Anyone own dark hardwood floors?

[The Bad Guy]

Well, the time has come to pick the flooring for the new house. I've always loved dark hardwood floors and was determined to get them.

However, I've heard a lot of conflicting reviews about the maintence and how dirty they can look.

So we decided on a lighter wood but now the wife is back to saying she wants the dark. We ordered the lighter, but can switch.

Does anyone own dark wood floors? Do you regret the decision?

Here are the 2 we are between. Would appreciate some feedback as to what one you would pick.

http://www.lumberliquidators.com/catalog/product.jsp?productId=15472&categoryId=495&sectionId=472&subCategoryId=0&storeId=213

http://www.lumberliquidators.com/catalog/product.jsp?productId=15045&categoryId=495&sectionId=472&subCategoryId=0&storeId=213

[MIAdragon]

I love the first link, that being said I've had bamboo before and it was so soft that when the wife walked across it in heals it would leave marks in the wood.

[Rain Man]

How many windows do you have? You can go darker if you have lots of light, but otherwise it's going to be very dark.

We have different types on different floors. The first floor is a classic oak and is nice, but we love the second and third floor color. It's a cypress or pine or something and is almost blonde, and it's really glossy and makes the rooms seem bright.

[Dave Lane]

I have dark oak, medium oak, bamboo (light), yellow pine (natural) and I like them all.

It's no different than light just go with what you like and don't worry.

[Dave Lane]

Everyone loves the yellow pine I get huge comments on how bright and beautiful it is.

[The Bad Guy]

I love the first link, that being said I've had bamboo before and it was so soft that when the wife walked across it in heals it would leave marks in the wood.

Not worried about that. Lumber Liquidators claim it's 116% stronger than oak.

[The Bad Guy]

How many windows do you have? You can go darker if you have lots of light, but otherwise it's going to be very dark.

We have different types on different floors. The first floor is a classic oak and is nice, but we love the second and third floor color. It's a cypress or pine or something and is almost blonde, and it's really glossy and makes the rooms seem bright.

Lots of windows in the living room and kitchen.

We are putting white cabinets with black quartz countertops in the kitchen. I'm thinking we are leaning toward the dark.

[The Bad Guy]

I have dark oak, medium oak, bamboo (light), yellow pine (natural) and I like them all.

It's no different than light just go with what you like and don't worry.

Another issue my wife is worried about is it will limit what type of furnature we can get. We like dark furnature and the wife thinks if we go dark wood, we can't get dark in the couch or dining room set.

[bevischief]

Well, the time has come to pick the flooring for the new house. I've always loved dark hardwood floors and was determined to get them.

However, I've heard a lot of conflicting reviews about the maintence and how dirty they can look.

So we decided on a lighter wood but now the wife is back to saying she wants the dark. We ordered the lighter, but can switch.

Does anyone own dark wood floors? Do you regret the decision?

Here are the 2 we are between. Would appreciate some feedback as to what one you would pick.

http://www.lumberliquidators.com/catalog/product.jsp?productId=15472&categoryId=495&sectionId=472&subCategoryId=0&storeId=213

http://www.lumberliquidators.com/catalog/product.jsp?productId=15045&categoryId=495&sectionId=472&subCategoryId=0&storeId=213

Do you have ghosts and cats?

[The Bad Guy]

Do you have ghosts and cats?

Yes, we have 6 ghosts. No cats.

[Silock]

Dark looks great, but it shows scratches much more easily.

[007]

Dark looks great, but it shows scratches much more easily.

This. We have dark hardwood floors and while I like them, the scratching is crazy noticeable as is the spots if you don't clean them as soon as they happen. Just like any floor, sometimes you just don't notice the spots until later though.

I do like our flooring but I kind of wish we went with less area as well as a slightly lighter shade with less shine to it.

[Ceej]

Great feedback from everyone. Natural light is probably the biggest key, as RM mentioned. It also depends on numerous other variables -- trim color, wall color, etc. I know where I work we've sold more of the lighter distressed strand bamboo.

[The Bunk]

Everyone told me not to go dark because of resale reasons... limited audience I guess.

I've got red oak that I refinished. No stain, just natural. I couldn't be happier with them.

[The Bad Guy]

Excellent advice in this thread. Really appreciate it guys.

I'm going to go lighter. I love the dark, but with a 2-year old, it's not very practical.

Thanks again.

[Ceej]

A lot of the remodel/home magazines have been mentioning espresso/ebony flooring is what will be "in" in 2011. That may be true, but those are high maintenance floors. Also, to clear up the density of bamboo --- LL does carry bamboos that are the same hardness as red oak, 15% harder than red oak and over 100% than red oak (strand bamboos). BG also went with a more rustic, distressed bamboo..meaning any sort of scratch, nick, or ding will just add more character to the floor. I hope the LL crew you dealt with answered all of your questions and were helpful.

[Joe Seahawk]

We used Tigerwood, although it may be too "busy" for some peoples taste we absolutely love it. It has darkened a bit since we installed it last spring and looks even better now. We wanted a darker wood with no stain, The tigerwood we used is natural with a clear finish. We feel like a clear finish is much easier to conceal minor scratches etc..

We used pre finished 3/4" and installed it ourselves.

Good luck!

[WV]

When I was looking at bamboo floors the darker colors were "softer" because of the coloring process.

[Ceej]

Bamboos come in three different styles. Horizontal, vertical and stranded/woven. The stranded/woven regardless of color/style are significantly harder than the other two.

Just depends which bamboos you were looking at.

[The Bad Guy]

CJ,

We are getting the stranded/woven bamboo from Lumber Liquidators. We changed our mind and went with the dark. We'll have to sweep the kitchen anyway and will have some area rugs in the living room.

I know it might be a maintence nightmare, but forever my wife and I have loved the look of the dark.

[ChiefGator]

The darker does look better in those pictures. The lighter wood's dark spots sort of add an unevenness, or dirtiness, to them, even when clean. I would go uniformly lighter or go the dark.

Take a picture when you are done and add it on here...

[Earthling]

Ghosts like the dark so keep that in mind. ;)

[NaptownChief]

I've found they only look dirty when they are dirty. :D

In my last house I put in a 5 inch wide natural peruvian cherry and really liked that...since it was natural the colors varied in each plank and some light and some dark. It was great for blending my dark cherry furniture with a house that had lighter oak baseboards and kitchen cabinets. I liked it a bit better than the darker walnut color on the floors in my new house.