There are tons of flooring options available to modern homeowners, ranging from eye-catching Brazilian pecan to budget-friendly cork. But while tastes and trends vary over time, a growing number of people are choosing birch wood for their flooring needs.
There are a variety of reasons that birch has been receiving more attention lately, but we’ll share five of the most important characteristics that are driving its popularity below.
1. Birch wood flooring is a sustainable, eco-friendly choice.
While birch wood is probably not the most sustainable wood flooring option (bamboo probably earns that distinction), it is certainly among the most eco-friendly options. Most birch wood flooring is derived from yellow birch trees (Betula alleghaniensis), which are typically harvested from well-managed North American forests – including some located right here in Minnesota.
Birch trees are not only numerous in effectively managed forests, but they also grow a bit faster than oaks, walnuts, and some other species. Both of these factors make birch an excellent choice for eco-conscious homeowners.
2. Birch wood flooring provides excellent value.
Birch is typically considered a moderately priced wood that is more affordable than cherry, walnut, or other premium options. However, it offers excellent value for its cost, thanks to its durability, stability, and attractive grain pattern. These factors help birch stand out among other moderately priced options.
For example, birch is often priced similarly to maple, but it is less likely to yellow than maple is. Similarly, hickory is often priced comparably to birch, but it doesn’t offer the aesthetic versatility that birch does.
3. Birch wood flooring is quite stable.
Unfortunately, some woods tend to warp, shrink, or expand in response to shifting humidity levels, so homeowners are wise to seek stable woods, which resist these types of changes better. This can be an especially important consideration for those living in older homes, humid areas, or regions with drastic seasonal changes (such as those living in the Midwest).
Birch wood is notable for having relatively high stability. Some oak and maple floors may outperform it slightly in this respect, but birch is much more stable than pine, and it even tends to outperform some premium options, including cherry and hickory, in this regard.
4. Birch wood flooring is aesthetically versatile.
While some hardwood flooring options have a very distinct color and appearance that tends to work best in specific situations, birch has a light, neutral color, which allows it to work in a variety of different scenarios. This light color, combined with the wood’s fine grain, means that birch tends to absorb stain well (though it is sometimes necessary to apply a conditioner first, to prevent blotching).
So, while many homeowners opt for naturally finished birch to emphasize the wood’s elegant appearance, it can be stained in many different colors to suit your home’s décor.
5. Birch wood flooring is often offered in easy-to-install forms.
Some wood flooring options are simply easier to install than others. This is an often-overlooked consideration, which homeowners should always think about when choosing between various wood species. Fortunately, birch is often one of the easier woods to install.
Birch is available in solid wood form, but it is also available as an engineered product. This simply means that the boards are created by gluing very thin layers of wood on top of each other in perpendicular fashion, resulting in boards that are not only quite stable but also easy to install. In fact, engineered birch flooring is often manufactured in a manner that allows for click-lock (“glueless”) installation.
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To be sure, birch is not the best choice for all situations – no wood is. But birch offers such an impressive collection of benefits that many homeowners are finding that it is the perfect choice for their needs. Check out the birch wood flooring options we have available, to see if this attractive flooring option is right for your home.