What Type Of Hardwood Floor? Where?

Often these discussions are heard, "should we put Walnut in the formal dining room and leave the rest of the job for a red oak or such?" Combining different species from one room to another never looked attractive in my opinion with the exception of handling some border work.

Some people are inclined to go with a harder species for instance when installing hardwood floors in kitchens. Their thoughts are I don't have to worry as much about the upkeep; it's always best to maintain them properly regardless. Although there are differences in hardwood floors as measured by the hardness factor, I find it to be overused as making the buying choice.

Other compelling thoughts from prospective floor owners are what hardwood best matches my cabinets and the like. Matching isn't the best idea, but finding something that contrasts is a better choice. Example in the photo above shows red oak cabinets with an exotic Brazilian Teak hardwood.

Here's the classic question on many minds..."what's the best hardwood for an active family of kids and running dogs?" All floors will see damage in one form or another regardless of how careful you may be. For those that obsess over the issue I've always suggested a hand scraped or distressed floor. Any incidental damage caused just adds to the character of the floor. Besides these kind of floors are extremely popular today and could help sell that home you've been trying to unload. Whether or not their popularity will continue is any ones guess but for a country type setting I don't see it changing.

Easy Hardwood Floor Installations

How far can it go? Do it yourself hardwood floor installations are really becoming a no-brainer. At least the actual installation part of it. Take locking hardwood floors for example, the latest rage. It's almost as simple as laying the stuff on the floor and it practically connects itself...at least the better products like the ones Mirage makes.

What's next? We've come from the floating floors that are glued together to the so called click together floors and now locking...no glue, no nails...no clicking.

I remember about 15 years ago Robbins had a product that made the installation of the skinny 2- 1/4" strip flooring faster. Two boards were attached to one another similar to a longstrip type looking floor. The benefits were installing the floor twice as fast. Instead of nailing every 2- 1/4" wide board you were effectively nailing a 4- 1/2" wide board. Big time saver, but it didn't last. I don't know what happened to the concept.

Big difference from nailing those skinny strip floors. Though I've never had the privilege, 1- 1/2 " wide strip floors were popular at one time. Imagine hand nailing those floors!


There are some guys in North Carolina that have an interesting idea with solid unfinished flooring. Considering it does take quite a bit of time to start and end an installation when you get near walls they came up with an idea of three boards connected to one another, cutting the labor time drastically. Here's the website but there aren't any pretty pictures:(

So now that they have this product, how about one large flooring square that can be dropped into place? Maybe something like four foot by four foot squares? Possibly, but I could foresee some transportation or handling problems, not to mention trying to cut the stuff. This would really get the job done quickly and easily. Four by four? 16 square feet at a time.!

Why not, there's carpet that can be installed in a similar fashion. On the right are carpet tiles offered by Lowes. Could it be a matter of time we may see something similar with hardwood flooring?

Puzzle Floor is interesting, but how many are clamoring to the idea? If it wasn't a gluedown only type of installation I could see more popularity with the do it yourself market. More on Puzzle Floor.

Getting A Floor Color Sample Right

Custom staining hardwood floors can be a tricky adventure, not only for the customer but the contractor handling the work. What may look good on a small hardwood sample could be different from the final result.

My venture up to Tennessee a few weeks ago to visit with Al Havner & Sons proved interesting in a custom stained Maple job. Folks, if you're really looking to get an idea what the floor color is going to look like and not just from a small sample, put it on the floor. In this particular job the customer wanted the floor color to be a shade lighter than the cabinets in the background.

You're probably wondering.."wow...there are some colors there that just don't look anywhere near the cabinets in the background...what gives?" I've never been on the finishing side of the business, so much of this is new to me as well.

The job itself is considered a site finished floor whereby the unfinished or raw hardwood is installed then sanded and finished. The testing itself was performed after the taped area was drum sanded then screened to the level the entire floor would be.

