Benefits of White Oak Flooring

White Oak Flooring is one of the most commonly used wood species in the market and there are many valid reasons for it. Lets learn what makes White Oak floors so popular:

GRAIN & AESTHETICS

White Oak Flooring contains a subtle gain pattern and has a warmer brown/yellowish color to the wood. The growth rings of White Oak wood are spaced very closely which tends to provide a smoother look to the floor. (Witness the absolute magic of white oak grain with Castle Bespoke’s color collections)

HARDNESS & DURABILITY

White Oak scores a 1360 on the Janka Hadness Scale, making it one of the hardest and hence one of the most durable woods. White Oak has also been used as wood flooring for centuries and has stood the test of time.

WATER RESISTANCE

White Oak tends to be more resistant to rot and water when compared to most other woods, which makes it an excellent choice for flooring. This is because White Oak has smaller, closed off pores in the grain, which makes the floor more stable and dense and less prone to cupping or gaping.

STAINING

White oak provides more flexibility on stain colors/blends due to the neutral tone of the wood and tight grain.  You can choose a dark shade such as black or chocolate, a light shade of white or anywhere in between. White oak hardwood flooring’s bright, creamy color palette can make a room feel uplifting. You can even jazz up your decor by choosing a shade of gray or green.  White Oak can be finished with a wide selection of clear or color finishes. All types of finishes from poly urethane, oil based finises to hard wax oils work well on a White Oak floor.

CUSTOMIZATION

A White Oak floor is highly customizable in terms of grade, structure, length, cut, surface, and finish. (Check out Castle Bespoke’s custom flooring options to see how you can customize your White Oak floors.)

WIDER AND LONGER PLANKS

White Oak flooring is available both in shorter and narrow lengths as well as longer and wider planks.  With longer and wider planks, its preferred to go for an engineered construction as opposed to solid flooring as engineered planks provide the dimensional stability which a solid floor lacks.  (Check out Castle Bespoke’s Engineered flooring options)

PRICE

White Oak floor is a mid to high range price product. Its generally tends to be more expensive than Pine and Ash, similar to Maple, Cherry, Hickory and cheaper than Mahogany, Walnut, Tigerwood and Rosewood. An unfinished White Oak floor can cost between $5-$12 where as a pre-finished White Oak floor can cost up to $7-$25 depending on the width, length and other quality factors.  If you want to make sure your money is being invested into something that will last, you won’t be disappointed by this option. There is a dramatic range of quality in flooring products on the market today. One helpful way of comparing value is to factor how long the floor will actually last. Do a life cycle analysis. Ask us for help!

USE

There are many different ways in which White Oak is used. You can use White Oak floor planks on floor as well as walls and ceilings. From planks to parquet panels such as Versailles, Chevrons, Herringbone and Mosaic, you have a variety of product types to choose from. Due to the versatility of White Oak, it can be installed in mostly any room in your home (with exception of especially wet areas as those with a tub/shower). Moreover, the structural integrity of white oak  makes is a good choice for replacing an existing floor and for refinishing as it holds a stain well.

STRUCTURE

You can get White Oak Flooring in both solid and engineered structures.

EQUITY

Investment in a White Oak floor for you home will increase the equity of your home. A good quality White Oak floor can last for generations to come if maintained properly. Contrary to popular belief it is relatively easy to maintain. Most surface scratches are superficial and can be buffed or filled with finish/wax. ( Click here for proper Wood Care Instructions). While the initial cost may be high, you may never have to replace your floors again.

LONGEVITY

Good quality White Oak wood, can be refinished about 4 to 5 times before the floor needs to be replaced. Most wood floors need to be refinished every 5 years or sooner depending on the floor’s exposure. However, white oak floors can go 8 to 10 years, due to its resistance to moisture, scratches, or impact damage. With proper care white oak can go longer periods of time between sanding and refinishing than other wood species. Essentially, white oak can go longer in between maintenance care and as such, provide a durable floor in your home.

The key to getting the most out of your wood floor is proper maintenance. Regular sweeping, vacuuming and damp mopping can add years to the life of your floor. Periodically, when your floor looks dull or scratched, you will need to re-coat or re-oil. This happens approximately every 1-6 years depending on usage. Floors that are not properly maintained, or that get damaged, may need to be completely sanded and refinished. On average,  floors are sanded and refinished about every 25 years. A good quality wood floor should have enough sanding surface for 3-4 re-sanding.