark chocolate to purple in color.
Graceful Aging
New walnut wood may have a dull appearance but it ages beautifully and develops a luxurious patina.
Excellent Dimensional Stability
Both American and European Walnut have good dimensional stability making it an ideal material for floors.
Engineered Rustic Walnut Flooring
Engineered flooring has several advantages over solid wood flooring.
- Below Grade Installation – Engineered wood floors can be installed either above or below grade. Unlike solid hardwood they are suitable for installation in areas like the basement where a solid hardwood floor would be easily damaged by moisture.
- Easy and Cheaper Installation – A simple click and lock system makes installing an engineered floor a breeze. Installing engineered wood floors can be a great DIY project. Even if you choose to use our professional installation services, the installation will be faster and cheaper than solid hardwood.
- Lower Material Costs – Engineered wood floors use a base of scrap wood or base wood. When coupled with an expensive wood this helps reduce the per square foot cost of engineered wood floors.
- Environmentally Friendly – Scrap wood or wood from rapidly growing trees forms the base of an engineered wood floor. Thus it helps extend the supply of the more beautiful but slowly replenished hardwood species.
- Easy Maintenance – Engineered wood floors are less susceptible to moisture damage. The care and maintenance of an engineered floor is therefore much easier.
- Choice of Finish and Colors – You can choose a lighter colored walnut floor from younger trees. If you prefer darker wood, wood sourced from an older walnut tree would be appropriate. You can also choose from a range of wood finishes that can dramatically enhance the look and life of your hardwood floor.
Engineered rustic walnut flooring is a versatile flooring material that can help you to increase the value of your home. If you prefer the dark colored walnut wood floor for remodeling or restoration project, keep the color of your walls and existing furniture in mind. Too dark of a floor may conflict with the color of your walls or the fabric of your furniture. Also keep in mind that walnut is not as hard as some other wood floors. It may not be the best choice for high traffic areas or for a house with young children or pets. At Contempo Floor Coverings you can browse through a vast collection of the best engineered wood floor from leading manufacturers to select the floor best suited to your taste and budget.
Visit one of our Los Angeles Flooring showrooms for more information.
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