Solid Hardwood, Engineered and Laminate Flooring - What type of wood are my floors?? (pics inside)

After taking down the dividing wall between the kitchen and living room I am thinking about extending the wood floors into the kitchen instead of tiling.

How do I find out what kind of wood my floors are and will the transition be seamless providing I sand the existing floor and stain them the same exact color?

In hopes that you can distinguish the type of wood by a picture I have attached two of the floor in question.

http://img163.imageshack.us/img163/3218/26aq1.jpg

http://img163.imageshack.us/img163/3253/14wf.jpg

Also, I have not found a "how to" on the installation of wood floors on this site. If someone could point me to one it would be greatly appreciated!

Also, I have not found a "how to" on the installation of wood floors on this site. If someone could point me to one it would be greatly appreciated!

Maybe this one? http://doityourself.com/woodfloors/hwfintro.htm

Some of the links which moves you forward to the next page(s) in the process are not working; but they have the same links on top AND the bottom of the article. I learned a lot from this instruction; but there are other instructions on the internet, too.

Regards,
Ben

Looks like Oak to me.

Ditto. Red oak.

Go to www.nofma.org for repair and finishing information.

Also, I have not found a "how to" on the installation of wood floors on this site. If someone could point me to one it would be greatly appreciated!

there are lots of good how-to's at this site:
http://www.hardwoodinstaller.com/hardwoodinstaller/navigating2.htm

Ditto. Red oak.


How can I find out for sure if it is red oak or some other kind of oak? I would hate to go through the process of installing only to find out the two floors are a miss match.
:wall:

Thank you for all the responses everyone

You will have to get a sample board of red oak and place it on the floor. The problem is new wood is going to have different color variations due to age. The only way to match it may be with a light stain. Closer pictures would give a better representation of what it is but I would say there is a 90% probability that it is red oak from what I can see.

You will have to get a sample board of red oak and place it on the floor. The problem is new wood is going to have different color variations due to age. The only way to match it may be with a light stain.

There will be color veriations even after sanding down the old wood?

Closer pictures would give a better representation of what it is but I would say there is a 90% probability that it is red oak from what I can see.

Here is a closer picture.


http://img165.imageshack.us/img165/6224/untitled8ln.jpg

Thanks :)

The wood may have light fasted some. It may not be noticeable after the sand if you abrade it enough.

Thats red Oak.

The wood may have light fasted some. It may not be noticeable after the sand if you abrade it enough.

Thats red Oak.
Thanks allot :)

You can't really tell from a picture. Its Oak for sure. You would need to take up a board out of a closet (or anywhere) and look at the vessels on an end cut to make that determination. Take that piece to a good flooring distributer and they should be able to tell if it's white oak or red oak.

Good luck.

White oak has a more compact structure unlike red, which is more like a straw. From the top of the board it translates into a longer ray. In white oak this will reflect in patters that look more like palm tree fibers on the top of the board. If the rays are long and pronounced then it is white if they are narrow and subtle then it is red. I know that this sounds like garble but it is the only way I know of to tell from the surface of the board which it is. From what I see in the pictures posted it is red oak.