|
Hardwood FAQ
Wood flooring
adds classic beauty and warmth to every room in your home. Pacific Hardwood Floors
carefully plans every installation to ensure that it will uniquely complement
your decor. The following guide is a good resource to learn about our wood flooring
products and which will be the right choice for your home.
What Machines are required to Sand (or resand) A hardwood
floor?
 
A Floor Sander, Buffer
 and
Edger
1. Manufacturers
and Products
Pacific Hardwood Floors provides only top quality materials for all of our
projects. Here are the mills and manufacturers of products that we use.
Click Here to
the see the name brand supplier we use daily and find out more information from
their websites.
Wood flooring can be made from solid wood or from
wood veneers, glued together. It is available both with and without a finish. Unfinished
flooring refers to a product that is first installed at the site without any
finish. After installation, it must then be sanded and finished. Pre-finished
flooring is sanded and finished at the factory. It only requires
installation to be ready for use.
Solid wood flooring is
made of solid lumber. It is available both unfinished and pre-finished. Solid wood
flooring comes in several forms and sizes, including:
• STRIP - solid boards with thicknesses of
1/2" or 3/4" and widths of 1½", 2" or 2¼".
• PLANK - solid boards with thicknesses of 1/2" or 3/4" and widths of
3" to 8".
• PARQUET - patterns made from individual wood pieces
Engineered wood flooring
is made by bonding thin layers of lumber with an attractive veneer finish. It also is
available unfinished and pre-finished. Engineered wood flooring comes in the following
forms and sizes:
• STRIP - engineered boards with thicknesses of
5/16", 3/8", 1/2" or 5/8" and widths of 2" or 2¼".
• PLANK - engineered boards with thicknesses of 5/16", 3/8", 1/2" or
5/8" and widths of 3" to 8".
• PARQUET - engineered wood tile patterns available in sizes of 9" x 9",
8" x 8" and other sizes.
Solid wood flooring vs. Engineered Wood
Flooring:
Most solid wood strip or plank can only be installed with nails over a wood subfloor.
Solid wood parquet and short length strip or plank can be installed with an adhesive on a
variety of non-wood subfloors. Solid wood flooring is very susceptible to moisture and can
not be used below grade, in areas such as basements, or in high-humidity environments.
Engineered flooring can be installed with adhesive
on a variety of subfloors. Some engineered strip and plank can be installed with nails
over wood subfloors. And some engineered flooring can be installed as a
"floating" floor without fastening to the subfloor, by using a bonded tongue and
groove technique(used to install over an existing vinyl floor). Engineered flooring is
much less susceptible to the effects of moisture, and can be used below grade or in humid
climates.
Acrylic impregnated wood flooring
is a highly durable pre-finished product. A high-pressure process is used to saturate the
wood with color pigment and acrylic resin. The result is an extremely hard finish that is
very resistant to abrasion and moisture. Acrylic impregnated flooring is typically used in
commercial applications, but it is also available for residential purposes. It comes in
the same forms and styles as engineered flooring.
TOP OF
PAGE
The following table list some of the more commonly
used species for wood flooring. Although less known, other species are also available when
a more interesting appearance is desired.
| Domestic Species |
Imported Species |
| White Ash |
American Mahogany |
Cameron |
Merbau |
| Beech |
Maple |
Brazilian Cherry |
Padauk |
| Birch |
Bird's Eye Maple |
Australian Cypress |
Purpleheart |
| American Cherry |
Mesquite |
Doussie |
Sapele |
| Chestnut |
Red Oak |
Ipe |
Teak |
| Douglas Fir |
White Oak |
Iroko |
Wenge |
| Antique Heart Pine |
Yellow Pine |
Jarrah |
|
| Virgin Heart Pine |
American Walnut |
Santos Mahogany |
|
TOP OF
PAGE
Appearance of the wood flooring determines its
grade. All grades are equally strong and serviceable.Oak and ash have four basic grades.
Beech, Birch and Hard Maple have three basic grades. They are::
| OAK GRADES |
| GRADE |
APPEARANCE |
DESCRIPTION |
| CLEAR |
Best |
Best grade, with the best appearance and
most uniform color. |
| SELECT |
Good |
Limited character marks and unlimited
sound sap. |
| NO. 1 COMMON |
Variegated |
Light and dark colors. Knots, flags, worm
holes, and other character marks. Other imperfections must be filled and finished. |
| NO. 2 COMMON |
Rustic |
A serviceable, economical floor after
knots, worm holes, checks and other imperfections are filled and finished. Red and white
oak species may be mixed. |
| BEECH, BIRCH AND HARD MAPLE GRADES |
| GRADE |
APPEARANCE |
DESCRIPTION |
| FIRST |
Best |
Best grade, with the best appearance,
natural color variation, limited character marks and unlimited sap. |
| SECOND |
Variegated |
Varying sound wood characteristics of
species. |
| THIRD |
Rustic |
All wood characteristics of species. |
TOP OF
PAGE
Hardness is a property of
wood flooring that relates to its durability. Harder wood species are more durable and
more resistant to wear. Dimensional Stability refers to a
measure of how much wood expands or contracts with changes in temperature and humidity.
