Certain hardwoods can be stained better than other hardwoods. That is a fact, no matter what anyone tells you. An example of a great hardwood floor to stain that has an even feel and a non-blotchy look is oak, on the other hand Maple is blotchy after it is stained, no matter the process. So, why is that and why do some hardwoods look so nicely stained while others don’t?
Open vs Closed Grain
Any hardwood specialist will probably tell you maple can not be stained properly and that oak can, but why? Well, the answer lies within the pattern or the foundation of the grain within a wood species. Basically, in easy to understand terms – open grain allows pigment into the wood and soaks it up willingly due to having such large pores. While closed grain tries its hardest to reject pigment since it has such small pores.
Best Hardwood Floor Species to Stain in Boise
The hardwood flooring species below accept stain relatively well and will leave a nice uniform look. It is best to keep within these species if you are looking to have a stained floor.
- Red Oak
- White Oak
- Hickory
So, are you saying mapleor birch is impossible to stain? No, it isn’t impossible it is just the look is not as uniform and traditional as a red oak or hickory will produce. We have shown many homeowners examples of stained maple and it’s typically not what they are looking for. The reason that maple/birch will not produce the best results always come back to open vs closed grain as both are closed grain. If you want the best possible product for staining A-Max Hardwood recommends always to go with an oak or hickory.
If you have any questions not answered here feel free to give us a call about them so we can help you. If you want to get a free estimate you can contact us via email or by phone. Just press “contact” on the top of the page.
