If you want hardwood flooring for your home, Oak Flooring is without doubt a great choice. Oak comes in two basic varieties- Red oak (Querqus ruba) and White Oak (Querqus alba). Red Oak has always been more popular in the US and Canada. It has open and coarser grain. Therefore, it is more porous. White oak has an ash-grey color with more burls and swirls.

White oak is tougher and stronger. On the Janka scale it reads 1360 where as red oak weighs in at 1290. It is also more resistant to fungi and insects because it has a higher concentration of tannic acid. Within the two basic varieties, several tones of oak are available depending on the hardwood species, the soil properties, and the climatic condition the trees were exposed to.

Benefits of Oak Flooring

• Durability and Resilience
  Oak wood is fine grained, strong and shock resistant. It does not splinter or sliver easily. Thus, Oak wood flooring can last a life time. Get it installed once and relax. It will not burn a hole in your pocket after every few years!
• Elegance
  Choose an Oak wood floor and your home will acquire a natural elegance that is difficult to imitate. Oak wood is available in a variety of color tones. You can choose from a wide range to suit your home décor. The colors are neutral and blend well. They are not oppressive. They add warmth and a touch of style to the room, without drawing undue attention.
• Maintenance
  If you think that installing an oak wood floor will have you crawling around with brush and polish throughout the day, think again. With hardwood flooring maintenance is not a major issue. You do not have to purchase all kinds of wood polishes and creams. All it requires is regular sweeping to remove the dust. This can be followed by wiping with a wet cloth that has been wrung dry. Excessive water can spoil the flooring. Oak Flooring scratches and dents easily. So if you have to move the furniture around often or if your children run their toy trains all over the floor you have to be careful. With a little care oak-wood flooring can put up with a lot of heavy traffic. So it is ideal even for offices and homes where lots of footfalls are expected.
• Health and Environmentally Friendly Flooring
  Like other hardwoods oak wood is good for people prone to allergies. It is natural and free from harmful dyes, coloring agents and petrochemical products. For the environment conscious Oak wood flooring is a good choice. It is biodegradable, recyclable and reusable. Reclaimed oak is also used in both offices and homes. If you wish to strengthen your bond with nature say yes to Oak wood without a second thought.

Installation and Care

Like other hardwood flooring, Oak is hygroscopic but compared to other hardwood varieties it is more porous and is easily spoiled by excessive moisture. Therefore, it is not ideal for bathrooms, kitchens and laundry area. In case water spills on the floor it should be wiped immediately to increase the life of the floor. Use of stylish, colorful and absorbent mats and rugs in critical areas can considerably increase the life of oak flooring while adding to the style quotient of the room. Occasionally, the floor can be waxed and buffed for a fresh look.

Oak wood flooring can be prefinished or unfinished. The prefinished wood is clear and free from tree marks and the installation is easy. If unfinished oak wood is used the installation is a more cumbersome process. However, the flooring has an enchanting forest feel. When compared to other hardwoods Oak flooring is slightly expensive but with a little effort it can last for decades. Oak wood flooring has a magical appeal that is hard to resist. The natural look and earthy sheen give the feeling of being close to nature- something that cannot be found in synthetic flooring.