Wood floors have long been a favorite among consumers for their ease of care, attractiveness and long lasting durability. While the sales of wood floors, specifically hardwoods, took a dip during the recession, they have bounced back well. With an array of new finishes, wood types and sizes, homeowners and builders have much to look forward to in flooring design. Here is a breakdown of some of the new wood flooring options you will soon see on the showroom floor.

New Exotic Woods

While the old standards of oak, walnut, cherry and pine boards are still popular, a wide range of new wood offerings has also cropped up. Exotic woods such as Pacaya Mesquite, French Oak and Brazilian Cherry are already in production. More companies are looking into exotic options that are sustainable as well as beautiful.

 

Manufacturers have also greatly expanded the color choices of their wood offerings, no longer relegating homeowners to basic browns. Dye techniques can now create basic woods in beautiful shades of white, dark and light brown, black, gray and red.

Wider Plank Sizes

Hardwood planks are now being developed that are 5 to 7 inches wide, a huge increase from the smaller 3- to 4-inch widths that were previously popular. The length of boards has also increased with some flooring brands now offering 9-foot planks. These increased sizes are popular with consumers, who get hardwood flooring that looks unique and unlike their neighbor’s floors. These larger boards also mean fewer floor seams, thus they draw the eye across the room and make it look larger.

New Finishes That Look Old

Many of the new wood finishes that are popular with buyers are those that look aged rather than the perfectly toned and smooth boards we saw just a few years ago. One of these finishes, called wire-brushed, has fine gouges in the wood that perfectly mimic the hardwood floors of old. Planks that are made to look like they were hand-scraped give new boards the look of antique reclaimed wood as well. These boards are literally scraped along the top, although no longer by hand, to mimic the handcrafting of old. It’s a great way to get the reclaimed wood look without the cost or hassle of actually finding it.

Durability has also improved dramatically over the years, and consumers no longer need to baby their floors. The rock-hard finishes on some of the newer woods even allow you to remove scratches by simply swiping them with a mop.

 

As you can see, the word of flooring continues to expand, as does the available options in hardwood floors San Jose. San Jose residents have numerous options available to them to install flooring that both enhances their home and gives it a distinctive one-of-a-kind feel. If you dismissed hardwood floors in the past due to their care requirements or lack of options, it is time to give these beauties a second look.