- Pine is a softwood that is used most often in traditional or Mexican styles. When properly treated it can be very similar to oak, but is not used as often in flooring because of its hardness problems. However, more exotic pines that grow slowly are often hard enough to be used effectively as flooring.
- Oak is a popular hardwood for almost any kind of construction project, especially because it is available in so many different varieties. It can also be stained to bring out different color patterns and shades when necessary. Oak is graded based on the purity of its wood, and wood with a large number of knots is not generally used for flooring, unless it is part of the style of the building.
- Pine is a softwood, and even the toughest varieties of pine tend to be softer than oak. Oak tends to score between 1200 and 1400 on the hardness scale, well above pine numbers. This means that although pine floors tend to be more flexible than oak, they will dent more easily and not last as long.
- Because pine is a softwood and grows back more quickly than oak, it is generally less expensive. As of 2010, pine tends to cost about $2 to $4 per square foot, while hardwoods cost around $5 to $8 a square foot. Some exceptions exist--exotic pines imported from other countries will cost much more due to transportation and availability.
- Heart pine is wood taken from the center of the pine tree, the hardest and darkest section of the pine. This is the wood commonly used in pine flooring, since it can take a stain better than common pine wood and has much better durability. It has hardness ratings close to red oak, one of the softer oaks and it tends to age well.
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