TURN ENDLESS OPTIONS INTO ONE PERFECT LOOK.

To arrive at a design that fits your vision, you’ll have choices to make. How do you feel about each of the hardwood flooring features below?

Color

What colors and tones work with the overall look you’re trying to achieve? There’s a whole spectrum of single- and multi-tonal designs to choose from. For example, maple flooring features lighter tones that make it great for contemporary homes.

Gloss Level

Like things shiny? High gloss flooring looks polished, but may not hide scratches and dust. They also require more maintenance than low-luster floors. Low gloss hardwood flooring looks natural and can show less wear on your floors. That makes a great choice for living rooms, hallways and other heavy traffic areas. You can easily clean a low-luster floor with a dust mop or microfiber pad and nontoxic, hardwood flooring cleaner, even if children or small pets play on the floor.

Character

What are your thoughts on floors that show the natural character of the wood—variations in color, graining, streaks and filled knots and splits? Character varies across wood species and collections. The less natural character that’s visible, like oak or maple, the more uniform the overall wood floor appears.

Texture

Do you prefer smooth and traditional hardwood like oak, red oak or maple that work for a modern-style home. Or do you like the added texture that comes from a wire-brushed or hand-scraped wood floor. Both lend themselves to a more rustic appearance.

Width

The width of individual hardwood planks affects the overall style and also how spacious a room feels. You can go more traditional with narrow strips of less than 3″ or create more open feeling space with wide planks up to 7-1/2″. Floors with multi-width planks create a more rustic feel with your hardwood floors.

End/Edge Shape

How defined do you want each plank to be? Square ends and edges create a seamless look. Micro-beveling offers subtle definition between boards. Scraped edges look rustic, and each plank stands out.

APPEARANCE AND DURABILITY VARY AMONG SPECIES.

Wood species refers to the type of hardwood used to make either solid or engineered hardwood flooring. With Bruce® you’ll find Oak, Hickory, Maple, Birch, Cherry and Walnut. Some are more durable than others. For example oak, maple and hickory are some of the harder wood species, making them better at resisting dents and scratches. Some hardwoods show more natural character than others. Natural color and graining patterns vary and impact the wood floor’s overall look.

SEVERAL FACTORS AFFECT A HARDWOOD FLOOR’S RESILIENCE OVER TIME.

When deciding what type or style of hardwood flooring is best suited for your project, you can narrow your choices quite a bit by answering these three questions:

Where are you installing?

Engineered hardwood is best for rooms that have moisture potential, such as basements. They can also be installed over a concrete slab or radiant heating. On the other hand, solid hardwood flooring is a great choice for dry, above-ground installations where they encounter less moisture concerns.

What kind of foot traffic is expected (including the four-legged kind)?

Some Bruce® hardwood collections are perfect for everyday wear while premium flooring options offer our highest level of scratch, stain and water resistance. Harder wood species like oak, maple and hickory might be better in high-traffic areas.

Looking for a lifetime investment?

All of our hardwood flooring products have comprehensive warranty coverage, including our Limited Lifetime Structural Integrity Warranty. Premium products come with our highest level of protection, guaranteed for life.