Red oak hardwood flooring is one of the best ways to beautify your home. However, many people looking to go this route are always nervous about the cost of red oak hardwood flooring.
It is important to estimate the cost you are likely to incur if you want to install this special hardwood flooring type in your home. You should also have an idea of the factors affecting this cost.
If you want to install red oak hardwood flooring in your home and are unsure of the cost, you are in the right place. In this article, you will find a perfect guide to the cost of red oak wood hardwood flooring.
Here we will discuss the factors affecting this cost and the things you should consider before hopping on the red oak train. At the end of this article, you will be able to decide on getting that red oak wood flooring for your home.
Why Red Oak Hardwood Floors?
You may be wondering what is so special about red oak wood flooring that you should consider it for your home. Firstly, red oakwood is a variation of oakwood hardwood flooring type. It is mostly known for its strength and durability.
If you install real oakwood flooring in your home, you can rest assured it will last forever if you maintain it properly. The initial cost of installing the floor type may be high, but its longevity means it also becomes an excellent investment.
Many homeowners love red oak floors because of the aesthetic value they add to homes. The floor type is brilliant and durable. It also gives character and warmth to a room. Finally, when you buy red oak hardwood flooring you can expect that it will coordinate well with your home’s wood finishes. You can use red oak wood floors in a luxury-style home or a rustic setting.
Red oakwood has reddish and warm pink tones, which differentiates it from white oak. White oak has brownish and grayish undertones. Red oak wood floors have moderate variations in their tones. They don’t lose their beauty to stains or scratches. This is due to their slightly open and coarse-graining, which diminishes and disguises scrapes and scratches.
Despite the cost to install red oak hardwood flooring, many homeowners still go for this flooring type. One of the reasons is that it is less expensive when compared to other domestic hardwood flooring types. The floor’s Janka hardness rating of 1290 means it can withstand damages and dents. This characteristic durability has helped it in maintaining its position as a coveted flooring option in Canada.
What Options are Available for Red Oak Hardwood Floors?
Before worrying about the cost of red oak hardwood flooring, you should know that it has many options for you to choose from. These options play a role or two in the floor’s cost. Choosing to install the floor in your home is just one-half of the many decisions you have to make.
Red oak floors come in several stains and finishes. Hence, homeowners must choose finishes that coordinate well with their home’s interior or match their styles. Generally, light-coloured red oak floor stains give your rooms a warm and inviting feeling. On the other hand, dark stains give the room a touch of formality.
Hence, red oak wood stains that are light to medium-toned are best for family rooms. Meanwhile, darker stains are best suited for offices or formal dining room areas.
Another choice you need to make after choosing red oak floors is the amount of shine it has. A hardwood floor’s shine determines how well it makes scuffs and dirt visible. A floor’s sheen determines its shine. Thus, you can choose from a range of flooring materials with different sheens. Sheen types include high-gloss, satin, matte, or semi-gloss.
It is best to use glossy sheens in areas of the home that have low traffic. This is because these sheen types fade off over time. Matte and satin sheens are best suited to your home’s high-traffic areas like the living room and the kitchen.
After deciding on the sheen and stain tone of your red oak floor, you can also choose whether to buy unfinished or prefinished materials. The pricing for red oak hardwood flooring is also dependent on the choice you make here.
Prefinished red oak floors may be more expensive than unfinished floors. However, they save you money in the long run because they need less maintenance and last longer than unfinished floors.
However, unfinished floors, which are generally less expensive than prefinished varieties, give you more options. With unfinished floors, you can control the colour of your hardwood flooring more.
Advantages of Red Oakwood Floors
There are many reasons why people go for red oak floors over other flooring types. When you consider them as a whole, these benefits often outweigh the cost of red oak hardwood flooring.
Here are some of the advantages of using this flooring type:
- It adds character to your home, making an average setting look more stylish and sophisticated.
- When you use red oak wood floors, you have multiple varieties and options to choose from. The floor type has over 200 varieties of red oak subspecies. All these species have different colours and grains. These colours and grains are dependent on the location the trees were grown.
