Custom-Crafted Hardwood Flooring — Built for Your Vision
Hardwood flooring has always been the foundation of timeless interiors, bringing warmth, durability, and character to every space. At Cochran’s, we take hardwood further — milling and finishing each board in-house at our Berryville, VA shop, using Appalachian-sourced lumber and decades of craftsmanship.
Unlike mass-produced options, our hardwood floors are designed to last for generations while reflecting your unique style. Whether you’re considering unfinished hardwood flooring for on-site customization or a fully prefinished selection, our team will tailor the product to your exact specifications.
Why Choose Hardwood Flooring?
Before choosing a species or style, it helps to understand why hardwood remains the premier flooring material. True hardwood floors provide unmatched longevity, with many installations lasting for generations. They can be refinished multiple times, allowing homeowners to refresh their look without replacing the entire floor. Hardwood also enhances property value, appealing to future buyers with its timeless beauty.
From a performance perspective, hardwood is strong, versatile, and adaptable to a wide range of interior styles. It is also a sustainable choice when sourced responsibly, as wood is a renewable material that stores carbon throughout its life. At Cochran’s, we emphasize Appalachian sourcing and environmentally mindful practices so you can feel confident in the integrity of your floor.
Hardwood Flooring at a Glance
Before diving into individual species and styles, here’s a quick overview of the hardwood options available at Cochran’s.
| Attribute | Cochran’s Hardwood Offering | What It Means for You |
|---|---|---|
| Structure | 3/4” Solid; Multiple Engineered Builds (1/2”, 5/8”, 3/4”) | Choose the right build for stability, refinishing potential, and installation method. |
| Widths | 3”–10” planks; Random-width; Wide-plank | Narrow boards feel traditional, wide planks expand visual space, and random width creates historic authenticity. |
| Cuts | Rift & Quarter Sawn, Live Sawn, Plain Sawn | Different milling styles highlight cathedral grain, ray fleck, or straight lines, shaping the floor’s movement and character. |
| Lengths | 2’–10’ standard, custom available | Longer boards reduce seams, creating a more continuous and elegant flow. |
| Profile | Tongue & Groove, End-Matched | Ensures precise fit, strong joints, and efficient installation with less waste. |
| Textures | Smooth, Wire Brushed, Circle Sawn, Band Sawn, Edge Scraped, Face Scraped | Options range from sleek modern surfaces to highly tactile, rustic character. |
| Finishes | Unfinished, Prefinished Urethane (Satin or Matte), Custom Colors | From on-site customization to durable factory finishes, tailored to your design goals. |
Hardwood Species Options — Find the Right Wood for Your Space
Every hardwood species carries its own character, history, and performance profile. This section is your guide to the most trusted and distinctive woods Cochran’s mills and finishes.
White Oak
Known for its strength and versatility, white oak has long been a favorite for custom hardwood flooring. The pale, neutral base color accepts stain exceptionally well, ranging from light contemporary finishes to dark, dramatic tones. Its grain combines straight lines with subtle figuring, allowing it to harmonize with nearly any design style. White Oak is also naturally resistant to moisture and wear, making it dependable for both family homes and high-traffic environments. Over time it develops a graceful patina that deepens its character. For these reasons, White Oak hardwood flooring remains one of the most enduring and requested options at Cochran’s.
Walnut
Prized for its deep chocolate tones and dramatic grain, walnut is one of the most luxurious options for custom hardwood flooring. Its coloration ranges from rich coffee hues to lighter sapwood accents, creating striking contrast across a floor. The grain is generally straight but can include curls and waves, lending elegance and individuality. Walnut is softer than oak, so while it may show dents more readily, this softness adds warmth and quiet underfoot. Over time, it develops a lustrous patina that enhances its beauty. Because of this, walnut remains a preferred choice for formal rooms, libraries, and high-end residences.
Hickory
Renowned for its hardness and resilience, hickory has long been considered one of the toughest choices for hardwood flooring. Its natural variation is striking — creamy sapwood sits beside darker heartwood, creating bold contrast and energy across a floor. The grain is dramatic, with flowing lines and occasional burls that lend individuality to every board. This durability and lively appearance make hickory especially well suited for active households, rustic retreats, and commercial environments where strength and character are equally important. With proper care, hickory floors can withstand decades of wear while showcasing their distinctive personality.
European White Oak
A favorite for contemporary interiors, European white oak brings subtle elegance to hardwood flooring. Compared to domestic white oak, it has a smoother grain and a slightly more muted, consistent color palette, ranging from light beige to soft gray-brown tones. European oak often pairs beautifully with wide plank flooring formats, creating open, expansive visuals well suited to modern design. Its structure is stable and versatile, making it a reliable option for projects that demand both style and longevity. Designers and architects frequently specify European white oak when aiming for clean, sophisticated results that highlight understated grain and refined finishes.
