Acacia Hardwood Flooring: A Feast Of Options

Acacia hardwood flooring is an immensely popular option for all kinds of spaces. But within that, there are more options still. Here’s what we mean by that.

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Among hardwood flooring choices, acacia wood stands out as a versatile hardwood option. This exotic wood can lend a dynamic look to any room, fitting in with many décor styles and interior designs. Discover how the stain and plank options, along with the wood’s natural grain, offer a feast of decorating inspiration for homeowners.

About the acacia species

Acacia wood has a historical and mystical reputation: The ancient Egyptians constructed coffins out of acacia wood, and some Biblical scholars believe acacia wood made up Noah’s ark, otherwise called “gopherwood” in some versions of the text.

More than 1,000 species of acacia trees and shrubs exist. While most acacia species come from Australia, the red acacia variations can be typically found in Africa. Other acacia species grow in tropical and temperate regions. Dried acacia wood has a low moisture content, enabling the wood to resist warping or changing size.

Natural acacia hardwood flooring from BuildDirect.

Acacia is a durable wood and a popular choice for furniture and flooring. Many people use acacia as a replacement for teak when they’re considering a versatile hardwood option for flooring.

One of the most popular species of acacia is Koa from Hawaii, a lovely golden or reddish-brown acacia. The Australian Blackwood acacia, also known as the Tasmanian Blackwood or the Acacia Blackwood, is another popular species of that originally came from Australia and Tasmania, but is now grown in South America and Africa.

African acacia is typically a rich, dark brown. The tree grows large thorns to protect itself, infusing it with symbolic value over the years.

Browse smooth finish acacia hardwood flooring.

Acacia wood grain patterns

When you look for acacia flooring, you’ll notice many grain patterns and textures to choose from. Depending on the species, acacia wood can look strikingly different from one style of flooring to the next. Koa, for example, has a slightly wavy, interlocked grain pattern with a medium texture that sometimes verges on being coarse. Blackwood, however, has a mostly straight grain, only somewhat interlocked, and is typically uniform and fine.

Species like Black Wattle often have a beautiful natural luster. Flooring preparation and styling will greatly affect the texture of acacia flooring. One popular example is hand-scraped acacia, bearing a slightly more rustic look. Some might prefer smooth acacia, a richness that emphasizes the beautiful patterns the wood grain creates.

Mazama “Red Rooibos” acacia hardwood flooring featured in the Smooth Acacia Collection from BuildDirect.

Color ranges for acacia flooring

Since acacia wood comes in a variety of species, the versatile hardwood option create a span of diverse color range. Natural acacia wood is typically a medium to dark brown, either red, gold, or tan. Acacia looks beautiful with a variety of stains as well.

Find acacia stained in black walnut or pekoe brown for a deep, rich hardwood look. Acacia wood flooring takes dark stains beautifully, deepening to attractive shades without losing the wood grain texture.

Browse for handscraped acacia hardwood flooring.

Acacia also looks stunning with a red finish. The natural reds in the wood come out fully for a warm, strongly patterned look. Red-stained acacia wood flooring often ends up bearing a striking wood grain pattern. Since the heartwood and sapwood are often different shades of brown — the heartwood is usually darker — the colors in acacia flooring may vary within a single type of flooring, bringing out multiple shades of whatever color stain you can find on the floorboards.

Handscraped acacia hardwood flooring from BuildDirect.

Popular ways to use acacia as flooring

Acacia wood almost always conveys a warm spectrum of hues, a boost if you’re looking to brighten up your living room or upstairs hallway. With its hardness and durability, acacia wood works well in rooms that see a lot of foot traffic.

You can get acacia in almost any plank size you want, an option that can open up your flooring choices for you. Although acacia wood is quite hard, you’ll find the wood makes a comfortable floor to walk on barefoot.

“Oolong Brown” handscraped and stained acacia hardwood flooring from BuildDirect.

Go for a vintage or shabby-chic look with hand-scraped acacia wood. The intentionally worn look of hand-scraped acacia will create a charming, rustic quality in your flooring. If you’re trying to evoke the natural feeling of a log cabin, make sure to get a hand-scraped acacia in a medium brown color with plenty of visible wood grain texture.

Acacia is equally well-suited to chic, elegant rooms as well. Choose longer planks with wider widths — as much as seven inches — to get the most fashionable wood floor look in your home. Wide acacia planks showcase the elegant grain pattern in the wood, and the smooth polished planks will create a bold pattern that adds texture to your room. Long planks will keep the pattern from looking too choppy, adding a consistency to a floor that your guests will envy.

Browse for rustic style acacia hardwood flooring.

“Chai Beige” acacia hardwood flooring from BuildDirect.

Acacia’s beautiful patterns also make this wood a lovely choice as a wood laminate in the bathroom or kitchen. Acacia itself is water-resistant, so while you may not want to place the wood in your bathroom with all its humidity, the right finish can make an easy transition to your kitchen.

Enhancing your décor with acacia

If you’ve chosen an acacia floor, consider making the flooring your room’s accent piece. Since the wood carries an exotic look, you’ll find your eye naturally drawn to the material.

When decorating, use neutral colors that complement the acacia wood. Whether your design scheme is ultra-modern or vintage-inspired, you’ll get a distinctive look to your flooring. If you want a bit bolder décor, take inspiration from the texture of the acacia wood itself. Purchase furniture and decorations with designs and shapes that remind you of the patterns in your floor to tie the room together in a pleasing way.

Mazama label acacia hardwood flooring “Golden Walnut” from BuildDirect.

Since acacia is such a dynamic wood, you’ll find it a common choice for furniture. You may decide to enhance your kitchen with acacia cabinetry or pick up an acacia coffee table for the living room. Acacia also makes lovely bowls and plates, as it’s one of the types of wood that carries natural antibacterial properties.

Versatile acacia wood flooring

Acacia is known for being a versatile hardwood option in interior design. Durable, water-resistant, and resilient, acacia allows you to enhance your living room, entryway, or kitchen with a unique visual element that only it can deliver.

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Resources: 

http://www.agriculture.gov.au/abares/forestsaustralia/profiles/acacia-forest

https://www.builddirect.com/blog/hardwood-flooring-product-profile-what-is-australian-acacia/

https://www.builddirect.com/blog/hardwood-flooring-product-profile-what-is-african-acacia/

http://thebasicwoodworking.com/acacia-wood-flooring-pros-and-cons/

http://www.wood-database.com/lumber-identification/hardwoods/raspberry-jam/

http://www.bruce.com/hardwood-basics.html

http://www.homeflooringpros.com/blog-guides/hardwood-flooring-trends-for-2013/

https://www.builddirect.com/Acacia-Hardwood-Flooring/Result_N_4294967289+4294966291+4294966069.aspx

http://www.urbanara.co.uk/journal/buying-guide/acacia-wood/

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