- Red oak matches well with all your home’s oak furnishings.
- Red oak stains well and has a high Janka scale rating, making it a strong, durable and long-lasting floor type for your home.
- You can refinish red oak floors easily, helping them maintain their natural beauty for a longer period.
- The floor type is easy to maintain.
- It is hypoallergenic.
- It is very affordable.
Disadvantages of Red Oakwood Floors
- It can be costly, especially when you factor in installation costs.
- You need to wax it regularly, especially after you have used it for many years, so that it does not lose its shine.
The advantages of red oak floors outweigh the disadvantages, making it a flooring type to go for in beautifying your home.
Related Article: Red Oak: Why It Is The Most Popular Hardwood Flooring
Factors Affecting the Cost of Red Oak Hardwood Flooring
The cost of purchasing and installing your red oak hardwood floors will depend on several factors, including:
Red oakwood installation labour cost
After purchasing your red oak wood flooring, you need to ensure you contract its installation to a professional. Quacks or untrained installers can mess up your floor’s installation, costing you more in the long run. Red oak wood flooring planks are expensive, so you need skilled labour that won’t cause undue waste.
Most professional flooring contractors charge between $4-$8 for a square foot for red oak wood installation. However, this depends on the project’s complexity. More complex projects attract higher fees.
A very skilled and experienced professional will also charge higher than one with less experience. The geographical location also affects the labour cost. For example, a contractor in Toronto may charge more than one in Alberta.
The red oakwood variety you want to purchase
The red oakwood variant you want to purchase also plays a role in the cost you will incur. Some red oakwood stains and finishes cost more than others. Red oakwood floors also have different grades. A higher grade of flooring will cost more than a lower grade.
The cost of red oak hardwood flooring varieties can also vary depending on the region. Some oakwood tree varieties are more common than others, depending on the area where they are found. If a particular variety is available in another geographical location and needs to be transported, it will increase the cost of buying it.
Another factor when it comes to red oakwood variety is the floorboards’ width. Wider boards usually cost more for materials because of their rarity. On the other hand, thinner boards take longer to install and may have higher labour costs.
If you want reclaimed red oak flooring materials for your home because of the uniqueness, character, and beauty, then you need to pay much more. Reclaimed materials usually cost 50%-100% more than fresh-cut wood. Hence, you need to note this if you prefer reclaimed or antique flooring for your home.
The size of your room
Your room’s size is a huge factor in the cost you will incur in buying and installing red oak wood flooring. It is best to estimate the amount of red oakwood you need for your room’s size. One way of doing this is by calculating your room’s square footage.
To do that, you need to measure the width and length of the room. By multiplying the length and width of your room in feet together, you will arrive at your room’s square footage. However, you should buy more than you need. This is because there can be intricate crevices or corners in your home that may need more wood than necessary during installation, leading to wastage.
Unfinished or prefinished red oak wood floors
When buying red oak wood flooring, you can purchase either an unfinished type or the pre-finished one. Pre-finished boards cost more per square foot but cost less to install.
Pre-finished red oakwood floors come in different textures and shades which look even. As such, they have little or no variation in consistency or colour.
If you buy pre-finished floors, there will be less mess during the installation process. There won’t be any need for sanding or staining, meaning you get to walk on the floor on the day it was installed. However, if you want to match your existing oak floor or choose a custom colour, you should go for unfinished floors.
Cost Checklist Before You Price and Install Red Oak Hardwood Flooring
Here are some things to do before buying and installing red oak hardwood floors:
- You should get about three to five estimates before hiring a contractor for your red oakwood flooring project.
- You should expect fluctuations in prices between several companies as these companies have different means of arriving at their costs.
- If possible, you should get price estimates in the late fall or early winter seasons. At these times, there is a likelihood you will find companies offering massive discounts.
- After making your cost estimates, you should budget an additional 7% to 15% to your estimate in case of extra costs you may incur during installation.
- You should visit every online store in Toronto and find the one with your desired red oak hardwood flooring and has the best deals.
- Hire a licensed and insured red oakwood flooring contractor for your installation project.
