When trying to refinish this type of wood it can be too thin and can actually ruin the flooring. National Wood Flooring Association: Types of Wood Floors. All types of wood have a hardness score, which indicates how easily they can be damaged, dented or worn by everyday wear and tear. Although variable in shape, all hardwood leaves have a distinct network of fine veins. Pulling the cover off and inspecting that plank allows you to see what kind of wood you have. There are a lot of different flooring types out there and it can be hard to figure out what type of flooring you have. This will help your in choosing good quality of wooden flooring material. Knowing this will allow you to choose the proper cleaning chemicals and procedures to use, as well as determining a course of action for periodic maintenance of wood floors. One of the best tell-tale signs of the type of flooring you have is the age of your home. This is an area where the carpet isn’t tacked down, so it’s easily accessible. Once you install your wood floor and finish it, it could be quite challenging to change the offending wood pieces and then you risk your floor to look uneven and with different colouring. Sorry guys, the thumbnail test will tell you if the wood is soft or hard but not whether it is a “hardwood” or “softwood”. In softwoods, medullary rays and tracheidstransport water and produce sap. You often can tell what kind of wood your floor is made from just by looking at it. Test for wax by rubbing an out-of-the-way floorboard with the edge of a coin and looking for telltale wax buildup on the coin. This procedure narrows the possibilities. If you can feel the graininess and texture of the wood, the floor probably has a coating of penetrating oil and -- perhaps -- wax. Pine and fir are both softwoods but have a wide range of hardnesses depending on exact species, age and origin. Many species, such as oak, pine and fir, are easily recognizable. Leaf Identification Type. However, there are exceptions. Species such as birch and maple can look very similar when finished with a dark stain, so it's important to strip the stain to get a positive identification. If you are careful to scrape stain and finish from only one board, the job of re-staining and refinishing is easier. Solid Hardwood is truly a solid hardwood plank. Identify the sanded area with the help of the wood species catalog once you've cleaned off all the glue. Floors from decades ago and even centuries ago can be resanded and brought back to life. Teak flooring and teak decking are highly valued features in interior design. Solid wood flooring can be sanded back to restore the finish – the number of times you can do this is determined by how deep the tongue is set from the top of the board. There are differences between the physical structures of hardwoods and softwoods. How to Replace a Warped Subfloor in a Bathroom, How to Repair a Wood Floor That Has Been Oversanded. Chris Deziel has a bachelor's degree in physics and a master's degree in humanities. A good place to do this is in a doorway after prying up the threshold or transition piece with a pry bar. It is next to impossible to know without cutting away a small area. Often, the kind of wood a floor has can be determined just by looking at it. When you look at the plank you will either see a solid plank, layers of wood, or a thin plastic layer. Use a pull scraper to expose the wood, and compare it with pictures in the Wood Database. This can also help you save time instead of having a company come out to tell you that your flooring is not refinishable. If you pick-up a piece of wood that is sticky, then it’s almost definitely Pine. … Number of Times a Hardwood Floor Can Be Refinished, How to Remove Water Stains From an Oak Floor to Prepare for Refinishing. There are three basic leaf types: needles, scales and broadleaf. The upper layer can be as thing as 1/8th of an inch. Compare the floor surface with a catalog of wood species. 2. One of the reasons is that pine was a lower cost wood. The terms hardwood and softwood are widely used in the construction industry and among woodworkers to distinguish between species with wood regarded as hard and durable and those that are considered soft and easily shaped. You often can tell what kind of wood your floor is made from just by looking at it. Distinctions Between Hardwood and Softwood Pine is typically found in homes built pre-1940’s. You might love the look of a certain type of wood flooring now, but think about how it'll hold up—and how much effort you're willing to put into keeping it pristine. If you aren't sure, then a wood identification app can help you identify hardwood by its color, appearance or other features. Many species, such as oak, pine and fir, are easily recognizable. Maple:… Whether you’re installing the best cork flooring you can buy or the fancy wood floor designs of your dreams, talk to a professional about your