Choosing Hardwood

Types

1. Pre-finished:
• ready for installation
• boards already sanded, stained and finished
• harder, better-protected surface
• wider variety of wood species
• save hours of labor and cleanup
• extended finish warranty

2. Unfinished:
• allows you to have a custom job
• you choose the wood species
• it’s sanded and stained on site
• can level the surface after installation
• no extended finish warranty

Location

• look at installation site for location limitations
• solid floors are susceptible to moisture and are not recommended for basements or concrete slabs

Grain and cut

• styles are a result of the species available
• species: red oak, white oak, maple, cherry, white ash, hickory or pecan
• each species has unique graining and texture
• graining on the boards is determined by the way it has been cut
• two cutting processes. “Sliced Cut” -more uniform pattern and “Rotary Cut”- displays a larger and bolder graining pattern

Color

• each species gives choices of color and finishes
• choose coordinating or contrasting with cabinetry and furniture
• darker woods are more formal
• natural colors are more casual

Finish

• different types for pre-finished or job site finished
• lower gloss levels are better for active rooms
• lower gloss or matte finishes minimize dirt and scratches
• high gloss finish for formal décor

Upkeep

• no more waxing and scrubing
• pre-finished floors have hard, durable urethane-based finishes
• chips of aluminum oxide are added to increases the urethane finish’s life

Floor protection

• finished floors have several coats applied to the surface
• many companies apply 6-10 coats of a ultra-violet (UV) cured urethane
• UV cured urethane is difficult to duplicate on a job site finish
• factory finishes are more consistent and durable
• do not wash your floor with a mop
• water is not a friend of hardwood
• floors won't watermark like old waxed floors
• UV cured finishes do make floors easier to maintain than waxed floors

Pre-finished choices:

• UV cured – factory finishes cured with Ultra Violet lights versus heat
• polyurethane – clear, tough and durable applied as a wear layer
• acrylic-urethane – different make up than Polyurethane, same benefits
• ceramic – advanced technology allowing ceramics to increase wear layer resistance
• aluminum oxide – added to urethane finish for increased abrasion resistance
• acrylic impregnated – acrylic monomers injected into cell structure for hardness, then finished with a wear layer

Job-site hardwood flooring

• start with a bare (unfinished) floor, then sand, stain, and finish
• if subfloor is acceptable you can have a custom stained
• can have a floor to match existing trim
• advantage: smoother floor between planks
• process is messy and takes several days

Methods:

• Water Based Urethane – water used as part of the make up of the finish
• Solvent Based Urethane – oil used as part of the make up of the finish
• Moisture Cured Urethane – similar make up as solvent based urethanes, finish needs moisture to cure

Board widths

• boards come in various sizes
• narrower board widths called “strips”
• wider boards called “planks”
• board width visually impacts a room
• narrow boards expand a room
• wider boards work well in a larger room

Edge knowledge

• floors come in either a beveled edge, or a square edge
• each edge creates a specific look and feel

Edge types:

• square edge: edges all meet squarely for a uniform, smooth surface (contemporary and formal)
• eased edge: boards slightly beveled to length and/or the end joints, hides irregularities, plank heights, also called micro-beveled edge
• beveled edge: distinctive groove, informal and country décor, beveled edges sealed completely, dirt easy to sweep or vacuum out of the grooves

Hardness – Janka hardness test

• measures the force needed to embed a .444 inch steel ball to half its diameter in a piece of wood
• higher the number the harder the wood
• one of the best methods to measure the ability of wood species to withstand indentations
• general guide when comparing various species
• construction and finish also important in the durability and ease of maintenance