The chart below lists hardness and dimensional stability for various wood species.
| Domestic
Species |
Hardness
(Janka) |
Dimensional
Stability |
Imported
Species |
Hardness
(Janka) |
Dimensional
Stability |
| Ash(White) |
1320 |
Above
Average |
Brazilian Cherry |
2350 |
Average |
| Beech |
|
|
Cypress (Australian) |
|
|
| Birch |
|
|
Jarrah |
|
|
| Cherry (Black) |
950 |
Above
Average |
Mahogany (Santos) |
2200 |
Above
Average |
| Douglas Fir |
|
|
Merbau |
1925 |
Excellent |
| Heart Pine (Antique) |
1225 |
Above
Average |
Padauk (African) |
|
|
| Hickory/Pecan |
|
|
Purpleheart |
|
|
| Maple (Sugar/Hard) |
1450 |
Average |
Teak (Thai/Burmese) |
1000 |
Excellent |
| Mesquite |
|
|
Wenge |
|
|
| Oak (Red) |
1290 |
Average |
|
|
|
| Oak (White) |
1360 |
Average |
|
|
|
| Pine (Southern Yellow) |
|
|
|
|
|
| Walnut (American Black) |
1010 |
Excellent |
|
|
|
TOP OF
PAGE
| Several methods are used to cut raw wood logs into boards for
flooring. Plain Sawing is the most common method. Because it
makes the best use of the raw wood, plain sawing is the most cost-efficient method.
However, variations and growth ring patterns are more noticeable. |
|
| Quarter Sawing and Rift
Sawing cut the boards from the log in a different manner than plain sawing.
These methods are more expensive because they waste more of the raw log. However, boards
produce by these methods can be more dimensionally stable and can wear more evenly. |
|
| The Rotary Cut method is used to shear
thin layers from the perimeter of raw logs. Most engineered wood floors are cut in this
manner. |
|
TOP OF
PAGE
Lasting beauty requires minimal care with today's
wood floor finishes. The right finish protects wood flooring from wear, dirt and moisture
while giving the wood an attractive color and sheen. Today most wood floors are finished
with a stain and a top coat. Technology has provided a wide selection of wood flooring
finishes, each with its own distinct benefits and appearances.
Surface Finishes
Surface finishes are very popular today because they
are durable, water-resistant and require minimal maintenance. Surface finishes are blends
of synthetic resins. These finishes most often referred to as urethanes or polyurethanes
remain on the surface of the wood and form a protective coating. They are generally
available in high-gloss, semi-gloss, satin and matte. Any one of the surface finishes are
appropriate for the kitchen.
There are basically four types of surface finishes:
Oil-modified urethane is
generally the most common surface finish and is easy to apply. It is a solvent-base
polyurethane that dries in about 48 hours per coat. This type of finish ambers with age.
Moisture-cure urethane
is a solvent-base polyurethane that is more durable and more moisture resistant than other
surface finishes. Moisture-cure urethane comes in non-yellowing and in ambering types and
is generally available in satin or gloss. These finishes are extremely difficult to apply,
have a strong odor and are best left to the professional. Drying time is about 20 hours
per coat.
Swedish finish or acid
cure urethane is a clear and fast drying finish. It is durable and non-yellowing. It also
has an extremely strong odor and should be applied by a highly skilled wood flooring
professional.
Water-based urethane is
a waterborne urethane that dries by water evaporation. These finishes are clear and
non-yellowing. They have a milder odor than oil-modified finishes have and they dry in
about two to three hours. Foot traffic should be held off for 48 hours. Water-based
urethanes are generally more expensive.
Penetrating Stain and Wax
Penetrating stains are
used to alter the natural color of wood materials to suit the homeowner's taste. Colors
can range from dark brown to off white, with the wood being stained and the finish used
contributing to the final color. It is always wise to request a sample of what you select
before the work is even started.
Paste wax finishes are not
as common as they once were, but in certain instances the "patina" appearance
will best suit the decor. They require more maintenance than urethane finishes; and new
wax needs to be applied to the floors periodically as determined by use.
TOP OF
PAGE
8. Borders and Inserts and Inserts and Inserts
| Adding a wood border as part of your
floor design can make a simple statement or take on a sophisticated look. Borders can be
selected from a single contrasting wood feature strip to a geometric border with multiple
wood species in their natural colors. Borders can be designed to be either subtle or bold
to suit your taste. |
|
| Our showroom has many borders to see,
as well as brochures of borders that can be made to order specifically for you. Also available are medallians and other inserts which could enhance a
foyer, formal dining room or even an office reception. These medalians are either
premanufactured for cost effectiveness or custom made to your specifications. |
|
|
|
9.
Hardwood Flooring Cleaning and Care
Polyurethane floors are very durable, but they require a cleaner
that will contaminate the finish when you want to recoat the floor.
Waxes and silicates found in many commercial and consumer
cleaners may make the floor look shiny, but will create 'fisheyes' when a recoat
is performed. We recommend Homeshow Hardwood Floor cleaner which can be
purchase on eBay. One 16 oz. bottle makes eight gallons of floor cleaner. Mix a
cap full in an old Windex spray bottle and you have a ready to use floor cleaner
with spray.
A damp mopping once a week along with an occasional broom
sweeping will keep your floors looking great. After 5 to 10 years you may want
to recoat in lieu of resanding your floor. The cost is minimal and will make
your floor look brand new again!
TOP OF
PAGE
| 
Michelle Harris, Residential Construction Manager