Hardwood floors rule the world of floor treatment. It is the first and unbeatable choice for the wood adorers. Although stones, marbles and ceramics have their individual glamor, the authenticity of nature makes solid wood floors incomparable. Nothing is artificial in it. Being derived solely from nature, hardwood is available in limitless texture of grains and color. There are many variants of hardwood, which are broadly used as the alluring top-floor constituent of your home. Oak and walnut are two very popular and easily available forms of hardwood.
Benefits of Oak and Walnut as Flooring Options
Oak
- Oak as a type of hardwood is structurally tough. It is not gullible to regular wear and tear. For extreme situations, usage of simple precautionary measures becomes handy. Keeping a door mat or pasting adhesive furniture with adhesive pads. Oak with its dense composition is also one outstanding shock absorbing material.
- The finishing coat over oak floors prevents the unnecessary accumulation of dirt and debris. Whereas, think of a carpet and area rug, dust and germs hidden within the fibers are so troublesome to get rid of. With oak floors all you have to do is normal sweeping and mopping.
- The sturdiness of oak makes it resistant to moisture. Thus, there are less chances of cracking or shrinking of oak planks and strips. This makes oak befitting for kitchens and bathroom as well.
- Red or white oak is accessible in bulk quantity with mind-blowing grains. The grains augment the natural allure and color distinctions of oak. To add more to the appealing side, oak is not much reactive to stains.
- Besides dust, oak holds itself quiet strong against fungus and insects. For people gullible to allergy, oak is a relief.
Walnut
- Walnut being another type of hardwood is unquestionably strong and durable. Thus walnut as real and solid wood will likely become a bit weighty on your pockets, but you will be able to use it for a long time.
- Being another gift of nature, walnut will also amaze you with its brilliant texture of grain. The genuine color variations augmented with protective shiny layer of finishing coat makes it suitable for any home decor.
- It is that variant of hardwood which is empowered with inbuilt resistance against bugs and molds. Thus, all it demands is low-maintenance of regular cleaning. Do not hesitate to use water, as walnut defies moisture.
- Wood being breathable is highly susceptible to change in moisture content. When the thought of undesirable cracking and contraction of wood planks scares you, remember one quality of walnut; it is highly resistant to effects of gaping.
- It is quiet easy to install walnut planks or strips. You can always take the help of professionals, but the remarkable thing with walnut is that you can do it yourself.
Both oak and walnut are expensive and there is no denying that. Though both are natural and environment-friendly, oak is likely to get less damaged as it is efficiently treated after harvest. However, if you are looking for something that requires least maintenance and is cheaper, you have to opt for the engineered wood and synthetic elements namely laminate and vinyl.
