At Just Wood, we pride ourselves on knowing pretty much everything there is to know about hardwood. We’ve spent many years building this knowledge and having it gives us the confidence to give the best possible advice to our customers when it comes to choosing the right hardwood flooring for them. Understanding the properties of different types of hardwood is a major advantage when it comes to choosing which is best for a specific room or home.

To help you in your search for the right hardwood, we’ve put together a hardwood flooring factsheet, looking at some interesting facts about oak.

THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF VARIETIES OF OAK
There are said to be over 600 different species of oak, although not all are seen as suitable for flooring. Oak comes in a huge variety of shades and also responds well to different finishes, meaning you would have no problem finding a variety of oak to suit your home.

OAK HAS A VERY LONG LIFESPAN
Most oak trees live for 200 years or more, with some being said to have lived for up to 800 years. This makes it pretty clear to see why it is such a great choice for hardwood flooring!

OAK IS INCREDIBLY STRONG AND DURABLE
One of the reasons why oak has always been a very popular choice when it comes to flooring and furniture is because of its great strength and durability. Oak has a density of 0.75 grams per cubic centimetre, making it one of the densest naturally occurring substances. This makes it great for flooring, as it will be hardwearing enough to last a lifetime.

OAK HAS SOME INTERESTING USES
As well as being a popular choice for hardwood flooring, oak has also been used for many years in barrels for storing red wines, brandy, whiskey and other types of alcohol. Ageing alcohol in oak barrels gives it a unique flavour and aroma.