Choosing a hardwood species is one of the more enjoyable parts of any flooring project and one of the more consequential. The species affects the floor’s appearance, its hardness, its dimensional stability in Ontario’s seasonal humidity swings, and its long-term character as the wood ages. The right species for any specific home depends on the design direction, the household’s lifestyle, the climate, and personal preference — and Ontario homes work well with a wider range of species than people sometimes realize.
This guide walks through the major hardwood species available in Ontario, what each contributes to a home, and how to think about the species choice in the context of the overall design and use case.
Table of Contents
- The Short Answer
- Why Species Matters as Much as Construction
- How Hardness Is Measured (The Janka Scale)
- Red Oak: The Most Common Choice
- White Oak: Modern and Stable
- Maple: Smooth and Light
- Hickory: Maximum Hardness and Visual Drama
- Walnut: Rich Colour, Softer Wood
- Cherry: Warmth That Develops With Age
- Exotic Species: Maximum Hardness and Distinct Appearance
- How to Match Species to Your Home
- Narrowing It Down to Two
- Related Guides
- Want Help Choosing the Right Hardwood Species?
- Frequently Asked Questions
The Short Answer
Hardness is the axis that rules species out; colour and grain then decide between whatever survives. The Janka number and the traffic the room actually sees come first. Red oak sits at 1290 and is the North American benchmark. White oak is 1360, maple 1450, hickory 1820. Walnut is 1010 and cherry 950, which puts both below the oak most people are weighing them against.
For most Ontario homes the real choice is red oak or white oak. Red oak is the default — widely available, moderately priced, and it takes stain across a wide colour range. White oak carries a 10 to 20 percent premium, reads cooler and more contemporary, is slightly harder and notably more dimensionally stable, and it is the species we recommend most often.
The rest are answers to particular questions. Hickory for heavy traffic and pets, if its sapwood-to-heartwood variation is something the room wants. Maple where the room should stay light and no stain is involved, because maple blotches under one. Walnut and cherry in lower-traffic formal rooms, where the softness is a trade worth making.
Why Species Matters as Much as Construction
Hardwood species shapes the finished floor more than nearly any other single decision. The colour, grain pattern, hardness, and aging behaviour all depend on which species is in the boards. Two installations of the same construction type — solid versus engineered, same width, same finish — can look and perform very differently depending on whether the species is oak, maple, hickory, or walnut.
The species also affects practical considerations like how the floor handles seasonal humidity changes, how it shows wear over time, and how appropriate it is for specific rooms and uses. Choosing a species for visual appeal alone without considering its other characteristics is one of the more common mistakes in hardwood projects, and it sometimes leads to floors that look beautiful initially but disappoint as they age.
How Hardness Is Measured (The Janka Scale)
The Janka hardness scale measures the force required to embed a small steel ball halfway into the wood, expressed in pounds-force. The numbers give a relative ranking of how well different species resist denting and surface wear. Red oak — the historical North American benchmark — measures 1290 on the Janka scale. White oak measures 1360. Maple measures 1450. Hickory measures 1820. Walnut measures 1010. Brazilian cherry, an exotic species, measures 2820. Higher numbers mean harder wood, generally meaning better dent and scratch resistance.
Janka ratings matter most for matching a species to the traffic it will actually take:
- Heavy-traffic main floors — species at or above red oak’s hardness.
- Lower-traffic rooms — softer species like walnut or cherry, without showing premature wear.
- Pet households — harder species, because dog claws dent softer woods over time.
The rating should not be the only factor in species selection, but it is a useful baseline for understanding the practical durability of different choices.
At a glance, ordered by hardness rather than by popularity:
| Species | Janka | Character | Where it fits | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cherry | 950 | Pale pink-brown that deepens to amber with light | Moderate-traffic formal rooms | Colour keeps changing for a year or two |
| Walnut | 1010 | Deep rich brown no domestic species matches | Dining rooms, libraries, formal living rooms, bedrooms | One of the softer floors — dents and shows wear |
| Red oak | 1290 | Pronounced traditional grain, warm red-pink undertone | Most homes; takes stain across a wide colour range | Grain reads traditional whether you want it to or not |
| White oak | 1360 | Finer grain, cooler neutral tone, takes matte and wire-brushed finishes | Contemporary and transitional interiors | 10 to 20 percent premium over red oak |
| Maple | 1450 | Fine grain, light natural colour, smooth visual feel | Modern rooms in clear or very light finishes | Blotches with stain — specify natural or near-natural |
| Hickory | 1820 | Pale sapwood and brown heartwood in the same board | Heavy-traffic households, pets, rustic and character designs | The variation is dramatic; it is not a quiet floor |
| Brazilian cherry | 2820 | Deep red-brown, uniform, very hard | High-traffic rooms with the budget | Premium price; exotic supply chains |
| Brazilian walnut | 3680 | The hardest common residential option | Anywhere hardness is the priority | Hard to sand and refinish for the same reason |
Red Oak: The Most Common Choice
Red oak is the most common hardwood flooring species in Ontario homes for several reasons. It’s widely available, moderately priced, hard enough for typical residential use, and easy to stain to a wide range of finished colours. The grain pattern is pronounced and traditional, which suits both formal and casual interior design directions. Red oak takes stains well, which is why much of the wide colour range available in oak flooring is actually red oak under various finishes, not naturally varied wood.
