White maple vs natural maple floors

3 years ago

last modified: 3 years ago

I am removing white carpet from our vacation beach house and want to replace most of the house flooring with hardwood. I have had wonderful success with maple floors in the past but have always had a dark brown color or gray. I want a light beachy look. We have no pets, but grandkids that visit frequently. Does anyone have any advise or experience with white maple flooring? I like the white better for the look I am going for but wonder if the natural would be better for long term style. I also wonder how hard they would be to upkeep. The kitchen cabinets are shaker maple. The house is NW contemporary. Any opinions or advise would be very much appreciated. Thanks

Featured Answer

SJ McCarthy

3 years ago

If you are keeping the cabinets (yellow tones) then the white maple (for me) is out. The blueish tinge will clash with the cabinets (just like the tiles are doing right now).

I know you want to replace 'like with like' (white carpet and tiles replaced with white wood) but it won't work very well with the yellow maple cabinets.

When 'updating' I like to see some new colours in place of old white. The pale maple should do the trick without clashing with anything yellow in the home.

Just remember: maple has a history of DARKENING. Yep. If it starts out PALE yellow it will eventually turn to the mid-level yellow you see in your kitchen. Which means if you start with a WHITE maple you will turn it to a muddy-yellow/burnt white colour.

Maple is PHOTOSENSITIVE = the colour gets DARKER when exposed to UV light (sunlight or lamp light...doesn't matter).

Before you choose the colour you want you really want to find out if the manufacturer spent money on a UV blocking agent (expensive) to ensure the maple does NOT turn yellow.

If in doubt, buy a box of EACH colour. Pull out TWO planks from each box and leave it exposed to natural sunlight for a few months. Leave the rest of the planks in the boxes (closed and kept in a dark place). Once you have had the planks exposed for 2-3 months (longer is better but that might not work for you), go ahead and compare the exposed planks to the non-exposed planks.

You should see the exposed will be a snick darker. That's when you know the planks have NOT been treated.

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (8)

PRO
Patricia Colwell Consulting
3 years ago
I think I need to see the cabinets since maple has a tendancy to change color over time . I kind of like the white but I am not sure wood floors would be my choice at the beach with all the sand trcked in no matter how hard you try to not have it happen. Have you looked at vinyl plank it works really well in our walkout with 3 big dog tracking mud, dirt and sand in all the time . At the ned of the day I eiter swiffer or vacuum and a damp mop they looks like new 13 yrs later.
PRO
Sabrina Alfin Interiors
3 years ago
This is a tough call in the absence of knowing what the rest of the house looks like. Can you post some pics of the interior spaces in which the flooring will go down? Adjacent spaces, too.
Related Discussions
Maple vs. White Oak vs. Ash
Q
Comments (7)
White oak floors can vary in color (depending upon the finish method of choice) from blonde to light tan to medium brown with some golden tones as well. Although white oak has color variations, I would not call it a busy floor. Ash will also vary some in color tones with striking differences in the heartwood and sapwood. When purchasing unfinished wood flooring, you can pretty much get what you want in terms of grade and sawing characteristics. Since I no longer sell the factory-finished products, I can't tell you how grading and such is typical with these manufactured products. Do more research; if you do enough then you will get what you're looking for and maybe you can then hire yourself out as a flooring decorator and specifier.
...See More
Shaw Engineered Maple vs. Bruce Solid Maple flooring
Q
Comments (3)
My subfloor is not slab so I can do either. I had originally thought of doing solid, so I could refinish them, but I have a budget of $5/SF and this Bruce solid is the only one in my budget that is 5 inches wide. Alas, reviews of their solid floors seem quite poor, although I have not read any reviews specifically of their Kennedale line, which the store salesman tells me is very high quality. I have read that the engineered is better for wider planks. So that is one consideration. I also read that the Shaw finish is very durable and scratch resistant. I am hoping to buy a Roomba and have that sweep up every day, keeping dust to a minimum. The darker wood really sets off my white cabinetry well, somI prefer to go as dark as I can allow. Doesmany one own a Roomba and can speak to how well those work?
...See More
Natural Maple Cabinets + White Carrara Tops? Pls share pics!
Q
Comments (4)
This is a great picture of marble and maple. The others below are pretty but not all are honed and not all are natural or light stained maple. Hoping these can help your friend. A little darker than the natural maple but a pretty picture of wood and marble
...See More
Sugar Maple vs Norway Maple ID
Q
Comments (0)
The most magnificent display of color in all of the kingdom of plants is the autumnal foliage of the trees of North America. Over them all .......rise the colors of one tree, the Sugar Maple. A Natural History of Trees by Donald C. Peattie Around this time of year we really appreciate the Sugar Maple because of the fall color. New posters confuse this tree with Norway Maple. The introduction of Norway Maple to colonial America is credited to one of my all time heroes, John Bartram in 1756. It took quite a while but I have come to forgive him for this :)Brilliant colors of SM can be had especially if foliage is exposed to the sun. Wings of seed not as large or broad spreading as NM. A broken leaf vein or seed releases white sap from NM during the growing season.Notice the sharply pointed & conical buds of SM. NM buds are broad and blunt tipped. SM bark of older trees develops long, gray plates. NM bark is more closely ridged & furrowed with age. These are good traits to use for winter ID. Observe the trees repeatedly and throughout the year and you can pick out the differences from a distance. One positive for NM, it makes great firewood.
...See More
PRO
Ocean Shores Enterprises
Original Author
3 years ago

All of the tile, carpet and countertops and stove are being replaced. Sorry about the mess. We are in construction mode.
PRO
Ocean Shores Enterprises
Original Author
3 years ago
Thank you so much. I am going to stay away from maple after your advise. Maybe white oak will be a better option. Thanks again.
SJ McCarthy
3 years ago
If you want the frosted white then look at European Oak with a white tone finish (expensive but beautiful). If you want the light sandy colour then perhaps a Beech or a Birch floor would do it for you.

It looks like you prefer the tight grain look of maple (many people use maple for it's tight grain). White Oak has heavy grain. So does European Oak (but it naturally turns silver as it ages). It is *possible to get a very light floor with a premium grade of Hickory. Hickory can have a very tight grain...but it has many colour variations. If you work with the premium grade you can get the light blond with the tight grain...but you run the risk of having a few planks in a different colour.

Are you working with a better 'Ma and Pa' store?
PRO
Ocean Shores Enterprises
Original Author
3 years ago
I will check out the European Oak and other suggestions. I have not been able to work with any particular store so I have been doing my shopping online. If you have a good suggestion of a good store to work with, please let me know. I live in Seattle but I am happy to work with someone remotely. Again, thank you for your advise. I almost made mistake I would have regretted.
SJ McCarthy
3 years ago
Seattle is chockablock full of wood flooring stores and companies. You should be just fine.

White maple vs natural maple floors

SJ McCarthy

Comments (8)

Patricia Colwell Consulting

Sabrina Alfin Interiors

Related Discussions

Ocean Shores Enterprises
Original Author

Ocean Shores Enterprises
Original Author

SJ McCarthy

Ocean Shores Enterprises
Original Author

SJ McCarthy

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

White maple vs natural maple floors

SJ McCarthy

Comments (8)

Patricia Colwell Consulting

Sabrina Alfin Interiors

Related Discussions

Ocean Shores EnterprisesOriginal Author

Ocean Shores EnterprisesOriginal Author

SJ McCarthy

Ocean Shores EnterprisesOriginal Author

SJ McCarthy

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

Ocean Shores Enterprises
Original Author

Ocean Shores Enterprises
Original Author

Ocean Shores Enterprises
Original Author