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When choosing a hardwood floor for your home, two of the biggest decisions you'll make are what color to get and what type of finish to apply. The color and finish you select impact the overall look, feel and maintenance needs of your floors. Here's an overview of some of the most popular hardwood floor color and finish options to consider.

Hardwood Flooring Colors

Hardwood floors come in a wide spectrum of colors, ranging from warm natural brown tones to grays with cool undertones. The natural color of the wood species factors into the overall look as well. Some of the most common hardwood floor colors include:

• Natural/Unfinished: Natural unfinished hardwood allows you to see the raw natural wood color. Colors range from very light (maple) to reddish browns (oak). This allows you to then stain or finish to any custom color.
• Brown: Rich brown tones are classic. They bring warmth and complement various design styles from traditional to contemporary. Light, medium and dark brown hues are available.
• Red/Rust Brown: For a bolder, brighter look, rustic red-brown hardwood brings vibrancy. Variations range from a lighter ginger oak floor to deeper mahogany colors.
• Gray: Gray-stained floors are trending for a more modern, sleek look. Cool-toned grays work well in contemporary spaces. Distressed gray finishes also mimic weathered barnwood as a rustic option.
• White/Bleached: Whitewashed or bleached hardwood lightens up the natural tone for a coastal, Scandinavian-inspired style. The natural grain still shows through for texture.
• Black: For high contrast and drama, black stained hardwood makes a statement. It enhances the grain patterns in the wood for visual interest.

Popular Hardwood Species & Colors

Every wood species has its own distinctive grain patterns and baseline stain absorption that impacts the final stained color. Some species to consider and baseline colors include:

• Oak: Red oak is a very common species. It has a moderately open grain and stains well from light to dark tones. White oak has a subtle grain and takes even stain color.
• Maple: Hard maple has a fine, uniform grain that takes stain very evenly. It's suitable for bright whites or grays. Soft maple is similar but more affordable.
• Hickory: With sweeping grain variability, hickory adds rustic character. It stains in a wide range of brown tones from pecan to walnut hues.
• Ash: Primarily grayish-brown, ash wood stains easily to coordinate with paint colors for a custom look.
• Exotics: Brazilian cherry has a vivid reddish color. Bamboo ranges from light tan to caramel colors. Many exotic species like acacia, Santos mahogany, tigerwood and African mahogany have rich reddish-brown coloration.
• Pine: There are several pine flooring options. While most are naturally light brown, some yellow pine species have a rich honey-amber coloration.

Wood Flooring Finishes

The finish applied to your hardwood floor not only protects it but also impacts the sheen level from matte to glossy. It can even influence the stain color. Types of hardwood floor finishes include:

• Oil-Based Polyurethane: This is a very common finish that provides good durability and ambering effect that enriches wood tones. Gloss levels vary from satin, semi-gloss to high-gloss sheens.
• Water-Based Polyurethane: For a clearer, less yellowing finish, water-based options maintain the natural color well. They provide good protection too and dry faster, enabling quicker recoats.
• UV-Cured Urethane: Factory-applied finishes that are rapidly cured by UV light deliver maximum durability while allowing rich color clarity.
• Acrylic-Infused: To improve scratch resistance while retaining clarity, acrylic is added to some water-based and UV-cured urethane finishes.
• Synthetic: Some synthetic finishes create a velvety matte look that minimizes glare on the flooring surface to highlight the contrasting wood grain below.

• Hard Wax Oil: As an alternative to traditional polyurethanes, hard wax oils penetrate into the wood while allowing vapor transmission. Natural matte sheens result without a surface film coating.
• Lacquer: Quick drying and able to take many coats in one day, lacquer finishes create vibrant color depth with high durability in glossy to semi-gloss sheens.

Final Words

Choosing your perfect hardwood floor color and ideal finish is all about pairing your personal style with the right wood look to match your aesthetic vision for a space. Meet with an experienced flooring dealer to view many stain colors on all available wood species in the finishes you prefer. This helps narrow choices down significantly so you can feel confident selecting the ideal hardwood flooring to complete your interior design plans.

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