- Ensure you possess a copy of the oakwood flooring manufacturer’s installation requirements before embarking on the installation project. This way, you ensure the project does not cost you more money as you proceed.
How Much to Install Red Oak Hardwood Flooring?
When it comes to installation, the cost of red oak hardwood flooring varies widely. You should understand that there are various methods of installation, and the amount you are charged for each one differs. These installation types include:
Float Installation
This installation method used with engineered wood is the most affordable way of installing hardwood flooring. However, manufacturers have certain warranty requirements for installing floors with this method.
Some manufacturers don’t allow their products to be installed using this method. It costs an average of $6 per square foot for float installation.
Nail Installation
With this method, the installer attaches hardwood flooring using nails. Nail installation requires you to have a wooden subfloor to which the wooden planks are nailed to. If your room has a wooden subfloor, this method is an option you should consider.
However, if you don’t, you must consider installing a wooden subfloor, which adds an extra cost. Depending on the wood type you want to install, you may need to pay about $4 per square foot for nail installation.
Glue Installation
This installation method involves gluing your red oak wood floor to a subfloor that is not usually wooden. If you want to use hardwood flooring but lack a wooden subfloor, you should use this option. It costs about $4 for a square foot for this installation method, though this varies based on the wood type.
Besides the installation method you choose, the cost of red oak hardwood flooring depends on the contractor’s estimates. The contractor you hire may charge you per hour or square foot. Usually, it costs between $60 to $130 per hour to install red oak hardwood flooring. On the other hand, it costs $4 to $10 per square foot.
A contractor may charge you extra if they have to remove or demolish existing material before installing your flooring. If this is the case, it may cost you an extra $500 to $1000 to your incurred installation costs. The additional fee also includes haul away and disposal.
The installation cost of red oak hardwood flooring also varies depending on the floor plan. If your room has obstacles and transitions, it causes challenges during installation. The installer will need to make detailed cuts and plan the layout carefully.
You should purchase a higher grade of red oak flooring, so you reduce waste to the barest minimum. Before installation, your contractor should also inspect all purchased boards.
Contractors also need to match tones and graining to ensure consistency. To create a perfect layout, they must vary lengths and mix boxes. Reputable contractors take their time to do this, with the result being a seamless and natural pattern.
Red oak floors can be laid within one to two days. However, unfinished floors last longer, with the process sometimes taking a week or longer to complete. The longer a project takes, the more it is likely to cost.
Cost of Red Oak Hardwood Flooring in Toronto
Here is a table showing cost estimates for red oak hardwood flooring in Toronto.
| Red Oak Hardwood Flooring Costs | Basic Grade (per square foot) | Better Grade (per square foot) | Best Grade (per square foot) |
| Cost of Material | $3-$3.20 | $3.5-$4 | $4-$6 |
| Installation Cost | $2-$3 | $3-$4 | $4-$5 |
| Total Cost | $5-$6.2 | $6.5-$8 | $8-$11 |
| Average Total Cost | $5.5 | $7 | $10 |
Red oak hardwood flooring is a wood flooring type that will continue to remain relevant. It is an easy floor type to maintain and can be refinished with ease. Though its installation costs can be high, it is a good investment.
Related Articles: What Is The Cost Of Installing Engineered Hardwood Floors?
Conclusion
In this article, you have learned so much about the cost of red oak hardwood flooring. You now know the benefits of having the floor type in your home and why it is an excellent investment. You also know about the factors affecting the cost of purchasing and installing the floor type. Finally, you found out the estimated cost of buying and installing the floor in Toronto.
You need to hire a good and professional installer for your red oak hardwood floor. Before buying and installing your floor, you must go through the checklist listed in this article to have a good idea of what to do.
Buying the best red oak wood flooring for your home is important. You don’t want to purchase low-quality flooring as it will cost you more in the long run. If you want to buy only the best quality floor type for your use, look no further than our online store for different red oak flooring designs.
Here at LV Flooring, we have a variety of flooring designs that will suit your taste and preferences. Look through our online collections today!