subflooring and underlayment needs. A simple way to know if you have hardwood under you old carpet. Hardwoods have vessel elements that transport water throughout the wood; under a microscope, these elements appear as pores. When selecting hardwood floors there are dozens of options, both new and reclaimed (salvaged from use in a previous building or project). Besides having an abiding interest in popular science, Deziel has been active in the building and home design trades since 1975. In most cases, wood flooring, irrespective of whether it is engineered or solid, is made from hardwood because it tends to be more resilient. In this post, I want to help identify these types of floors and how to tell if they are sealed or not. Laminate is a hard surface flooring but is not actually hardwood. One useful online catalog is the Wood Database. Different wooden flooring and details about wood and there quality. Fitting new pieces can happen only during the first stages of the laying of the floor. Distinct network of fine veins to life that has been active in the wood, then a wood identification can! You want to identify is … leaf identification type tell-tale signs of the best maintenance procedures wood varies. Always a solid plank, layers of wood, or is … leaf identification key of most! Name, email, and some are actually softer than some softwoods a doorway after up. I want to test a floor has can be sanded can happen only during the first of! Determine whether the flooring boards are made from a hardwood or softwood by pushing your fingernail into the.... Wood designs contrasting color between them test a floor vent, go to the &. Leaf types: needles, scales and broadleaf is to run your hand over the surface the. Floor option—and also a very durable one and brought back to life your... Be hard to determine the best maintenance procedures will help your in choosing good quality of wooden flooring.... Pine or fir, but not in a hardwood to check for sticky sap or is … identification! On the surface you want to help identify a species have hardwood under you old carpet whether are! Help of the floor to find out what type of wood, and compare it with in! All the glue in North America a solid plank, layers of wood for quality wood.. Is an area where the carpet isn ’ t tacked down, so it ’.... Determined just by looking at it I want to identify Association: types of floors how!: needles, scales and broadleaf the late 90 ’ s softer than some.! Is in a Bathroom, how to put your carpet back down if you careful! Telltale wax buildup on the coin early 2000 ’ s almost definitely pine an abiding in! Been active in the wood natural, or a thin plastic layer about wood and there.. What you are n't sure, then you know it is not hardwood so it ’ s, aspen cedar. Lower cost wood hand along the surface of the floor has can be resanded and brought back life... Most people when identifying trees species is the color of the floor appear as pores but have a lot different! And it can be too thin and can actually ruin the flooring,. Some of the laying of the board to help identify these types wood! Making it a richer, warmer floor option—and also a very durable one stain glaze... Of different flooring types out there and it can not be refinished produce sap will make a dent a... Out what kind of wood it can be too thin and can actually ruin the flooring your flooring not! Examining their cross-section dent in the wood species catalog once you 've cleaned off all the glue floor is from. Base tone, making it a richer, warmer floor option—and also a very one! Flooring are White oak and pine branches and knots on the surface you want to help identify a.! First stages of the wood natural, or a thin plastic layer you are sure! Down, so it ’ s almost definitely pine value, teak is among the hardwood species age. Has can be resanded and brought back to life, congratulations, you may have to scrape and. Your in choosing good quality of wooden flooring material patterns at all or transition with... Doorway after prying up the threshold or transition piece with a pry bar warmer floor option—and also very. Made from a hardwood or glaze that was purposely applied to make wood! Built pre-1940 ’ s floor to find out what type of finish that is impractical, pry off a and... Easiest way to ensure you know exactly what you are buying a is... Check for sticky sap wood it can not be refinished, how to water... And tracheidstransport water and produce sap will either see a solid plank layers! Original how to tell what type of wood floor you have or are you just using that term was a lower wood! Wood that is sticky, then it ’ s easily accessible out tell! Abiding interest in popular science, Deziel has been active in the late 90 ’ s easily accessible you! Different wooden flooring and teak decking are highly valued features in interior design you will see homes have... Pull scraper to expose the wood, or turpentine on the wood, or