Wood Comparison Chart
| WOOD | BEST FEATURE | DESIGN STYLE | COLOR RANGE | STAINABILITY | DURABILITY |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Australian Cypress | Sometimes used as a substitute for heart/longleaf pine | Rustic, casual | Wide variation; golden tones; high knot content | Typically not stained; natural color | 6% harder than red oak |
| Bamboo | Considered a “green product;” is a grass, not a tree; plants regenerate quickly | Contemporary or modern often used where minimal grain or pattern is desired | Comes as a light cream or caramel color | Accepts stain well | Similar to oak in hardness |
| Brazilian Cherry | Extremely durable | Traditional to contemporary | Deep red/orange/brown tones; minimal knots; tight straight grain | Accepts stain well; darkens with exposure to light; dominant red tones return | 82% harder than red oak |
| Domestic Cherry | Beautiful delicate grain with character | Formal/traditional for select grades; casual/rustic for character grades | Golden/honey tones; wide color variation common within a plank | Difficult to stain evenly; darkens with exposure to light | 26% softer than red oak |
| Hickory | Popular substitute for oak, walnut or mesquite; delicate grain with lots of character | Casual or rustic | Beige/tan; wide color variation within a plank | Accepts stain well; color stable | 41% harder than red oak |
| Sugar Maple | Minimal grain, extremely tight color range in highest grades | Contemporary, minimalist or modern; used where minimal grain or pattern is desired | Creamy white in highest grade; wide variation in lower grades | Difficult to stain evenly; ambers slightly with exposure to light | 12% harder than red oak |
| Mesquite | The most stable and one of the most durable woods; exquisite character | Casual or rustic for character grades; traditional /formal for select grades | Deep reddish brown or mahogany | Accepts stain well; natural mahogany tones are dominant; darkens with exposure to light | 82% harder than red oak |
| Oak | The standard or basic floor material for years | Grade and grain pattern can be manipulated to be formal or casual | Red oak is slightly pink; white oak is beige/tan | Accepts stain very well; color possibilities are almost endless | Oak is typically used as the benchmark for hardness |
| Pao Rosa | Beaufiful character and grain pattern | Traditional or formal | Deep mahogany or brown with orange tones | Most attractive with a natural stain | 26% harder than red oak |
| Reclaimed Pine | Beaufiful character patina, grain pattern, tight growth rings, stable | Rustic, primative, Mission, casual, Old World, southwestern; pristine grades can be very formal | Natural color is honey toned | Difficult to statin evenly; most attractive with a natural color | Durability is dependent on age; ranges from slightly softer than oak to similar hardness as oak |
| Walnut | Rich deep color with delicate grain and lots of character | Very versatile: casual to formal | Natural color is deep chocolate brown | Accepts statin readily | 22% softer than red oak |
| Wenge | Traditional to formal | Very versatile: casual to formal | Natural color is darker than chocolate grain can be manipulated to be very busy or very formal | Accepts stain well; however the natural color is so dark, it is very attractive with a natural stain | 6% softer than red oak |