Pine
Known for its rustic character and inviting warmth, pine has long been a traditional option for hardwood flooring. Its golden yellows and amber tones are accentuated by knots and mineral streaks that create a relaxed, authentic appearance. The grain is often more pronounced than in harder species, contributing to its charm and sense of history. While pine is softer and more prone to dents, many homeowners value the way it develops a worn-in patina over time, enhancing its story and appeal. For farmhouses, historic renovations, and casual interiors, pine delivers comfort and tradition in every board.
Chestnut
Rare and distinctive, chestnut carries a legacy few other woods can match, making it an exceptional choice for hardwood flooring. Once abundant in American forests, blight devastated its population, so most chestnut today is reclaimed from historic structures. Its open grain and rich mid-brown hues convey an immediate sense of age and authenticity. Boards often display wormholes, mineral streaks, and other unique markings that add character and depth. Because of its heritage and rarity, chestnut remains highly sought after for restorations and projects that demand uncommon, history-rich beauty.
Reclaimed Flooring
Known for its timeless appeal and unmatched character, reclaimed hardwood flooring brings history into the heart of your home. Every board carries the story of its past life — salvaged from barns, factories, and historic structures — with weathered textures, nail holes, and patina that simply can’t be replicated. The tones range from warm browns to silvery grays, accented by saw marks and grain patterns that reveal decades of use and resilience. While new flooring offers uniformity, reclaimed wood offers authenticity, turning every plank into a conversation piece. For farmhouses, restorations, or modern homes seeking depth and soul, reclaimed hardwood delivers a surface rich with heritage, beauty, and craftsmanship.
Cherry
Celebrated for its rich color and satiny texture, cherry is a classic species for hardwood flooring that grows more beautiful with time. Newly milled boards often begin as light pinkish-brown, gradually deepening into luxurious reddish-brown hues with exposure to light. The grain is typically straight and fine, occasionally featuring curly figures that enhance its elegance. With a medium hardness, cherry balances comfort underfoot with reliable resilience for everyday living. Its natural warmth and evolving patina make cherry especially popular in formal spaces such as dining rooms, studies, and entryways, where timeless sophistication is key.
Structures & Profiles — How Your Hardwood Floor is Built
The way hardwood flooring is constructed affects how it performs, how it looks, and how long it lasts. At Cochran’s, we offer a range of structures and profiles, each suited to different installation needs and design goals.
Solid Hardwood Flooring — With full-thickness 3/4” boards, solid hardwood flooring provides the authentic weight and sound of traditional floors. These planks can be sanded and refinished multiple times, making them an investment that lasts for generations. Best uses: above-grade spaces such as living rooms, dining rooms, and bedrooms where stability and longevity are priorities.
Engineered Hardwood Flooring — Built with a hardwood wear layer over a Baltic birch core, engineered hardwood flooring offers dimensional stability and resistance to warping. Ideal for wide plank installations, below-grade rooms, and areas with radiant heat or seasonal humidity swings. Best uses: basements, open-plan modern homes, and commercial spaces where performance under changing conditions matters.
Tongue & Groove — Precision-milled tongue-and-groove flooring ensures boards fit tightly together. This joinery method locks planks into place, minimizes gaps during seasonal changes, and creates smooth, seamless lines across a floor. Best uses: projects requiring secure installation and a refined finish, from custom residences to heritage restorations.
Random Width Flooring — For a dynamic, historic look, random width flooring blends planks of different sizes within a single installation. The result is a floor with depth, rhythm, and old-world authenticity. Best uses: historic homes, farmhouses, and rustic retreats where authenticity is key.
Wide Plank Flooring — When expansive grain patterns and fewer seams are desired, wide plank flooring makes a bold statement. Boards from 5” to 10” wide create openness, highlighting natural grain and adding visual impact. Best uses: luxury residences, modern open-concept layouts, and showcase spaces where bold design matters.
Why Choose Cochran's?
Not all hardwood flooring is created equal. At Cochran’s, we deliver more than just boards — we deliver a floor that reflects craftsmanship, heritage, and lasting value.
Made-to-order milling — Each board is crafted in our Berryville, VA shop to your specifications, ensuring precision in width, length, and construction.
Premium Appalachian materials — We select the highest-quality lumber and Baltic birch substrates for consistency, stability, and strength.
Craftsmanship at every stage — From kiln drying to finishing, our team of skilled craftsmen handles each step with care.
Customization without compromise — Multiple structures, grades, textures, and finishes let you create the exact look and performance your project demands.
Hands-on quality control — Every floor is inspected thoroughly so that only the best product reaches your home or job site.
The result is hardwood flooring with tighter fit, richer appearance, and longer life than mass-produced alternatives — a floor tailored to your vision and built to last for generations.