The best wooden floors are made with readily available wood species and, you guessed it, very hard. Oak flooring, mahogany flooring, and cherry flooring are all excellent choices. Other species consist of bamboo, grass, walnut, ash, and mahogany. You’ll pay the premium price for more exotic species, such as teak, jarrah, and mesquite. Check to ensure that the hardwood flooring you choose comes from sustainably harvested forests.

Another option from which one can choose is the reclaimed hardwood floors in Fayetteville, NC,which you can find at salvage yards. It likely includes some signs of wear and age, but you’ll pay about half what it would cost for comparable new flooring. If they do not have what you’re looking for and you have the time, ask to be put on a waiting list. Salvage flooring can be a perfect choice for renovating an older house.

The various types of hardwood floors are as follows:

• The seasoned Brazilian cherry has a russet or reddish-brown color, with a medium to somewhat coarse grain. It’s slightly more stable than red oak but requires a longer than average acclimation period. It also can be more difficult to see due to its high density and can be found onhardwood floors in Fayetteville, NC.
• Cork comes invarious shades, from light to dark, and has a tight grain, unlike other woods. It’s the bark of a type of oak tree. It’s become famous for its durability, sustainability, and cushioning effect underfoot.
• Bamboo can be grass, but it is considered wood due to its hardness. Bamboo has been popular with “green” building proponents due to its rapid regrowth, making it highly sustainable. You can slash it and have a fully mature tree in four years. It comes with the colors such as manila/yellow tones and dark shades. The grain design shows nodes from the bamboo stalks.
• Wenge, nearly dark wood from Africa, is difficult to obtain but has become popular as an accent wood. It is hard to cut and requires carbide.
• Bubinga wood is burgundy in color. This African wood has a fine grain and saws quickly. But it separates easily when nailed with machine tools, so hand-hammering works best.

As these variations show, exotic woods will react differently to cutting and installation techniques and the environment.