Oak Laminate Flooring, Laminate Flooring

Is this a high traffic area?

The finish and color will be affected by this. Darker colors tend to show traffic quicker, where as natural wood colors of oak and maple do not. High traffic areas need special attention when it comes to re-coating. Screening (light sanding) should be a part of the preventative maintenance program for your wood floors in these areas. Application of 1 or 2 coats as needed (every 6-18 months) is a good sound way to protect your investment. Make sure the finish being applied is compatible with what is there and is of the shine that will work well in that area. Satin or low shine urethane’s tend to show less traffic patterns than do the higher gloss finishes. Walk-off mats are strongly suggested for these areas, i.e.- working areas of a kitchens, entry ways, and entries/doorways from the outside.

What type of wood do you like or will fit the area?

Some types are more traffic friendly than others; is this species to “grainy” or busy looking? Some species are harder than others. Maple is harder than oak; has less grain, yet maple can not be stained. Remember, the type of finish and number of coats can also determine how well your floor will fair in high traffic areas.

What color will work with the decor?

Some darker colors make rooms look smaller and show traffic patterns quicker. Lighter, or natural color (oak & maple being the most popular) of wood floor species can give an open, airy feeling, making the room appear larger. With today’s color trends this is of the most popular selections now being made by the consumer, in home and office alike. Your floor should complement the fabrics, furnishings and accessories already present in the space, as well as enhancing the unique personality of the room as a whole. The most popular color is red oak natural with maple natural running second, but with today’s eclectic decoration styles, anything goes. Darker colors are more used for formal or traditional interiors while lighter colors are used for country, casual and contemporary settings. There are many choices when selecting the right floor for the rooms in your home, as there are many species, colors and grain variations for you to consider.

Who is helping you make these choices?

Builders tend to stay with they same product that has worked for them before; decorators tend to use color as the number one reason for choosing a particular product, which may not be suited for the area. Whether a pre-finished or job finished product, have a sample of the wood floor material to make comparisons with other products and materials, such as the fabrics, paint colors and furniture being used in the room.

Who will maintain these floors?

That person needs to know the product as does the purchaser, most of time that is the same person, but not always. Knowing The Do’s & Dont’s and Maintenance Procedures is very important. Make sure that information is provided to you and is a part of your contract. After the floor is installed, and this material is provided to you, this is a good time to purchase a wood floor cleaning kit, right from the get go!

Most importantly, as we go through the selection process getting an experienced and knowledgeable contractor who knows wood floors is one of the best things you can do.

DO NOT depend solely on your general contractor or design consultant.

In the end, an improper installation will only cost you the home owner, more money, more down time or having to involve an attorney, or all of the above. Make sure you are dealing with a reputable wood flooring retailer/contractor.

Trying to determine what wood floor product is right for the conditions they will be installed; what conditions they will be subjected to; and last but not least, is this the right floor for you? Some floors are more pleasing than others, but may not work in your conditions, or may not work well with the traffic they will receive. The color you like may be OK with the decor, but bad for wear patterns. The type of wood, pine for example, (not a hardwood), does not stain well and is softer than oak causing it to “dent” more. Many factors should play a part in your decision about the choices you make when it comes to hardwood floors.

Since wood floors comprise one of the largest visible areas in your home, they have a major impact on its look and feel. Choosing species and styles of wood that match your design and lifestyle preferences will ensure a harmonious relationship with your plank floors and a lifetime of enjoyment. Solid wood floors can be sanded and refinished many times; they will last longer than you will, so keep in mind that the floors you choose today will likely be beautifying your home for generations to come.

Plank Flooring Widths and Lengths

The term wide plank flooring refers to solid, usually unfinished, wood flooring greater than 3 inches in width. Most wide plank flooring is between 3″ and 20″ in width and is sold in random widths (a random amount of three or more different widths).  In the old days, people used the entire log or resource that was available to them, so floors in old homes have planks of several different widths, known as random widths. Single width floors, a more recent invention, are also available, although there is often a surcharge for single width orders or repeating pattern orders as this requires the manufacturer to do more sorting of the product. 

