How to Tell if It Is Oak or Maple Hardwood Flooring
Hardwood floors come in many styles and colors, from oak to maple, cherry, walnut, pine or Douglas fir. Oak and maple are popular choices for their durability and beauty. Properly stained and sealed, they will last for generations, adding value to your home. Oak and maple are quite different, however. Learn about the qualities of each, and you will quickly be able to tell the difference between them at a glance. Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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Look at the color of the wood to find the differences between oak and maple flooring. Properly applied stain brings out the color and doesn't disguise it. White oak has a pale, yellowish tinge, and red oak, a very slight pinkish-red cast. Both have brown undertones. Maple has golden and amber highlights and a warmer cast, no matter what kind of stain is used.
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Study the grain of both oak and maple to learn the difference. Oak has a coarse, highly visible grain with whorls and occasional knots visible in the boards. Oak has a textured look, even when sealed and polished. Maple has a tight grain and smooth texture. Rare maple boards like bird's eye or tiger maple are the exception, with multiple knots in the wood resembling bird's eyes, or highly visible striping.
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Rap the floor boards with your knuckles. Oak is softer than maple and makes a muffled sound. Maple is an extremely dense wood, and makes a higher, thinner sound when struck.
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Observe the wear on the floor if it is old and a long way from its last refinishing. Oak floors disguise wear extremely well, and the coarse grain hides scratches and stains. Maple floors scratch easily because the wood has less give, and its fine grain shows marks and scuffs.
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Tips & Warnings
Both oak and maple are tougher than pine. If you really want conifer wood flooring, try Douglas fir, which is extremely hard and durable.
