Hardwood Flooring in Red Deer, AB

Hardwood flooring is a Canadian classic! In Canada, we love the warm organic look of wood floors, and no wonder: we make some of the best hardwood flooring in the world! Hardwood flooring is a timeless, durable floor that is often imitated but rarely matched.

Whether your choice is a wide-plank hickory engineered hardwood or a wire-brushed oak herringbone floor, the team of Red Seal Journeyman Carpenters at Red Deer Carpet One Floor & Home can make sure your new hardwood is installed to the highest standards.

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

Hardwood flooring species are typically divided into two main categories – domestic and exotic.

Domestic hardwood species are typically forested in Europe or North America. These are cold-climate trees that grow slowly, making for dense, hard woods perfect for floors.

Among the domestic species, the most common flooring options are:

• Oak: Oak takes stain beautifully, has gorgeous grain patterns that hide dents or scratches, and bring an unmatched old-world look. It’s one of the most top-performing, versatile species for flooring.

• Maple: We carry North American Sugar Maple. It’s 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. It doesn’t stain as consistently as oak, however.

• Hickory: Hickory is the hardest domestic species, so it resists dents and scratches. Known for 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 humidity in your home is consistent since it’s susceptible to cracking and gapping.

• Walnut: Walnut is a dark, luxurious wood well suited to warm, masculine, traditional decor. The graining and colour is incomparable. Walnut is best left unstained since it’s already dark. It’s a softer wood, that can dent and scratch easily, and 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, come from warmer climates and are imported into Canada.

Care must be taken to ensure harvesting practices don’t contribute to deforestation. 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 less noticeable 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 flooring.

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, So Why Not Choose Vinyl Plank Instead?

It’s true. Vinyl Plank flooring is made from plastic and so it is waterproof, whereas wood is not.

The truth is that the amount of water required to damage hardwood flooring is far more than you think. Consider the fact that kitchen cabinets or vanities are made of wood – and chances are, your home’s subflooring is wood, too!

If there’s been enough water spilled to damage your hardwood, vinyl plank flooring won’t 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.

OK, But Can I Put Hardwood Flooring in the Bathroom?

We recommend hardwood flooring for half baths and powder rooms, but we think you should choose waterproof flooring for any bathroom with a tub or shower.

Hardwood performs great in a kitchen or dining room where occasional spills happen, but constant exposure to water over long periods of time isn’t good for your hardwood flooring.

What about Alberta's Dry Winters?

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.

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.

One way to help prevent that is to maintain your homes humidity. If you have hardwood, you need a home humidifier. Most home furnaces have them included nowadays, but double-check to make sure. Try and maintain a to 35%-40% relative humidity when possible.

We provide a hygrometer with every hardwood installation, so it’s easy to maintain your home’s humidity level.

Shop Hardwood Flooring Near You in Red Deer, AB

Heart set on hardwood floors? Don’t worry at Red Deer Carpet One Floor & Home, we make it easy. One of our in-house designers and expert flooring installers can help you find the perfect hardwood flooring: making our Southpointe Common showroom across from Best Buy in Red Deer, AB  the perfect place to start.

What’s next? Well, your design appointment and in-home measure are always free, so what are you waiting for? Contact us today to get started. Can't make it to the store just yet? Order samples right to your home.