Installing a random width floor is no more difficult than installing all one width or a repeating pattern. The floor will consist of three or more widths in varying amounts. You will receive a tally sheet with your order telling how much lineal and square footage you have in each width of your order. The widths that have the most lineal footage will repeat more often than those with less lineal footage. For example, an order with mostly 4″ widths but some 5″ and 6″ widths may go like this: 4, 5, 4, 6, 5, 4, 6, 4, 5, 6, 5, 4 with the 4″ repeating most often, but randomly. The tally sheet tells you how many times each width should repeat across a given length of a room.

Wide plank flooring lengths vary greatly by manufacturer. Higher end wide plank flooring comes in longer lengths, often 8 to 16 feet long, and is sawn full length straight off the log.   Longer planks mean that there will be fewer end and edge seams, or transitions, on your floor, creating a clean visual line. Because longer planks were common in early America, traditional and antique homeowners often prefer long planks for their historic appeal. Lower end wide plank flooring, made by cutting around defects in milled boards, comes in lengths as short as one foot. The abundance of shorter boards creates a busy or patchwork effect.

Since plank lengths vary widely among wide plank flooring manufacturers, it is important to ask the manufacturer the following questions in order to get the lengths you want.

1. What is the manufacturers’ plank length range (from shortest possible board to longest possible board)?
2. What is their minimum average plank length (the shortest average length of all the boards in an order).
3. What percent of the planks in your order will be minimum average length or longer?

Once you have an idea of the width and length you want for your flooring, consider how you feel about wear and tear.

What Is Your Tolerance for Dings and Dents?

All wood floors develop wear marks over time. This is part of the charm of wood. Some people prefer softer woods because they develop a patina more quickly. For example, wide plank pine is very popular among traditional and historic homeowners because it soon develops an “aged” feel. Others do not find wear charming, and they tend to choose harder woods such as Oak, Hickory, Maple, and Ash. Depending on your tolerance for wear, you may want to factor species hardness into your flooring decision. One way of comparing the hardness of various woods is the Janka hardness scale, which measures the force required to push a tiny steel ball into a piece of wood. The higher the Janka number, the harder the wood. Janka numbers for wood species are available online. Though your floor is unlikely to ever experience the kind of pressure exerted for the Janka scale, hardness numbers can give you an idea of the general toughness of the various wood species.

Where Will the Floor Go in Your Home?

Where you plan to place the floor in your home may make all the difference in your wood selection. Depending on your tolerance, a harder wood may be a better choice for a high-traffic area, while a lower-traffic area such as a bedroom may be the best place for a softer wood. Placing area rugs over your wood floor in high-traffic areas will also help reduce wear. Of course, wide plank flooring can always be refinished to remove scuff marks, if desired. The beauty of solid wood floors is that they can be sanded and refinished many times and still have a lifetime of wear left in them.

Consider What Kind of Statement You Want Your Floor to Make

Do you want a floor that draws attention to itself? Then you may enjoy a dramatic or visually exciting floor with a lot of contrast between heartwood and sapwood. Or you might gravitate to the character grades of flooring, which showcase the rustic beauty of naturally occurring knots, bird peck, bark pocket, and other variations in planks that are as unique as each individual tree.

If you want an understated floor or one that blends into its surroundings a bit more, you might prefer a traditional choice, such as Red or White Oak. Eye pleasing but not attention-grabbing, Oak accounts for approximately 2/3 of all new floor installations in the U.S.

Once you have decided on a species, you still need to consider what grade of wood you want within that species. One way to decide is to ask yourself whether you prefer a floor with clear grain or one with some knots and natural character markings. A clear floor (often called Select grade) has few knots and is well suited to a more formal setting, while a floor with some knots and character marks (often called Country or Character grade) will have a rustic, sylvan appeal.

