Making the decision to have hardwood flooring fitted in your home is a great investment, transforming the room it is placed in while also adding value. But with an ever increasing variety of different hardwood types readily available, choosing the right wood species for your floor can be difficult.

At Just Wood we stock a wide range of different types of wood including: ash, beech, birch, cherry, jarrah, jatoba, maple, merbau, oak, rosewood and walnut. When you are trying to make a decision over which species of wood is right for your floor, there are a few questions which you should be asking yourself.

What is your budget?

As with any investment, being aware of your budget is a big help in the decision making process. You want to make sure you get the best possible result for your money, so take the time to research different types of hardwood flooring, their initial costs and how much maintenance they require.

Oak flooring is an increasingly popular choice, as it is relatively cheap to install and maintain, and is available in a variety of different colours.

What room is the flooring going in?

Different species of hardwood flooring have different qualities, and because of this, can complement different rooms in your home. If you have a smaller room with less natural light, a lighter wood such as beech or maple can help brighten up the room, giving the illusion of more space.

For a more formal room such as a dining room or study, many people will opt for a richer, exotic wood for their flooring such as jarrah or jatoba. These species, darker in colour, can add to the feeling of formality and class which you are aiming for in these rooms.

It is also important to think about the function of the room, and the amount of foot traffic the room will receive, as this will eventually affect the finish of your hardwood flooring. Darker colours tend to show the effects of increased foot traffic quicker, so a lighter wood could be a better option for high traffic rooms. Alternatively, you can make use of rugs and walk off mats to reduce wear and tear in these rooms.

Will the flooring match your pre-existing décor? 

If you are choosing hardwood flooring for a new home this may not be an issue, but if you are having new flooring fitted to revitalise an existing room, it is an important question to ask. You want to ensure that your beautiful new flooring will complement any existing fittings, fabrics and furnishings.