White oak flooring

Why is white oak so popular?

White oak has a straight, even grain and a cool, slightly olive natural color that takes gray, taupe and brown finishes without the pink cast red oak can show. Its pores are also more closed than red oak's, one reason it has long been used for barrels and boats. On a floor, that adds up to a hard, steady wood that looks calm in both modern and traditional rooms.

Wire-brushed, hand-scraped or smooth?

Three of the seven floors here are wire-brushed, two are hand-scraped and two are smooth. Wire-brushing pulls out the softer grain and leaves a gentle texture that disguises everyday scratches. Hand-scraping goes further, with visible undulations that suit rustic or farmhouse rooms. Smooth white oak looks cleanest in minimal interiors but shows fine scratches more readily.

Can white oak go in a Brooklyn apartment?

Because these floors are engineered, they can be nailed over a wood subfloor or floated or glued over a concrete slab, which matters in many apartment buildings. Wood still moves with humidity. Steam heat dries the air in winter and summers are humid, so keep indoor humidity in the range the manufacturer specifies and acclimate the boxes as instructed. See engineered vs solid wood in NYC apartments.

What pairs well with white oak?

Gray and taupe oak sit well with white or black cabinets and cool stone. Tan and brown tones warm up rooms with a lot of white paint. For more species and widths, browse all engineered wood.