That beautiful hardwood you installed is already showing wear after six months, with dents near the entrance and scratches across every high-traffic path. The finish looks tired, and you’re facing an expensive refinishing job way ahead of schedule.
This happens when business owners choose the wrong species. Commercial floors face abuse that residential wood rarely sees. Hundreds of footsteps, rolling equipment, dropped tools, and spills occur daily. Most hardwoods can’t survive it, but a few species actually thrive under pressure. Wholesale hardwood flooring pros know exactly which ones work and which ones fail, so here’s what they recommend.
Which Hardwood Works Best for Commercial Flooring?
Hardwoods popular in homes often fail in commercial settings, where traffic and use are far heavier than in a living room. The difference comes down to hardness, grain structure, and real-world performance under constant use.
Contractors narrow their recommendations to a handful of proven species that have decades of track records in demanding environments.
Oak: The All-Round Commercial Choice
Oak dominates commercial flooring because it balances hardness, stability, and design flexibility better than any alternative. Most commercial projects succeed with oak when it’s specified and finished correctly.
Both red and white oak work in commercial settings, but they differ in ways that matter for long-term performance.
Red vs White Oak
White oak wins in most commercial settings for several reasons.
- Hardness: White oak rates 1,360 compared to red oak’s 1,290
- Moisture resistance: White oak’s closed grain blocks liquid penetration
- Best applications: Restaurants and bars where spills happen regularly
Pro Tip: Always specify white oak for food service environments because its closed cellular structure prevents staining from spills.
Where Oak Works Best
Oak fits nearly any commercial space:
- Retail environments
- Professional offices
- Building corridors
- Mixed-use developments
- Hotel lobbies
Its prominent grain pattern hides minor wear effectively, which stretches refinishing intervals significantly longer than smoother species.
Maple: Hard and Clean
Maple steps up when oak isn’t tough enough, and its tight grain creates the clean look that modern spaces demand. Design-forward offices and upscale retail love Maple’s contemporary feel, combined with superior hardness.
Hard maple rates 25% higher than oak on the Janka scale, so you get durability alongside a refined appearance.
Why Choose Maple
Hard maple hits 1,450 on the Janka scale, making it significantly tougher than oak.
Key advantages include:
- Superior dent resistance for high-traffic zones
- Smooth, uniform appearance throughout
- Naturally light colour that brightens spaces
- Excellent abrasion resistance over time
Did you know? NBA courts use hard maple because it combines durability with consistent performance, and that same toughness works perfectly for commercial spaces.
Best Maple Applications
Maple excels in specific commercial environments:
- Art galleries and museums need neutral backdrops
- Contemporary offices with modern design themes
- High-end retail boutiques seeking sophistication
- Dance and fitness studios require smooth surfaces
- Corporate reception areas make strong impressions
Pro Tip: Maple shows dirt faster than darker woods, so plan for more frequent cleaning schedules in high-traffic installations.
Hickory: Maximum Toughness
When standard species can’t survive the daily abuse, hickory delivers the toughness you need. Nothing domestic matches its hardness, making it ideal for extreme traffic and equipment movement.
The dramatic grain variation also disguises wear patterns effectively, so floors stay attractive much longer than smoother alternatives.
Why Hickory Wins on Durability
Hickory’s 1,820 Janka rating beats maple by 25% and oak by 40%, making it the clear domestic leader.
Hickory advantages include:
- 40% harder than oak for superior dent resistance
- Handles dropped objects and rolling equipment easily
- Grain naturally disguises wear patterns
- Extended service life in tough conditions
Where Hickory Excels
Hickory performs best in demanding commercial spaces:
- Restaurant dining rooms with chair movement
- High-volume retail with cart traffic
- Building entry zones with concentrated footfall
- Main corridors in busy facilities
- Brewery tasting rooms and similar venues
Ash and Premium Exotic Hardwoods
Alternatives exist beyond the big three for projects where standard species don’t quite fit. Ash offers domestic character with bold grain, while exotics deliver ultimate hardness for luxury applications.
Ash: Bold Grain Alternative
Ash matches white oak’s hardness at 1,320 Janka while offering bolder, more distinctive grain patterns. It works beautifully in spaces where flooring contributes to brand identity.
Ash suits restaurants, boutique retail, and hospitality venues seeking memorable character in their floors.
Exotics: Ultimate Performance
Brazilian walnut hits 3,680 on the Janka scale, which is double hickory’s impressive rating.
| Exotic Species | Janka Rating |
| Brazilian Walnut | 3,680 |
| Cumaru | 3,540 |
| Santos Mahogany | 2,200 |
Pro Tip: Exotics require specialized installation expertise, so verify your contractor’s experience with these species before specifying them.
Quick Match Guide by Space Type
Matching species to space type simplifies decisions since traffic intensity and design requirements vary across commercial environments.
Retail and Showrooms
- Boutique retail benefits from oak, maple, or ash
- High-volume retail needs hickory or exotic species
Offices and Meeting Rooms
- Executive offices look great with oak or walnut
- Open floor plans perform well with maple or oak
- Corridors require hickory or hard maple
Restaurants, Hotels, and Public Spaces
| Space | Best Species |
| Restaurant dining | White oak, hickory |
| Hotel lobbies | Oak, maple |
| Bars and lounges | White oak, hickory |
Conclusion
For commercial projects, choosing the right hardwood makes all the difference in durability and appearance. From oak and maple to hickory and exotic species, selecting the right option ensures floors handle heavy traffic while maintaining style.
Professionals who understand real-world installation challenges, like those at Rustic Wood Floor Supply, can guide you to the species that fit your space and keep it looking great for years. Also, their wholesale hardwood flooring locations in Spokane, Atlanta, and Boise stock Solid Hardwood Flooring, Engineered Hardwood Flooring, and Luxury Vinyl Flooring in commercial-grade species.
FAQs
Which hardwood species are best for commercial flooring?
Oak, maple, hickory, ash, and exotics like Brazilian walnut top the list because they combine high hardness with proven stability. Wholesale hardwood flooring specialists can match species to your specific commercial environment.
Is oak a good choice for commercial hardwood floors?
Yes, oak handles heavy traffic well when properly finished, and white oak resists moisture better than red oak for restaurant applications.
When should I choose hickory or Brazilian walnut?
Choose very hard species for spaces with intense foot traffic since busy retail, restaurants, and public corridors need maximum dent resistance.
Is maple suitable for commercial spaces?
Absolutely, maple’s density and clean look suit modern offices, galleries, and retail interiors where contemporary aesthetics matter.
How do I find quality commercial hardwood?
Work with an established wholesale flooring store that specializes in contractor-grade materials since professional suppliers stock tested products and provide expert guidance.
