Looking for an alternative to oak or maple floors? Try birch wood flooring. It has the benefits of the other hardwoods while offering a unique and attractive appearance.

Several attributes make birch a worthwhile option for hardwood floors:

• Hardness and durability that comes with a hardwood floor
• Color variation from lights to darks to suit varied decorating tastes
• Natural 'highlights' that provide interesting visual appeal
• Pricing comparable with other common hardwoods

Birch generally has a lighter sapwood and a darker contrasting heartwood. Boards that have both often display an attractive combination of light creamy shades mixed with darker red and brown tones. If you like this type of action and color variation, you'll find it with certain varieties of birch wood floors. It's this characteristic that sets birch apart from other North American hardwoods.