Most of us consider hardwood flooring a must-have for today’s  homes. As Canadians, we have a strong appreciation for natural materials and the significance of bringing the outdoors inside.

I had my wood education practically from birth, as my father was a forester with the Ontario government so it was imperative that all of his children could identify wood from its grain pattern even before we could ride a bicycle.

Today, tongue-and-groove hardwood planks are the hot and trendy must-haves for stylish new homes.

Our job as homeowners and renovators is to carefully select the coveted hardwood flooring from a wide variety of multi-tonal stains, thicknesses, plank widths, finish levels and species.

The flooring supplier will first ask you if there is a particular species of wood that you are considering. The most popular hardwood floorings come from deciduous trees such as cherry, oak, maple, hickory and walnut. These particular trees produce a very hard wood due to the fact that they lose their leaves during the winter months, giving the trunk of the tree a chance to harden.

To make your decision about what hardwood flooring you want in your home, be sure to look at multiple planks laid side by side so you can inspect the total range of grain patterns and subtle shades common to each tree.

With respect to graining, cherry-wood grain is perhaps the most consistent with minimal colour variations, while maple is usually clear and free of noticeable grain patterns and colour shifts.

Buy with respect to our planet: Ask the supplier if the raw materials to produce this particular flooring product have been purchased from certified sustainable forests. Most manufacturers today respect the ramifications of depleting this natural resource.

We should all be concerned about "out-gases" that come from building and finishing materials. Be sure to inquire as to how the wooden planks are processed. Ask if the manufacturer has used only planet-friendly products such as water-based stains, finishes that don't contain harsh solvents, and adhesives systems that are formaldehyde-free.

The size of the plank and the space between each board is a purely decorative decision.

Wider planks work well in both country and contemporary homes and smaller planks do indeed suit smaller rooms.

The other consideration will be the sheen of the floor: The glossier the floor, the more small nicks and scratches will be visible.

If the room has many windows and/or you will be furnishing the room with glass-topped tables, you are best to go with a lower-sheen floor as the amount of reflection will be overpowering and the room may feel cold and ominous.

Finally, most manufacturers will offer three types of edging, including: butt edge, where the boards meet tightly together with no gap between each plank; the micro-bevel, which is a tiny notch cut between each plank; and the full bevel, which is a deep notch or "v" groove cut all the way down to the tongue joint connecting the planks together.