White Wood Flooring Options
Hardwoods
There are several species of hardwood that lend themselves quite nicely to obtaining a white wood floor. While you can simply install any type of flooring and paint it white, the paint will eventually wear off and need re-painting. These species are naturally off white (or near-white), and often times a semi-solid stain is all that is needed to create a white floor. They include:
Additional Tile Considerations
There are several properties of tile that should be taken into consideration when selecting tile flooring. They include:
- White Oak: This is an extremely durable hardwood with a natural yellowish-white pigment. Quartersawn white oak has naturally-occurring metallury rays which add to the appeal of the floor.
- Maple: This hardwood, while not white per se, is an extremely light wood that resists heavy foot traffic and physical damage very well.
- Birch: Yellow and paper birch have a light yellow/white color that is easily stainable to obtain an even whiter look. They are relatively hard woods that are perfectly suitable for flooring material.
Get Free Price Quotes
Engineered Wood and Laminates
These options are affordable alternatives to solid hardwoods. Engineered woods use a thin veneer of actual hardwood species, so the same woods are available as an engineered wood floor. Manufacturers can chemically treat the woods to whiten the wood dramatically, however. There are many different shades of the available species to choose from. Laminate floors essentially have a paper “picture” of wood underneath a clear, tough protective outer layer. The picture is made to duplicate hundreds of wood species, but can be designed to mimic any color or style. Makers of laminate floors can manufacture any shade of white a customer wants.
Additional Considerations
As stated above, many hardwood floors can simply be painted white, but this will require constant maintenance and re-coating. Choosing a natural light-colored wood and applying a semi-transparent or semi-solid stain will require less maintenance and fewer re-coats, but re-applying the stain is still necessary. There are chemicals and bleaches on the market that claim to safely lighten hardwoods (many Europeans subscribe to this method), but care must be taken with these products as incorrectly applied, they may permanently stain or damage the wood.
White Wood Materials and Installation Costs
The following prices are national averages only; your exact costs will be affected slightly by the area of the country you live in as well as the company hired to perform the work.
- Expect white wood species such as oak, birch, and maple to cost $3.50-$7 per square footd epending on thickness and quality of the wood
- Engineered and laminate white flooring options cost $.70-$6 per square foot again, depending on thickness, width, and the quality of the flooring material.
- Installing white wood flooring costs $2-$5 per square foot. Hardwoods tend to cost a bit more than engineered and laminate floors, and if an existing floor must be removed prior to installation, this can add $1-$4 per square foot depending on what kind of flooring you currently have installed.