Q: Our casual style home was built ’00 and has light golden colored oak cabinets. We want to install engineered wood flooring, but are confused as to what type of wood to use that would compliment our existing oak cabinetry, rather than match it with another like oak wood.
I am drawn to warm reddish tones like Brazilian Cherry, Merbau, and Mahogany, however, I am afraid these might be too contrasting.
A: OK, well the best engineered I have seen or worked with is Mirage. Perhaps yellow birch or American cherry would be something different that you might like. There are 2 drawbacks to these choices. both species are a bit softer than oak, for one, so you have to understand that the possibility of getting dents and dings will increase, especially in a kitchen setting. Additionally, you will have to use even more care with a pre finished floor in a kitchen, where each board is finished individually, rather than site finished with polyurethane over the entire surface, including board edges. At the mirage web site you can set up 3 dimensional scenes to see what each species might look like. If you went with birch, I would go with an exclusive grade, which is a mix of select and traditional. This way you get a bit of a mix of some boards with beautiful chocolate ruddy brown colour mixed in with boards that are almost white. It creates a very inviting look.
Related Questions
White OakI'd like to put in White Oak throughout 3 bedrooms, a dining room, a hall and foyer. What would that cost, in Toronto? I want HARD wood that's dog friendly. If something cheaper is actually better, that would be nice.
Red vs. White OakWhat is the characteristic difference in red oak and white oak 3/4 tongue and groove hardwood flooring?
Is it red or white oak?I have bought a home with hardwoods in 90% of the home. I need to add hardwood flooring that matches as closely as possible in one room. However, I'm not sure if it's red or white oak. With the stained floor, it's hard for me to judge which wood is…
Oak wood floor is liftingI have recently laid a oak floor in my living room and dining room. The floor has started to lift. Is this common and does it settle down after a while?
Staining two species of wood to match?Q: I have stairs that are pine and oak. I want to re-stain. Is there anyway to make them match? A: Not that I'm aware of. Two different species, one soft wood and the other hard. Even the grain is totally different. The best you can hope for is complimentary.
Species of wood that is best for dog owners?I was considering putting wood flooring in my home, my question is: What type of wood flooring is best for dogs to walk on and not damage? I have a Bulldog to two German Shepards who all seem to nail-walk on the tile floors.