Hardwood Flooring in Red Deer, AB | Red Deer Carpet One Floor & Home

What's the Best Species of Hardwood Flooring for My Space?

Hardwood flooring species are typically divided into two main categories – domestic and exotic. Domestic hardwood species, like Oak, Maple, or Birch, are typically forested in Europe or North America. These are cold-climate trees that grow slowly, contributing to dense, hard woods perfect for floors.

Among the domestic species, the most common hardwoods used for flooring are:

• Oak: Both White Oak (from Europe) and Red Oak (from North America) are extremely well-suited for floors. Oak takes stain beautifully, has gorgeous grain patterns that help hide accidental dents or scratches, and can be rift and quarter sawn for an unmatched old-world look. In our opinion, oak is the top-performing, most versatile species for flooring. Venture into some of the oldest buildings in Canada like the Croquist House at Bower Ponds and chances are, you will see an original oak floor.

• Maple: Most of the Maple hardwood flooring we carry is North American Sugar Maple. This is the tree we get that sweet, sweet Canadian elixir from. Maple is harder than Oak, lighter in colour, and with a tighter grain pattern. Knots are smaller and further apart. Maple is suited to more modern decor, especially if it has been sorted to remove any knots or mineral streaks. It doesn’t stain as consistently as Oak, however, so if you want a colour on your floor, make sure you consider that.

• Hickory: Hickory is the hardest of the domestic species, so it resists dents and scratches the best. Hickory shows the most variation in colour between boards. Some boards will be dark, with a strong oak-like grain pattern, while others will be light and relatively clear. Extra care must be taken in Canadian climates to ensure that the humidity in your home is consistent because Hickory is more susceptible to cracking and gapping.

• Walnut: Walnut is a dark, luxurious wood that is well suited to warm, masculine, traditional decor. The graining and colour in Walnut wood are incomparable. Walnut is best left unstained because it is already dark. It’s quite a soft wood, so it can dent and scratch easily, plus it is susceptible to sun fading. Areas exposed to light will become more light and yellow over time. That could be an advantage depending on the look you’re going for!

What about Exotic Species?

Exotic hardwood species, like Brazilian Cherry, Acacia, or Sapele, typically come from warmer climates and are imported into Canada. Care must be taken to ensure that the logging practices used to harvest the wood don’t contribute to deforestation. Exotic hardwood species are just that – exotic – so if you find an unbelievable price on this flooring, it's very likely that the wood comes from clear-cut logging.

The governments of Canada and the US have been cracking down on imports of poorly managed hardwood but rest assured that all our exotic species of hardwood floors come from certified responsibly-managed forests.

Doesn't Hardwood Flooring Scratch Easily?

While wood can scratch and dent, there’s a reason that you see so many 50-year-old hardwood floors but not a lot of 50-year-old vinyl floors – dents and scratches in wood are a lot less noticeable and bothersome than in vinyl. Because the wood looks the same on the surface as it does in the core, scratches don’t show up nearly as much as on a vinyl plank, where the core of the product is white or grey PVC.

All floors will scratch – even concrete! Hardwood is one of the easiest floor types to repair and care for over the long term.

Hardwood Flooring isn't Waterproof. Why Not Choose a Vinyl Plank Instead?

It’s true. Vinyl Plank flooring is made from plastic and so it is waterproof, whereas wood is not. However, in practice, the amount of water that is required to damage hardwood flooring is far more than you might think. Consider the fact that kitchen cabinets or vanities are still made of wood – and chances are, your home’s subflooring is actually wood! If there’s been enough water spilled to damage your hardwood, then vinyl plank flooring is not going to protect your home’s subfloor. Finally, think of all the commercial restaurants you’ve been in with wood floors. If it isn’t a problem there, we think it will be fine in your kitchen. Also, there’s a reason that most vinyl flooring “looks” like wood – it’s what we all aspire to!

OK, but should I put Hardwood Flooring in the bathroom?

At Red Deer Carpet One, we recommend hardwood flooring for half baths and powder rooms, but we think you should choose a waterproof flooring (LVP or tile) for any bathroom with a tub or shower. Same goes with the mudroom or entry where snowy boots will sit. Hardwood performs great in a kitchen or dining room where occasional spills happen, but constant exposure to water over long periods of time is not good for your hardwood flooring.

What about Alberta's Dry Winters?

There’s a reason why “it’s a dry cold”. We live in a frozen desert for 6 months of the year and it is not uncommon for humidity to drop to the low 20s or worse. That’s when you need lots of hand lotion and chapstick! Wood expands when it absorbs humidity and shrinks when it dries out, so when winter comes and the air is dry, your hardwood flooring can gap. Those gaps will go away again when (if?) spring ever comes. One way to help prevent that (and other dry wood issues like ‘sticking’ doors) is to maintain your homes humidity. If you have hardwood, you need a home humidifier. Most home furnaces have them included now days, but double-check to make sure. You should be aiming to keep your home as close to 35%-40% relative humidity as you can. If it gets lower or higher than that for an extended period, your floors will start to react.

For every hardwood installation we do, we provide a hygrometer so that you can make sure that your home’s humidity is kept at an ideal level both for your own health, and your new floor’s!

I've Decided I Want Hardwood! What Next?

Great! We need to set up a couple appointments. One of our in-house designers can help you find the perfect hardwood flooring for your space and our Showroom in Southpointe Common across from Best Buy in Red Deer is the perfect place to start. Also, we need to measure your home to make sure we have all the project details we need. Don't worry, at Red Deer Carpet One, your design appointment and in-home measure are free. Contact us at the showroom to get started. Can't make it to the store just yet? Order Samples right to your home.

Next Steps: Check out our portfolio of projects in Red Deer, Sylvan Lake, Lacombe, Rocky Mountain House, Innisfail, Blackfalds, Red Deer County, and more on Houzz, or browse Our Selection of hardwood flooring. Make sure to check our current In-Stock Special Buys for specials on hardwood flooring ready for installation today.

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