Pink? Those areas represent the color after an oil based stain was applied. The color called Sedona Red sure didn't come out right did it? It may work with Red Oak but not Maple. All the other areas had the same Brown Mahogany stain applied, but the applications were different. Some were a mixture of Al's secret sauce after the grain was "popped" or the area was "water wiped" while other areas did not get the sauce.

Other the next year or so I hope to learn more about the finishing side of the business. In the meantime, for those seeking information about natural hardwood floor colors will be surprised at the number available.

Need an expert in the Knoxville TN area? Give Al a call at 865-982-4724.

Install Hardwood Over Old Floors? Yes and No

Here's a question often asked in home improvement forums across the web. Let's say you're faced with a older ceramic tile floor that had seen it's better days. Most contractors will quote a tear out price anywhere from $2.00 to $ 5.00 per square foot. I can see the gulping now! "Yikes, that's almost as much as we had budgeted for a new floor!"

Taking A Look At Installing Over Varied Floor Coverings

Hardwood Over Tiled Floors

Why not install the new hardwood floor over the tile? This way you'll save quite a bit in the long run. Not to mention the fact removing old tile is a very messy job. If it wasn't prepped properly you'll be finding dust for months to come. Thin set dust, the worst part of the project clings to everything including walls and ceilings.

One important tip to consider here before it's too late is what the new floor will look like with door entries (photo right). Best to be prepared ahead of time if the door won't close without being caught on the new floor.

For wood type doors solutions are more simple than metal if this applies to you. They can be trimmed at the bottom allowing for the new floor height. However a new threshold will have to be installed, bringing the height back in line with the door and new door sweep.

Hardwood Over Carpet?

Hey, if I can install hardwood over tile why not over carpeting? Sorry folks, it's gotta go. Carpeting and the carpet pad will not work with any hardwood floor including floating. Reasons being it has too much give for a floating floor, and fasteners will not hold effectively for naildown type floors.

New Hardwood Over Old

With naildown type floors as long as the existing floor underneath is fastened properly, installing a new over it will work. However certain precautions should be taken to insure a successful job. First with nail or stapled floors it's advisable to install the new the opposite direction of the old. Reasons being the new will expand and contract in the same manner as the old. In other words if you had gapping with the old you will also get it with the new.

By installing opposite the expansion and contraction properties will not be pulling the underlying floor with it. If you're dead set on the same direction the only options are either installing minimum 3/8" plywood over the old or removing the existing floor.

Any type of floating floor systems that are not attached to the existing floor do not require any changes. Simply install any direction. Though we don't have enough experience with installing new gluedown floors over old, extra preparations should be taken into account for a successful bonding of new wood to old. Steps such as removing any finish on the older floor by way of sanding the surface to create a rough appearance.

Hardwood Floors Over Vinyl Floors?

For roll or sheet vinyl any floating or nail/staple floor will work successfully, with a possible exception of engineered floors that use a shorter thinner gauged staple. Multiple layers of vinyl may inhibit a successful installation. Floating floors also fall into this category but any direct glue down floors should be addressed differently. For actual vinyl composition tiles the only suggested installation type would be a floating floor.

Clumsy Installation

I had a chance to get together with a floor finishing friend this past week up in the Smoky Mountains. The job entailed staining a new solid hardwood floor in the Maple species but what always catches my eye are the way the floors are installed. Seems the original crew was fired from the job. The installation itself wasn't horrible mind you, but it's those little things that really get to me.

Communication With The Tile Guys

Transition areas are always important. In high end homes like this it's rare you see actual trim moldings placed in areas that connect to other floor coverings including tile. Instead the floor gets butted or fits snug to the tile. For some installers, I know what you're thinking...

"Maple? Tight fit? Definitely problems waiting to happen."

Regardless of what is right and wrong, I've seen floors like this do well for years without problems. On the other hand I've seen some with well maintained expansion areas that buckled. Go figure.

Okay to the story. I don't know many of the details in the job, keeping a distance as the owner was present along with the builder. Besides they must have been aware of what I saw.

