Birch Floor Installation

There are several members of the birch family, but the most common varieties you’ll see in birch flooring are yellow birch, sweet birch, and red birch (which is actually just the darker heart of the yellow birch). Out of those three, yellow birch is the one most commonly selected for floor installation. All of the birch flooring types have an attractive straight and tight grain. Some critics will say birch flooring lacks character compared to other hardwood flooring types (like oak flooring) but it more than makes up for this flaw by being readily available and easy to work with. It also looks great in its unfinished state!

What Do Birch Floors Look Like?

Yellow birch has a lovely pale color that can make small or otherwise dark rooms feel brighter. Red birch has a richer golden hue like honey and looks wonderful in rooms with lighter walls. Both of these types of birch can exhibit a one of a kind waviness in the wood grain that looks like tongues of flame. It isn’t common, but some people like this quality enough to look for wood that has it. Unfortunately, no one is sure why some birch trees have this type of graining so it’s impossible for growers to replicate.

Is Birch Floor Installation Durable?

Birch hardwood flooring installers will tell you that this wood is strong, heavy, and hard. Paper birch is the softest of the birches, making it best for areas of the home with less foot traffic like a bedroom. Yellow birch is harder, and will hold up well in hallways and other medium traffic areas. With care, birch floors can last a very long time.

Other Benefits of Birch Flooring

Red birch is more expensive than other varieties of birch (and relatively rare) but is one of the most elegant flooring types you can buy. If you want a durable hardwood floor that makes a statement with its rich warm tones, definitely check out a sample in our Beverly, MA showroom.