Choosing the right Specie & Grade
MAPLE
A true classic! It offers many different design possibilities and extreme hardness as compared to other domestic species. Maple has a closed grain with even texture. Usually the grain is straight, but sometimes it can appear curly, wavy, or striped. The sapwood of this tree is generally white with a slight reddish-brown tint, and the heartwood is reddish brown and often quite dark. There are black mineral streaks that appear in this wood and we sort these into the lower grades.
Maple Notes:
There are several species of Maple in North America. Hard Maple which we use exclusively grows in the eastern United States and Canada. Its sap is used to produce Maple syrup. Hard Maple and Black Maple are hardwoods. Other types such as Silver and Red Maple are much softer. Some of our competitors offer Maple floors without specifying that they are using these softer species. These floors are much less impact-resistant and cannot deliver the same clean uniform look.
GRADES AVAILABLE
Solid Grades
Select & Better
Prestige
Northplank
Engineered Grades
Advantage
Character
RED OAK
The people’s choice! Its rich look and distinctive visual grain pattern places it in high demand. Red Oak has an even grain due to its slow growth. The sapwood is a light wheat color to pale brown with a slight reddish hue and the heartwood is a darker brown with more red. Daily wear and tear is hardly noticeable camouflaged by its open grain and natural two tone look.
Red Oak Notes:
More than 200 subspecies of oak are found in North America. Northern Red Oak is found in the northeastern United States and in southeastern Canada. However, because of climate Northern Red Oak and southern Red Oak are different. Up north the colder winter slows growth and yields a harder, more uniform and more stable wood.
GRADES AVAILABLE
Solid Grades
Select & Better
Prestige
Northplank
Engineered Grades
Advantage
Character
WHITE OAK
Naturally beautiful! The graining of White Oak is very similar to Red Oak. Its color ranges from light beige to grayish brown. It is essentially a straight-grained wood with a medium to coarse texture and longer rays than Red Oak that if sawn into vertical grain shows the beautiful effect of its rays or fleck.
White Oak Notes:
White Oak grows throughout eastern North America it ranges from southern Quebec and Ontario to Georgia in the United States. This species prefers a warm climate and does not like overly harsh winters. Therefore it is less suited for use in northern climates than Red Oak.
GRADES AVAILABLE
Engineered Grades
Advantage
Character
BIRCH
Unique style! Yellow Birch has a closed straight grain that gives it a relatively even appearance. Its sapwood is a yellow creamy to white color and its heartwood is a reddish-brown with red highlights. Yellow Birch sometimes has a curly or wavy look and when the light is just right a certain unique pearl essence.
Yellow Birch Notes:
Yellow Birch grows primarily in Quebec, but there are also stands in the northeastern United States, and the Great Lakes region. The heartwood is often referred to as Red Birch and should not be mistaken for a separate species. Yellow Birch is often confused with its softer cousin White Birch, or Paper Birch, which some of our competitors and Chinese manufacturers use as a replacement. Dents and scratches are far more visible on White Birch so it is important to specify Yellow Birch for greater hardness and visual appeal.
GRADES AVAILABLE
Solid Grades
Prestige
Northplank