How to choose hardwood flooring for your home

With so many species, colors, and widths, choosing can feel overwhelming. Break it into a few decisions and it gets simple.

Start with how you live

Pets and kids point to harder species and forgiving finishes. Lower-traffic, formal rooms open up softer, more dramatic woods like walnut and cherry.

Then color, width, and finish

Lighter floors feel open and hide dust; darker floors feel rich and show more. Wider planks read modern. Matte finishes hide wear; gloss shows it. Look at samples in your own light.

• Hard-wearing: oak, maple, hickory.
• Statement: walnut, cherry.
• Modern look: wide planks, matte finish.

Our take

Bring your questions to the showroom or schedule a free at-home estimate. Most decisions become clear once you see samples in your own space.