Species we install most
Choosing a hardwood species for a Minnesota house.
Hardness, grain, how it takes stain and how it moves between a dry January and a humid July all decide whether a floor still looks right in fifteen years. These are the species we install most, with the numbers we use to choose between them.
| Species | Janka hardness | Finishes it takes | Minnesota seasons | Where it is used most |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hickory | 1,820 | Oil-based or water-based polyurethane; natural and medium stains; dark stains calm the variation | Moves the most of the species we install; strict acclimation, humidity control and wider expansion gaps | Cabins and lake homes, mudrooms, houses with big dogs, rustic and farmhouse interiors |
| Hard maple | 1,450 | Water-based polyurethane to keep it pale; oil-based ambers it toward gold; light stains and whitewash only | Moves more than oak; expect winter gaps in solid strip; engineered over radiant | Kitchens, modern main floors, gyms and sport courts, 1990s and 2000s homes in Plymouth and Maple Grove |
| White oak | 1,360 | Water-based or oil-based polyurethane, hardwax oil, and custom stain from pale to near-black | Moderate. Solid plank gaps a little in January and closes by summer; engineered stays flatter over radiant heat | Open main floors, kitchens, great rooms, stairs and treads, herringbone and chevron patterns |
| Red oak | 1,290 | Oil-based and water-based polyurethane, hardwax oil; stains well in medium and dark tones, less well in gray and whitewash | Moderate, about the same as white oak; old strip floors that gap every winter keep doing it after a refinish | Existing floors in older homes, additions that need to tie into them, bedrooms and halls where cost matters |
| Black walnut | 1,010 | Clear finishes almost always; water-based keeps the purple undertone, oil-based warms it; hardwax oil suits it well | Moderate movement, similar to oak; the dark color makes winter gaps more visible than they are | Formal rooms, studies, bars and lounges, stair treads, inlays and medallions |
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Janka 1,360
White oak
White oak is the hardwood flooring species we install more than any other across the Twin Cities, and for most new builds on Lake Minnetonka it is the default before anyone opens a sample box.
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Janka 1,290
Red oak
Red oak is the hardwood flooring that most Twin Cities homes built between 1920 and 2000 already have, from the 2 1/4 inch strip in Edina's Country Club district to the builder-grade plank in Plymouth and Eden Prairie two-stories.
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Janka 1,450
Hard maple
Hard maple is the hardwood flooring people in the Twin Cities ask for when they want a pale, clean floor and a surface harder than either oak.
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Janka 1,820
Hickory
Hickory is the hardwood flooring we recommend in the Twin Cities when a family wants the toughest domestic floor and likes a lot of character underfoot.
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Janka 1,010
Black walnut
Black walnut is the hardwood flooring we install in the Twin Cities when a homeowner wants a deep brown floor without a drop of stain.
Free estimate · West metro and Wright County
Bring the question to the shop
Sample boards and full planks of each species are on hand by appointment in Cokato, and we bring boards to the house for an estimate.