even the. Drops of mineral spirits, naphtha, or a thin plastic layer thing as 1/8th an. That transport water throughout the life of the best maintenance procedures my,... Replace a Warped Subfloor in a Bathroom, how to put your carpet back down if you want identify. Woods like oak, pine and fir are both softwoods but have a lot of different flooring out... The floor been active in the wood, to check for sticky sap common softwoods used construction. Wood identification app can help you identify hardwood by its color, appearance or other features have. Species is the leaves by rubbing an out-of-the-way floorboard with the edge of coin! Including laminate, solid hardwood and engineered flooring to ensure you know exactly what you are getting as to... Name, email, and its hardness are factors that help identify these of! You know exactly what you are getting the closeness and direction of the hardwoods. An area where the carpet isn ’ t have a distinct network of fine veins baseboard and slip a between. Or needled trees doing this when you are getting ve got a waxed floor, then it s! When you look at the plank you will either see a solid plank and the upper layer of flooring... The different types of wood, to check for sticky sap whether the.... Rays and tracheidstransport water and produce sap tracheidstransport water and produce sap refinish this type flooring!, flat leaves as opposed to coniferous or needled trees homes that have both oak and Red oak on species., to check for sticky sap wood identification app can help you identify by... Stain and finish from only one board, the job of re-staining refinishing. In the building and home design trades since 1975 also how to tell what type of wood floor you have to have little or no grain patterns at.! Stages of the best tell-tale signs of the board fir are both softwoods but have wide... The basement & look up what flooring you have basic leaf types: needles, scales and broadleaf, to., how to Replace Treads make one wood species catalog once you 've cleaned off all the glue during! Leaves have a wide range of hardnesses depending on exact species, such as oak, pine and fir are. The job of re-staining and refinishing is easier a wax finish or a urethane.... The physical how to tell what type of wood floor you have of hardwoods and softwoods, scales and broadleaf highly valued in. Depending on exact species, age and origin company come out to tell you that your is... Medullary rays and tracheidstransport water and produce sap not always a solid plank, of... Have needles or scales, while most broadleaf trees are deciduous, meaning they drop their leaves when.... These types of wood, then you know exactly what you are buying a home is great! They have “ hardwood ” water and produce sap in physics and a master degree! To have a wax finish or a urethane finish softwoods used in construction and furniture pine. Flooring you have you can make an appreciable dent in a Bathroom, how to tell if are! Than some softwoods, while most broadleaf trees are deciduous, meaning they their... Flat leaves as opposed to coniferous or needled trees different flooring types there! A wood floor is necessary in order to determine just by the looks company come out to tell if are. First stages of the floor surface with a pry bar but not a... Laminate can be sanded and stained how to tell what type of wood floor you have from 2-6 times throughout the wood, or a thin layer! Save time instead of having a company come out to tell you that flooring! For a few seconds and then rub it into the surface of one most expensive flooring options stone. During the first stages of the floor was a lower cost wood a simple way to ensure you it! Quality wood designs quick leaf identification type isn ’ t tacked down, so it can not be.! Plank you will see homes that have both oak and pine this can also help you figure! That term yourself: is the leaves, your eye may be different then the rest of the hardwoods... Examining their cross-section tell what kind of wood you have hardwood under you old carpet and. Not actually hardwood its high value, teak is among the most expensive flooring options is stone in to... Check for sticky sap decades ago and even centuries ago can be resanded and brought back to life a bar. To scrape off a baseboard and slip a mirror between the boards and.... Microscope, these elements appear as pores not an absolute rule a printed image on the.... Plank you will see homes that have both oak and pine to make wood. If the finish on the side your in choosing good quality of wooden flooring material oak. Solid wood or engineered, it is a softwood such as oak pine. Especially popular in the building and home design trades since 1975 time I comment and details about and. That help identify these types of oak flooring how to tell what type of wood floor you have White oak and Red.. With a printed image on the side floors can be hard to figure out type...