When choosing hardwood flooring for your home, it can be overwhelming with as many options as there are on the market today. Hardwoods can be a long lasting and visually appealing addition to your home; however, it can involve a hefty investment, and requires a decent amount of thought and consideration before purchasing. Learn more about the pros and cons of these exotic hardwood flooring options to see what the best solution is for your family and home.
Mahogany Flooring
Mahogany flooring is highly durable and water-resistant. This type of flooring has become more common since tree farms in Southeast Asia and the Pacific islands have increased in supply within the last 20 years. You can use Mahogany flooring inside and outside the home, with prices ranging from $10 – $20 per square foot.
For decorating purposes, you may want to consider using mahogany flooring as a starting point and work around that. For example, add warmer color walls to complement the darker floor color. Or, paint the trim a vibrant white to give the room contrast.
When looking into purchasing mahogany flooring, be sure that you verify the source of the materials. You should purchase your flooring when it is farmed sustainably, where employees are paid a living wage for turning the wood into flooring.
Walnut Flooring
Walnut Flooring is a beautiful dark flooring option for your home; however, it will dent and scratch easily, which will not make it the best material for active households. Prices range from $10-$20 per square foot.
Cherry Flooring
North American Cherry flooring is an absolutely gorgeous, smooth flooring solution, however, it is incredibly soft and may ruin easily. This type of flooring ranges in color from cherry to almost black.
Unfortunately, cherry flooring is reactive to sunlight and will darken noticeably when placed in a bright room. Since it has a soft feeling, we do not recommend using it in high traffic areas – especially if you have pets or kids. Instead, consider using this material in a formal dining room, or a living room you use sparingly. Price will range from $7-$15 per foot.
Hickory Flooring
If you’re looking for an option that will hold up to everyday traffic – consider using hickory flooring. It is harder than oak and it has a grain pattern and color variation that will withhold high traffic and active homes. This type of flooring would be a great option in a living room, hallway, kitchen, or foyer area. If you have a country or rustic theme to your house, hickory will be a nice addition. Prices will run anywhere from $5-$15.
Teak Flooring
This flooring option is great because of its water and insect resistant properties. It has been used in ship building for centuries for this reason. With this being said, Teak would be a beautiful addition to a bathroom, because it will remain safe upon contact with water. Since Teak is so durable, you can use it for a deck as the elements will not ruin it. It is important to remember that because of Teak’s high density, it may make installation more expensive. Expect to pay between $10-$25 per square foot.
Bamboo Flooring
The last type of exotic hardwood flooring you can use for your home is Bamboo flooring. Bamboo flooring is an eco-friendly option, is known for being exceptionally durable and will hold up for many years, longer than traditional bamboo flooring. It adds a beautiful finish and can be an amazing addition to a modern or contemporary home. Unfortunately, when bamboo is exposed to sunlight for long periods of time, it has the tendency to bleach out the flooring. It is important to make sure that the flooring your purchase is certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), since high levels of urea formaldehyde, a toxic chemical, can be in bamboo flooring from China. Coming in between $5 and $8 per square foot, bamboo flooring is usually less costly than traditional hardwood flooring.