What Color Do You Want Your Finished Floor to Be?

Are you thinking of a light colored floor or a dark one? Lighter floors tend to give a room an open or airy feeling and make the space seem larger. Darker floors can exude an antique, formal look. While you can stain your floor any color you like, it helps to start with a wood whose natural color is close to the tone you are trying to achieve. Cherry, for example, is prized for its reddish brown hue. Red Oak is also popular for its reddish color. Keep in mind that some woods take stain better than others. Oak and Pine, for example, absorb stain readily and can be finished equally well light or dark.

Test Drive A Sample

It’s always a good idea to ask the manufacturer for a sample of the wood(s) you are considering. Not only will this give you a chance to see the wood up close, you will also be able to apply that stain you’ve been considering to see how it will look.

Going Green?

If you’re looking for ways to reduce your carbon footprint, choosing wood flooring is an excellent start. Solid wood flooring is an environmentally responsible choice in that it is a 100 percent renewable, recyclable, and biodegradable material that requires less energy to make than other flooring options. The energy to grow trees comes from the sun. In addition, much of the energy used to process lumber comes from wood itself, helping to reduce carbon emissions. Want to make sure your flooring comes from responsibly managed forests? Choose wood grown in the United States, which has some of the most stringent environmental laws in the world. And talk to the flooring manufacturer. Ask them where they get their wood. Is it from a country halfway around the world or is it locally grown? Do they control the growing and harvesting process? What kind of forest management do they practice? Another green option is choosing antique or reclaimed flooring.

An Investment in Wood

After weighing the many choices available to you and comparing manufacturers for the best product and price, rest assured that your efforts will pay off in more ways than one. According to the National Wood Flooring Association (NWFA), 90 percent of realtors polled in a national survey said that homes with real wood floors sell faster and at higher prices than those that do not have wood floors. So think of wide plank flooring as an investment in your home that you get to enjoy every day.

Sanding & refinishing hardwood floors is one of the easiest and cost effective ways to change the look of your (or you client’s) home.

Sometimes it’s done to repair all the scratches and just make it shiny and pretty. Other times, it’s to give your place a dramatic face lift (e.g. go from dark to light to brighten up the place or go from light to dark to give it a more formal appearance). Either way, it really makes the place look like new.

Sanding & refinishing hardwood floors is one of the easiest and cost effective ways to change the look of your (or you client’s) home.

Sometimes it’s done to repair all the scratches and just make it shiny and pretty. Other times, it’s to give your place a dramatic face lift (e.g. go from dark to light to brighten up the place or go from light to dark to give it a more formal appearance). Either way, it really makes the place look like new.

If you’re selling a home, it’s usually a “must have.” If you are about to move into a new home, make the color your own (before you move the furniture in). Most people find the cost is less expensive than they thought…and, it’s certainly less than putting new flooring in, even less expensive than carpet.

What has baffled me these last few weeks is how many botched up sanding & refinishing jobs I’ve seen. These have all been places where customers hired someone who doesn’t do this professionally – a friend, or a handyman, or even in one case someone who claimed to be a “general contractor.”

One of the places had pine floors. Anyone who is in the flooring business knows that oak is different than pine, so if you’re going to do repair work, please use the matching wood. Pair pine w/ pine; red oak w/ red oak, white oak w/ white oak. It makes a huge difference – the idea when you do repair work is not to notice the repair. Pls also make sure the woods are the same width and please also weave in the hardwood rather than create a little box which was obviously a quick fix. This will continue to show each time you sand & refinish.

Also, anyone who really understands hardwood knows that pine accepts the stain differently than oak. So, if you’re going to stain pine, you need to add a conditioner in first to open up the pore. Otherwise, it will come out blotchy.

