Latest Trends in Hardwood Flooring – Let us explore what has changed
Past Trends in Hardwood Flooring
Not long ago we were mostly selling smooth, narrow-planked, and exotic hardwood flooring.
Let us explore what else has changed
The growing awareness around the depletion of Brazilian rainforests is driving the trend away from exotic woods. As a result clients have been choosing domestic White Oak and Red Oak hardwood floors. Pastel colors, mostly grey and white floors are popular again. Clients often look for Hickory hardwood flooring. That is because Hickory hardwood has a unique grain pattern. At the same time Hickory is exceptionally hard. Technology changes in the industry are allowing production of longer and wider planks.
More About Visible and Functional Floor Changes
Hardwood Flooring Structure
Engineered Flooring and Solid Sawn Flooring is is available in up to 12” width. In addition, plank structural changes improved hardwood flooring dimensional stability. For example most of the engineered or solid sawn hardwood floors perform well when installed over the concrete. They are also excellent for areas with a heated sub-floor. Solid hardwood flooring would become distorted in such extreme conditions of temperature and moisture.
Flooring Texture
Lately our customers are enquiring about Textured Hand Scraped, Wire Brushed or Etched hardwood. On a distressed floor surface we see less scratching than on floors finished with a smooth surface. Also less noticeable is wear and tear. However, customers are also choosing laminate or even vinyl flooring. Both Laminate and Vinyl floors are less expensive and even more resilient than hardwood floors.
Hardwood Flooring Sheen
In recent years, low sheen hardwood flooring is gaining in popularity. Satin or semi-gloss are best at enhancing the natural look of wood. In addition a low gloss floor finish hides marks, scuffs and scratches. Floors with texture perfectly meet needs of active house. If you have children and pets, a low sheen, textured floor will show less of wear. Gloss finishes tend to exaggerate marks and scratches while low sheen is more forgiving.
Sheen, Colour and Size of Hardwood Plank Changed the Most
Colour Trends in Flooring
Traditional colours are fading away. We are back to pastel look of hardwood floors. Various shades of grey and white floor colours are back in demand. Grey floors complement modern and ultramodern decor styles. In addition grey has neutral and calming effect. Wood-Mood’s best supplier, Vintage Hardwood Flooring, developed a perfect manufacturing process for various shades of grey on their hardwood.
Long and Wide Flooring
Floors with a smaller pattern create an optical illusion of diminished space in a room. The open concept trend and using longer and wider floor planks creates a perfect look. In addition, wide and long hardwood floor boards create less visual distraction. As a result, rooms in the house look larger. If we use fewer floor boards to cover a given area, there are fewer visible joints.