The drawbacks of red oak are mostly aesthetic. The pronounced grain pattern reads as traditional and can look dated in modern minimalist interiors. The natural reddish-pink undertone shows through clear finishes and can clash with cool-toned design palettes. For homeowners who want a classic, durable, well-priced hardwood, red oak is the default; for homeowners pursuing specific design directions, other species may fit better.
White Oak: Modern and Stable
White oak has become the dominant species in contemporary Ontario hardwood installations, and the popularity is well-earned. The grain pattern is somewhat finer than red oak, the natural colour is more neutral with cooler undertones, and the wood accepts modern finishes — including wire-brushing, light staining, and matte finishes — beautifully. It’s also slightly harder than red oak and notably more dimensionally stable, which matters in homes with significant seasonal humidity variation.
The premium for white oak over red oak is typically 10 to 20 percent on raw material, which most homeowners find worthwhile for the modern look and improved performance. For new builds and renovations aiming for contemporary or transitional design directions, white oak is the species we recommend most often for good reasons.
Maple: Smooth and Light
Maple offers a different aesthetic than oak — finer grain pattern, lighter natural colour, smoother visual feel. The wood is harder than either oak species and shows wear less than softer woods. The trade-off is that maple is notoriously difficult to stain evenly; it tends to blotch with stains, and the most successful maple installations use clear or very light finishes that let the natural wood show through.
Maple works well in homes with light, airy design directions and in spaces where the floor should recede visually instead of dominating. It’s also a good choice for active households where the harder wood resists dents. The species doesn’t fit traditional or heavily decorated interiors as well as oak; it works best when the broader design supports its understated character.
Hickory: Maximum Hardness and Visual Drama
Hickory is one of the hardest North American hardwood species and one of the most visually dramatic. The wood combines pale sapwood with rich brown heartwood in the same board, producing dramatic variation that reads as either rustic or character-driven depending on the overall design. The hardness — 1820 on the Janka scale — makes hickory one of the most dent-resistant species available, which suits heavy-traffic households and pet owners.
Hickory’s dramatic colour variation is its defining characteristic and divides homeowners into love-it-or-leave-it camps. Those who appreciate the variation find that no other species delivers the same character. Those who prefer uniform appearance generally find hickory’s variation distracting. Bringing actual hickory samples home before committing is particularly important for this species because the in-store appearance often understates how prominent the variation is in a full installation.
Walnut: Rich Colour, Softer Wood
Walnut offers a deep, rich brown colour that no other domestic species matches. The wood reads as elegant and sophisticated in formal interiors, and the colour develops further depth with age and exposure to light. The species suits dining rooms, libraries, formal living rooms, and bedrooms in homes pursuing a refined or traditional design direction.
The trade-off is that walnut is one of the softer flooring woods at 1010 on the Janka scale, meaning it dents and shows wear more readily than harder species. Walnut isn’t the right answer for heavy-traffic family rooms, kitchens, or pet households where the floor sees daily abuse. For appropriate rooms and households, however, walnut produces some of the most beautiful hardwood installations available in Ontario.
Species is the one decision that has to be made in your own light, not ours. Book a showroom visit and a consultant will bring sample boards of the species you are weighing into the actual room — in-home visits on request.
Cherry: Warmth That Develops With Age
Cherry is unique among common hardwood species for how dramatically its appearance changes over time. Freshly installed cherry is pale pink-brown; after a year or two of light exposure, it deepens into the rich amber-brown that characterizes the species. Where that light falls is not evenly distributed, which is why a cherry floor under an uncovered south window can end up two shades apart from the same floor across the room — something window coverings control more than most people realise. The aging process is part of cherry’s appeal — the floor looks subtly different at year five than it did at year one — but it requires patience to appreciate.
Cherry’s hardness is moderate (around 950 Janka), making it appropriate for moderate-traffic rooms but not the best choice for heavily-used spaces. The species suits formal rooms, bedrooms, and homes where the aging character is valued. Cherry installations in inappropriate rooms or under conditions that block light unevenly (large rugs, furniture that doesn’t move) can develop colour discrepancies that take additional time to even out.
