Factors to Consider When Buying Asian Walnut Hardwood Flooring

Asian walnut Wood, known in Asia as Acacia, has become increasingly popular in the recent years. Although it won’t be supplanting oak as the number one bestselling wooden flooring, it is steadily rising up the ranks alongside other exotic varieties such as Brazilian cherry. Before selecting your hardwood flooring, you should know a little more about this beautifully elegant variety of wood.

The Asian walnut tree does not grow as high as other hardwood trees. Consequently, its boards are slightly shorter than that of other hardwoods. The typical floor board is ¾ inch think and averages around four feet in length. On the other hand, this hardwood rates high on the Janka hardness scale, which measures the amount of force needed to embed a steel ball within the wood. The Asian walnut hardwood has a Janka rating of 2,300 pounds-force, which is a lot higher than that of the common oak, which rates at 1,300 pounds-force. Although this does not mean that flooring made of Asia walnut hardwood will be scratch-resistant, you can safely conclude that the flooring will definitely last.

Finishing

Most hardwood floors are sold with some form of factory finish. These consist of protective coats of polyurethane, aluminum oxide, or a combination of both, that are applied to protect the wood from wear and tear. The latest available factory finishes have been formulated to make hardwood flooring more scratch-resistant. In case you purchased unfinished flooring, it will still need to undergo finishing once the floors are installed. However, the quality of the finishing will not be as good as if it were finished in a factory.

Stains

Asian walnut hardwood usually comes stained in three different colors. Natural pertains to wood that has only been given a clear, protective finish in order for the natural color to be appreciated. This can range from a light shade to the more common darker hues. Cinnamon-stained, otherwise known as cherry-stained, Asian walnut hardwood boards have a vibrant, reddish hue. On the other hand, smoke- or toffee-stained hardwood has a slightly darker hue similar to the natural color of the black walnut wood. Because of this, Asian walnut hardwood is often used as an alternative since it is relatively more affordable than its cousin.

Natural Variety in Color

Since the Asian walnut hardwood exhibits a naturally wide variety in color, it’s better to request for two sample boards so you can envision how the finished floors will look like. Some individuals expect a certain level of uniformity in their flooring, while others enjoy the distinctive color gradients that Asian walnut hardwood flooring usually exhibit. For a more comprehensive peek at how the finished product will appear, you can try buying a box of boards and go about arranging them on your floor. This way, you should be more or less sure on whether or not you will be using Asia walnut hardwood for your home. If you decided otherwise, you will have only spent a fraction of the actual cost of flooring for the entire project.

Natural Grain

Its unique loose, whirling grain pattern is another distinctive feature of Asia walnut hardwood. Depending on your preference, this can tempt you to use this type of hardwood for your flooring, or cause you to seek out other alternatives.

Once you have committed to installing Asian walnut hardwood floors and have selected the type of stains and finish you want, the next step involves selecting the supplier of your flooring boards. Basically, you can purchase hardwood flooring from local dealers, branches of a commercial chain of home improvement establishments, liquidators, and hardwood flooring wholesalers.

The cost of hardwood flooring is usually higher if you source them from home improvement establishments and local dealers. The latter has the advantage of possible price negotiations and typically offering free samples. Liquidators and flooring wholesalers both offer competitive prices. However, the latter’s supply of hardwood flooring cannot be guaranteed and no warranty is usually offered. Floorboard wholesalers offer hardwood flooring at more affordable rates and are more reliable stocked. Furthermore, most will ship free samples to prospective buyers. Make sure to compare suppliers to be able to get the best deal possible.