hereigo, It's all a personal preference as far as the look or style you desire. The factors that play a roll include size or sizes of floor boards, color of wood/finish, grade of wood, grain pattern of wood, and site finished versus prefinished installation. Be aware that the higher grades (clear,select) will tend to be more uniform in appearance, whereas the lower grades (#1 Common, #2 common) will have more variation in color and/or visual defects like mineral streaks or knots. Lots or grain and/or a low sheen finish will visually hide dings and dents that can occur. The most visible grain will be with R&Q oak or ash or hickory and it will be in a linear pattern. Moderately visible grain will be found in beech or birch. The least visible grain pattern will be found in maple. A cathedral grain pattern is found with plain sawn lumber/flooring and is most noticeable with oak, ash, hickory, or other coarse grain hardwoods. This style seems to be currently out of fashion. Maple is also a good wood for flooring and it is used on gym floors throughout the country. With a durable, low sheen finish and some care, I think it could remain attractive for a long time before needing a refinish. We have mixed width, wide plank, R&Q red oak, #1 common, and site finished in our upstairs. It works well with our family and 30# dog. It has held up well for 3.5 years and is very stable and the dings and dents don't show. I won't say we abuse this floor, but it has seen dirty shoes and dog/cat claws and kids riding toys and yet it still looks good. My son's Plasma car has scratched the surface finish here and there (Waterlox), but this type of finish is considered soft and can be touched up down the road. I'm not sure how well the harder finishes would hold up against a 5 year old and his car. Finally, the great thing is that almost all hardwood floor finishes can be redone to look like new again. When the surface finish of sheet vinyl or laminate gets scratched and dull, the product gets tossed in the landfill. Best of luck with your remodel.

My husband and I put Bella Cera Monza french oak flooring (color Adriana) in our home about a year before we decided to sell. We loved it because it was the only engineered flooring I could find that actually looks like authentic traditional wide plank solid hard wood. There's no sheen to give it away. In fact a RE agent who sees tons of homes asked if it was solid wood and our installer who does tons of floors said he wanted it for his home. We got lots of compliments. We love it so much that we plan to put it in our new home that we're currently building.

Did do just that Dax. We shall see. This time around, via the site's "Contact Us" option. Ed, I've got a message into that outfit too-Windbreaktrees.com...so we'll eventually learn what they have to say. I have little doubt it is one and the same, albeit no two such hybrids are necessarily alike. I was able to generate quite a list of sources to look into late last week. I'm at the point in my working year however where, if this doesn't fall into place quickly and relatively painlessly, it will have to get shunted off to 2016. I don't really have enough time left in this year to necessarily get all of my projects into play, but I do have those items which must happen. So honestly, I'm already starting to look at this as a project for next year, which would essentially mean a spring 2017 planting. We have things like budgets, etc. lol. Can't just shoot from the hip all the time! If I don't line this up basically this week, I'm putting it aside for next year, which again, would actually mean 2017 planting. So it goes. Have to admit, it was kind of a sudden inspiration on my part-not something I've been planning for months. +oM

Norbert, that map of your hardiness zones IS CONFUSING TO ME. I am likely wrong, But, I can't help but wonder how HUNGARY is zone 7a and zone 7b, BUT, everyone around them seems to be zone 6b, and possibly zone 6a in some places. Norbert, I am really only able to grow the Quartz mountain Live oak. AND, it is ONLY QMLO trees that have trunk girths of about 3/4 of an inch or more, NOT, those little whips with tiny little trunks that are way smaller than measurement worth measuring. This QMLO I have, It is Extra hardy, and only recently my area has been getting some REALLY hot summers. Is it from global warming? Maybe, or maybe not. BUT, Norbert, IF you really want to grow a Evergreen oak, the Hybrid of Q. Robur ( English oak) and the Q. Ilex ( Evergreen oak) ummmm..... yeah, I can't remember the name of that hybrid oak. I had gotten one to plant about 4 years ago, kinda illegally, BUT, it had died here in my zone 6a winter. Okay, it was called the "Turner's oak". Norbert, if you are really in a a zone 7a area. AND, you can get a "Turners oak" or even a Q. ILEX, Q. ILEX is an evergreen oak that can do great in an area that doesn't have a ton of sunlight in summer and heat. REALLY, the Q. ILex is likely going to be MUCH easier to find in Europe at nurseries to plant. And it IS an Evergreen oak, and it is zone 7a hardy. It is really impressive in old age. NOT, LIve oak tree impressive, BUT, it is a nice tree in old age. I replied to your message Norbert. BTW Norbert, I have my big yard in thanks to my family, I could never afford to buy this OVER 3 ACRES of nice rural property. Since my dad passed away, I am the 1 who cuts the grass and tries to fight back the weeds, and cuts around all of those damned trees I planted. MY dad was super pissed about all of my trees, I had made big mulch circles around them, so it would be easier for him. I miss my dad, he passed away, BUT, ANYWAY, I have been using "GLYPHOSATE" or "GLYPHOSPHATE" which of the 2 means "I"VE BEEN USING "ROUNDUP", and I am hoping that "Glyphosate" or however you say it doesn't prove to be a big cause of cancer, because #1 I use it alot, I don't want cancer #2 It does well to stop weeds from taking over places #3 It is great in Lue of burning weeds to make for garden plots.