HARDWOOD FLOORING FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Additional footage should be added to your actual coverage area for trim allowances and anticipated waste factors. In standard installations, add 5% to our Signature and 7-10% to our Heartwood Collections.

Non-standard installations typically include diagonal or angled cuts, borders and pattern work. Also, selecting for specific lengths, color or character will increase the waste factor. In these instances, the waste factor may add 5%-30% or even more based on your particular installation.

The higher the waste percentage you allow, the more selective you can be during the installation.

End Matching is the process of double end-trimming each plank and through a special process and precision milling a concealed tongue and groove on the plank ends  (the T&G edge pattern is not visible on the plank ends).

End matching allows for the use of staggered joints on conventional framing, eliminates face nailing and the need to cut each plank-end onsite, greatly reducing the installation process.

Our precision End Matching process yields exceptionally long planks with a 10′ maximum and 6′ minimum length average.

Up until the latter part of the 19th century all wood floors were random width. Only in the late 19th century and through the 20th century have we evolved to the standard boring strip floor. Our random width flooring resonates with nature while affordably replicating the look of an early American floor in your home today.

Hardwood lumber is manufactured in random widths for the highest grade and yield. Unlike large commercial mills, our random width flooring is manufactured to order from full grade lumber resulting in more consistent color and character and exceptionally long end matched lengths up to 10′ long. By maximizing yields and minimizing waste, random widths offer an economical and environmentally responsible choice.

Wide plank flooring has been in service throughout this country for hundreds of years. The key to its performance is the amount of change in relative humidity throughout the year at the installation site and choosing the right wood.

Some woods are more suitable for wide plank installations. For instance, solid hickory is not recommended in planks over 5″ wide.

Wood flooring, being a hydroscopic material, will swell with increases in relative humidity levels and shrink with decreases in relative humidity levels in the home. The use of air conditioning or dehumidifiers in the summer and humidifiers in the heating months will greatly enhance the performance of wide plank flooring.

If your installation site experiences moderate humidity fluctuations throughout the year, consider face nailing the ends to provide additional protection from possible movement or seasonal plank distortion. Decorative cut nails or screws with wooden plugs in either the same or contrasting wood offer an historic feel that will add to the authentic character of your wide plank flooring.

What can damage your hardwood flooring? Generally, high heel shoes that concentrate weight to a small point, boots with small rocks or dirt embedded in the tread can scratch the finish and leave indention marks. Rolling or sliding furniture and appliances over your floor can scratch the finish and leave indention marks even in the hardest woods. Dogs as well are capable of scratching the finish and leaving indented claw marks. Heavy or blunt objects dropped on the floor are another source for scratches and indentations.

In reality, virtually all wood floors exhibit some of these wear marks in use, but overall still remain quite beautiful. This usually superficial damage does not affect the structural integrity of the wood and in most cases can be easily remedied the next time you refinish your floor.

With newer eco-friendly choices now available in the U.S., you can choose from clear, an aged patina or color; a matte or hand-rubbed appearance or a higher sheen. The choices are virtually unlimited. Popular Hard Wax Oil finishes like Rubio Monocoat or OSMO NA and Living Oil finishes like Waterlox, just to name a few, are easily site applied and incorporate all of life’s wear in a living finish in that can be simply refreshed as needed.