Grading refers to where the soil, or ground, meets your house. Basements, even walkout basements, are always considered below grade since at least one wall is below ground level. Your home’s first floor sits at ground level (except for a walk-out basement) and is considered “on grade.” Any floors above ground level are “above grade.” It is very important you know the grade level of the floor(s) you want to install. Engineered flooring is designed to work at any grade level, and traditional 3/4″ solid flooring is only for “on grade’ or “above grade.”

All wood flooring is more or less photosensitive, and some species are very sensitive to ultra-violet light. It’s important to prevent the sun’s rays from discoloring your floor by shielding it against direct sunlight. However, it’s normal for hardwood floors exposed to even indirect sunlight to darken or lighten after a while, so for consistency, rotate rugs and furniture to equal out the amount of sunlight exposure and variances will eventually fade away.

No. You should never install solid hardwood flooring below grade; however, it is possible to install engineered hardwood floors below grade either by gluing down or floating over the concrete.

This refers to allowing your new solid wood flooring to adjust to your home’s average temperature and humidity levels in the room where it will be installed. Acclimation is a critical step in the installation process, and if skipped, can result in damage to flooring after it has been installed-damage that would not be covered under warranty. If, for example, you live in an area with high temperature and humidity swings, you probably would need to install humidity controls to help maintain a consistent environment for your wood flooring. There is no set time period for solid flooring to acclimate to your home. It is important for the installer to have a good quality wood moisture meter to be able to measure the moisture in the wood and know when it has reached equilibrium with the home.

Actually, yes! Wood flooring can handle heavy traffic and the occasional spill while retaining its luster and beauty. Our finishes are designed to more than hold their own against heavy residential and commercial foot traffic. We do suggest using mats in the kitchen, bathroom and laundry room, and walk-off mats at all home entrances to protect against spills and tracking in dirt or other objects that could scratch the floor. If spills do occur, do not let them remain on your floor, just wipe up with a clean cloth or dry mop.

Yes. Lower flooring grades will have a larger number of character markings and color variations, but you can expect some color variation in all grades. Keep in mind that certain light stain colors can emphasize color variation, while darker stains can help to reduce the appearance of color variation.

No. Trees are a natural, renewable resource that can be continually harvested and replanted without serious environmental impact.

Also consider:

• Wood floors last generations making replacement a nonissue
• Wood floors use less water and energy to produce than other flooring options
• Average annual net growth for hardwoods is greater than average annual harvesting
• Indoor air quality is better with wood floors
• Trees are carbon neutral and produce oxygen while storing carbon during lifecycles
• At the end of its extended service life, wood flooring can be burned as fuel or recycled

Although it should look similar, each hardwood tree differs from others and even wood from the same tree can show variance. Wood is a 100% organic material shaped by nature. No trees or boards are alike, and variation should be expected and appreciated as nature’s unique signature.

Pre-finished: advantages are faster and easier installation, minimal disruption to your home, fast cleanup time and usually less expensive labor costs because sanding, staining and coating are performed in the factory. Also, you usually get an extended warranty with prefinished flooring, and finish that is very scratch resistant.

Unfinished: Advantages are availability of more wood species, widths and cuts that can be matched to existing wood floors. Also, unfinished flooring allows for custom onsite sanding, staining and coating with a protective sealant after installation to achieve a beautiful unique floor.

Seasonal expansion and contraction of flooring boards is considered normal. There is more humidity during the summer months and your floor soaks it up causing it to expand. Winter months are usually less humid and the floor dries out resulting in gaps between boards. While considered normal, you can minimize expansion and contraction by keeping the humidity in your home between 35 and 55% by using an air conditioner, humidifier or dehumidifier.

A pre-finished floating floor isn’t directly attached to the subfloor. It has a foam underlayment on top of the subfloor to absorb sound and protect against moisture; the hardwood strips or planks are then laid on top. The flooring is glued or locked together with tongue and groove joints and the entire floor “floats” above the subfloor. It’s easy to install on nearly any surface. The “cushy” feeling you may sometimes feel with floating floors can be reduced or eliminated by ensuring your subfloor is as flat as possible using floor leveling products and a quality underlayment.

Since wood flooring expands and contracts seasonally, be sure to always leave an expansion gap around the perimeter of the floor following the manufacturers installation instructions. (This gap is hidden by baseboard and base shoe and allows the floor to move without creating high spots or buckling).

Underlayment refers to the material placed between the subfloor and new floor.

It serves many purposes depending on the quality of the material. The primary purpose is to provide a moisture barrier. Some underlayments can also provide an acoustical barrier to make the new floor quieter when walked on especially in multi-level homes. Underlayment should be used with every floor, and always according to the manufacturer’s installation instructions.

With proper care and maintenance, solid wood floors can last for hundreds of years and they will remain looking beautiful for generations. They can be rejuvenated with sanding and refinishing every 10 – 15 years to retain their original condition and value.

Yes. Bevels are added to the sides of the board to soften the edge and help boards line up next to each other with even thickness for easier installation and structural stability. Bevels help to prevent the edges of the flooring finish being crushed when the flooring expands. This is why there are very few square edged prefinished floors. Some prefinished floors have bevels on all four sides of the board, and some only on the two long sides.

Yes. Bacteria, dust, dirt and allergens cannot cling to wood flooring as they do in other flooring options; simply dustmop, sweep, or vacuum regularly and your wood floors stay pollutant free.

There are three main ways to install wood flooring: glue down, nail down and floating. The method you choose should depend on where the floor is being installed, and over what type of subfloor. Traditional 3/4″ thick solid wood floors can be nailed or glued down over plywood, or glued down over concrete (not in a basement). Engineered wood floors can usually be nailed, glued, or floated over plywood or concrete, above or below grade.

Engineered wood flooring is the best choice when installing below grade (in a basement) or over a concrete slab. However, traditional 3/4″ thick solid wood floor works great above grade, and in some cases may be used on concrete slabs (not in a basement) when glued down and used with appropriate moisture barriers. (To be sure you can glue your floor to concrete, verify with the flooring manufacturer and glue manufacturer.) Solid wood flooring should not be installed over radiant heat systems, but many engineered floors are compatible with radiant heat.

Yes, many churches, schools and auditoriums request wood flooring for its warmth, comfort and acoustic benefits. Protection from footfall noise can be achieved by using an underlayment that also serves as an acoustic barrier. A properly installed floor over a good quality subfloor and underlayment should not squeak excessively when walked on.

Compare your furnishings with hardwoods’ natural colors, distinctive grain patterns and visual effects such as knots and mineral streaks; also consider texture, grain, cut and hardness (density) of different species – high household traffic may require a denser species or a hand-scraped texture. If you like, our flooring experts will be happy to help guide you through the selection process to create your perfect floor.