The worst one I saw was a few weeks ago in Ossining. I couldn’t help but laugh as to how many things were wrong with this floor. It turns out the “general contractor” didn’t even bother to sand the floors. Instead, he just applied stain on top of the polyurethane that was already there. You can’t do that. It doesn’t work and it doesn’t stick. This poor woman had holes that had peeled away in under 2 months; blotches all over the floor, and 3 different gloss levels in one room. It was pathetic. In addition, of course, red oak was added to pine for repair work. She asked me how long the job would take and I told her maybe 4-5 days including drying time, and she said, “Really? Because this took him months to do.” I was dumbfounded. I couldn’t imagine it taking longer than a week to complete even when factoring in humidity conditions.

I’ve also had a few customers who said they needed to save money and so they decided to do the work themselves or to have friends do it and they rented the machines. Besides that fact that it took them forever to do, these projects were a mess – both during (extremely dusty) and after – uneven floors from where the sander sanded a bit too much, and very blotchy work. They don’t buff in between coats, so the poly is not applied evenly nor does it last as long. I know this, because I’ve seen these jobs afterwards.

As I mentioned before, sanding & refinishing is not that expensive. It is not the place to try to save money. It’s fine to save money in moving the furniture and things like that, but please leave the sanding to the experts. You may even be able to get away with painting yourselves. But, unless you’ve done it before, please do not attempt to sand & refinish yourselves. In the end, you may need to bring in a professional anyway to fix the work and/or need to sand & refinish much sooner than normal.

Debbie Gartner, Floor Coverings International in Westchester/Western Fairfield

Feel free to download our free flooring guide. Or, visit our flooring selector – almost 2,000 options for hardwood, carpet, tile and more.

“We bring the store to your door.”

The undeniable beauty of parquet flooring is financially out of reach for many people. A cost comparison between replacing the old worn out wall to wall carpeting and installing parquet flooring will show that the parquet choice is less expensive if you install it yourself.

If you don’t have sub flooring which can be sanded and varnished, you might consider do it yourself parquet flooring. Eight or twelve inch squares of finished oak are available in several shades of stain from dark walnut like oak to pale natural tones. The wood grain is preserved in all finishes and the final clear coat will stand up to most traffic.

First, of course, the carpet and all strips and nails must be removed.

A firm, level surface is required for a professional looking installation. Problem surfaces may have to be covered with one half inch plywood. The oak squares may be installed over concrete with a special mastic. Any low spots or uneven surfaces in the concrete must be corrected with a fast patch leveler. A final good vacuuming will remove any loose grains of cement.

Just like ceramic tile, you start laying the oak squares along a center line. The mastic remains tacky for fifteen minutes, so it is possible to apply the mastic with a serrated spreader tool in a double row across the room. I recommend you wear knee protectors and sturdy rubber gloves. Your work clothing will be rendered unwearable after the project so be prepared. A rubber mallet is handy to lock the squares into place as you go. The new surface can be walked on in 30 minutes except for the last two rows. Be careful not to spread any mastic on the new surface. GooGone mastic remover should be used to clean up unwanted mastic.

Using a small chop or miter saw, carefully cut the edges to fit exactly. A fine quarter round molding will hide any slightly imperfect edges. Stain and clear coat the molding before installation to match the color of the oak squares. If there is an unavoidable height difference between floor surfaces, say between a living room and a kitchen, a beveled oak strip can preserve the edge and perform a pleasing transition. No more that three eighths of an inch difference in height is recommended.

Your beautiful new parquet floor can be enhanced with area rugs. Besides giving your room a decorator look, the area rugs can be turned for even wear. They can be changed in an instant and sent out for an occasional cleaning. For keeping your new floor like new, it is a good idea to have a shoe cabinet near the front door to make it convenient for everyone in the house to wear slippers inside (excepting holiday guests). Even though the clear coat is impervious to dirt and water, you may want to add a coat of a good carnauba wax to the surface. Your new parquet floor can be enjoyed for many years and will increase the value of your home.