Oak Hardwood Floors in Minneapolis Homes

“What type of floors are these?” This is a question I get a lot when I get a call or go on an estimate. If you’re house is in Minneapolis and you have hardwood floors, then there is a good chance that it is 1.5 inch red oak. Red oak is a very good hardwood for flooring. It is strong, dense looking and when installed, sanded, and refinished properly, oak flooring can add a lot of unique character to your Minneapolis home. The easiest way to tell if you have oak flooring is looking at the grains in the wood. If there are a lot of grains then it is probably oak. Also, what is the width of the boards? Usually, in Minneapolis houses will have either 1.5 inch or 2.25 inch oak boards, with the majority having 1.5 inch. Most South Minneapolis homes built between 1935-1965 have 1.5 inch red oak. These are typically one story Ramblers or 1.5 story Cape Cods homes. Most housing in Minneapolis before then, which was usually built between 1900-1930, has 2.25 maple or birch flooring. Why the switch to oak? Around that time period there was a disease in the maple tree stock in the upper Midwest that destroyed a lot of maple trees. As a result, the supply was lower, prices increased and it became more economical to use oak in the new houses that were being built right after World War II. So if you’re trying to figure out what type of hardwood flooring you have, think about it for a second, look for the grains, or just call your hardwood flooring professional.