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Are you planning to redo your floor soon? Are you unsure of what type of wood to choose for a better quality finish? You should know that choosing the ideal wood species for a noble and refined floor design is not an easy task. Indeed, if you don’t choose well, it can quickly become a real headache. Especially since there are more than 200 different types of wood on the market. To be sure to adopt the best model for your parquet floor, discover in this article the most requested wood species in the world of construction or renovation.

Tips for choosing a wood species for a floor

To begin, zoom in on the decisive factors for choosing the right wood species to use for a floor. To avoid making a mistake, it is important to ask yourself a few questions about the flooring that will accompany you for years to come. To do this, you need to answer the question: what decorative effect? Light or dark, more or less visible grain, etc. What traffic? Do you want a low, medium or high traffic floor?

Also, you need to define the appropriate budget to complete your project. Classic native species such as oak, chestnut and others are generally less expensive than exotic species such us iroko, wenge, etc. Just note that lighter species tend to darken over time while darker species become lighter.

The choice of wood species is also a matter of personal preference and means. In addition to the appearance of the wood, its stain and its overall look, hardness is an equally important factor to consider when choosing your future floor. Each type of wood is evaluated according to its hardness and durability on the Janka scale for installation according to current standards. Whether you live alone, as a couple, with many children or otherwise.

Native wood species

These are wood species from all the maintained forests of France and Europe. Also known as classic wood species, native wood species are still the most popular, although they are quickly overtaken by exotic species. The type of parquet made of chestnut, beech or oak wood species are the models par excellence that are suitable for any type of place and at the same time for any type of construction. Acacia is a hardwood, both elastic and compact, which is perfectly suited to all types of wooden floors. On the other hand, in this same category, you also have the types of resinous wood such as larch and pine of Landres. These are typically regional species that are used very rarely, but are well worth its place on an aesthetic, durable and practical floor.

Exotic wood species

It is clear that even the best European or North American flooring will react to the presence of moisture. To the extent that there is a high enough level of moisture, the wood planks will absorb the excess and the planks may warp slightly. The fact is that as the moisture leaves the wood, the floor will contract, leaving unsightly gaps between each board. If you live in a particularly humid environment or if you just want to install a floor in your bathroom, exotic wood is the option to adopt to beautify your floor. Exotic wood has a strong resistance to humidity and is used in the design of decking because of its resistance to weather and climate changes.

Very resistant, oily and knot-free, exotic wood species are also appreciated for their unmatched aesthetic appeal. Not to mention that they are available in several ranges of yellow, red or brown colors. In short, this type of wood is especially to be favored if you wish to install a high quality, durable and resistant covering in your home.