Tiles Higher Than The Hardwood Floor

It would have made sense that someone would have stressed the importance of keeping the tile the same height as the finished hardwood floor. Pretty easy to do too. As the tile was installed prior to the hardwood all the tile guys had to do was check the height with a scrap of material being used. Instead this is how it came out.

If the tile guys had problems keeping the floor from being too high (concrete backer board underneath) the hardwood guys could have stepped in and shimmed the area so a smooth uninterrupted flow was the final result.

And another area that connects to ceramic tile. This is very common with tile installations and not as severe as the one above. Okay the tile guys did a half decent job and I think the hardwood guys could have made this work providing they installed the butt ends straight to this area and filling with a flexible material.

Next. My first thought was maybe they wanted the sleek contemporary look and said no to common bull nosing. What do you think? What could we put there?

Scratches In Hardwood Floors

I see and hear it often. I have scratches in my new hardwood floors. What can I do? How can I prevent it from happening again? Is there something I can add to the new floor to make it more scratch resistant?

We take pride in new floors like we take care of a new car. You know where I'm coming from. You find new parking spaces never thought of before. They may be off the beaten track and further from the grocery store but your thoughts are they won't get scratched up. A few weeks go by. Guess what? You're now parking the car where you did before.

What Can I Do To Prevent Scratches?

The single most preventive option is keeping grit off the new floor. By adding walk off mats at any door entry and area rugs indoors, a large portion of floor scratching potential will be eliminated. Hey just make sure those kids leave the shoes on the rug at the front door and don't allow them to drag them over in front of the TV to put 'em on the next day.

Any soil that could have been damp when they removed them is now hardened and will loosen from the bottom soles once they run to the front door for school. You didn't think of it and now grit, although in minuscule amounts is laying on the floor ready to be dragged. Yikes. Scratches!

How About Those Critters? Did They Do It?

Cats are very unlikely to cause floor scratching by paw traffic alone, but some strange ones have been known to use floors as a scratching pole, though quite rare. Dogs? Yep, keep those nails trimmed and make sure you have a good sized area rug near the doors if Fred loves to run for the doorbell.

Here's a cool idea. Protective nail coatings for pets so they don't scratch you or the floors. Imagine having your best friend running around the house in what looks like designer nails for pets!

See nail caps for dogs and caps for cats.

Can I Add A Top Coat To My New Floors?

Better floor finishes do not protect against scratches although new prefinished floors have variations of aluminum oxide that are more durable to everyday use. Besides, adding any topcoat will void the finish warranty that came with your new hardwood floor.

Red Oak Hardwood Floors Look Different. Why?

I received an email the other day from a gal in Long Beach. She wondered why her new red oak floor looked so different than her daughters' up the road in Pasadena. Naturally it took a few exchanges of mail to get to the bottom of it, but I had a pretty good idea what the answer was ahead of time.

Her daughters home was built in the 20's where older growth hardwood flooring was plentiful. Older growth which is very hard to obtain (reclaimed) these days offers a tighter grain appearance than toady's hardwood flooring. There are also differences in hardwood flooring grades. In other words, Red Oak and other hardwoods have appearances that will not look the same. Much of it has to do with color and character contained within; a result of how the flooring was milled, separated, and sorted before the sale.

Another factor in the equation became that she had chosen an engineered hardwood floor. This made matters even more challenging for her to understand. Why? Let's look at what her daughter has in her home; the old growth Red Oak hardwood shown above we found on the website of Antique Vintage Woods Of America. Looking closely at that image compared to the one further below on the page the difference is quite noticeable.

The Long Beach woman had chosen the Bruce Northshore Strip engineered hardwood whose appearance is night and day.
It's obvious the color or character is different, but we're just comparing the grain pattern. The second photo shows a more radial look to it due to the newer growth hardwood and the method in which engineered floors are manufactured.

The question was also asked how long her new floor should last but she didn't expect to be around more than another 20 years. With a product like the Northshore Strip, taken care of well should perform well during that time span, but there's no comparison to a solid hardwood floor like her daughters'.