Exotic Species: Maximum Hardness and Distinct Appearance
Exotic hardwood species — Brazilian cherry, tigerwood, Brazilian walnut (ipe), African mahogany — offer maximum hardness and distinctive appearance that domestic species can’t match. Brazilian cherry at 2820 Janka and Brazilian walnut at 3680 Janka are among the hardest residential flooring options available. The colour palettes include reds, deep browns, and dramatic streaks that suit specific design directions.
The trade-offs include higher cost, sustainability concerns around tropical hardwood sourcing, and aesthetic choices that some homeowners find too dramatic. Exotic species also vary more in dimensional stability than domestic species — Brazilian cherry, for example, is notably sensitive to humidity changes — which can create problems in Ontario’s seasonal climate without careful installation. For specific projects and design directions, exotics can be the right answer; they’re not the default for most installations.
How to Match Species to Your Home
Matching species to home depends on three things: the design direction, the practical demands of the rooms where the wood will go, and personal preference.
- Traditional homes — rich trim and warm colours support red oak, cherry and walnut.
- Modern homes — clean lines and cool palettes support white oak and maple.
- Heavy-traffic households — harder species such as hickory or white oak.
- Pet households — harder woods that resist claw damage; choosing flooring around pets covers the wider question of which materials cope at all.
The species also needs to coordinate with other elements of the home — cabinets, trim, doors, furniture. Strong contrast between flooring and cabinetry produces certain design effects; tight coordination produces others. Neither is automatically right, but the species choice should reflect a deliberate design decision rather than picking based on what looked good in the showroom.
Narrowing It Down to Two
Species selection works best as a funnel rather than a shortlist. Start wide, cut on the practical constraint, and let preference decide only the last step:
- Start with the home’s design direction. Traditional trim and warm colours support red oak, cherry and walnut. Clean lines and a cool palette support white oak and maple.
- Cut on traffic and pets. A busy hallway or a dog with untrimmed claws rules out walnut and cherry before anything else is considered.
- Check it against the finish you want. Maple and a mid-tone stain are a fight; oak and the same stain are not.
- Then choose on preference — but only between species that survived the first three steps.
Species is one of five decisions the hardwood flooring guide for Ontario homes sets in order, and it is the one that most rewards patience. Sample boards in the actual room are essential. Species look meaningfully different under different light, and a board that looks beautiful under showroom lighting can read as a completely different colour in a north-facing living room in January. The species decision shapes the floor for decades, and it is one of the few in a hardwood project that cannot be undone without replacing the floor.
Related Guides
A few other guides connected to this topic:
- Hardwood Flooring Guide for Ontario Homes (Solid, Engineered, Species, Finishes) — The complete hardwood pillar.
- Wide Plank vs Narrow Plank Hardwood: Style, Performance & Cost — Direct comparison with related materials.
- Why Hardwood Floors Develop Gaps in Winter (and What to Do About It) — Closely related topic in this category.
- Hardwood Floor Maintenance Guide: How to Clean and Protect Hardwood Floors Over Time — Closely related topic in this category.
- Layering Rugs Over Hard Floors: How to Add Comfort, Style & Balance to Your Space — Design coordination guidance.
- Do Area Rugs Protect Hardwood Floors? How Rugs Prevent Scratches, Wear & Long-Term Damage — Closely related topic in this category.
- Flooring Installation Services — Our sell-and-install service — measuring, an itemized quote, and certified installation handled as part of your purchase.
- Why Work With Alexanian — A century of flooring and 17 Ontario showrooms behind every recommendation.
Want Help Choosing the Right Hardwood Species?
The best way to choose what’s right for your home is to see the options side by side. Book an in-store appointment at one of our 17 Ontario showrooms and one of our consultants will walk you through what fits your space, your needs, and your budget — or request an in-home visit if that’s easier.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the hardest residential hardwood?
Brazilian walnut (Janka 3680) and Brazilian cherry (Janka 2820) are the hardest exotics. Hickory (1820) is the hardest common domestic species.
Is white oak or red oak better?
Both are excellent. White oak has cooler tones and is more contemporary; red oak has warmer tones and is more traditional. White oak is slightly harder.
Why does cherry darken over time?
Cherry naturally darkens with sun exposure and age. The colour shift is part of the wood’s character and is generally appreciated rather than something to prevent.
Are exotic hardwoods worth the cost?
For maximum hardness and distinct appearance, yes. For most homes, premium domestic species (white oak, hickory) deliver excellent performance at lower cost.
