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What flooring did you use? Is it engineered or hardwood?

8 years ago

Coastal Living on Fox Island · More Info

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Tamara Rosenbloom Design LLC
8 years ago
The flooring is existing solid Brazilian cherry that we stripped, sanded and restained a dark walnut to remove the red tones.
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Talk to me about hardwood floors
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Comments (6)
I have been a wood flooring professional for over 30 years, so my response might be more detailed than you want! I'll break it down into several issues and you can choose which bits might help you the most. Color: If you have children, a medium stain/wood might serve you better because dark floors show dust and dirt. Wear: A wood that has a stain on it that is much diferent from the wood's own natural color, will show scratches more than a wood with no stain. A matte or semi-gloss finish will show fewer scratches and wear. Composition: What is your subfloor and where are you located? Both these factors will help determine the material to use. Solid- This flooring is made from pieces of wood that are one solid piece from top to bottom. So, if you want oak, the wood is all oak. It can come from the mill already stained and finished (prefinished), or it can be finished at the jobsite after being installed and sanded. Engineered- Engineered hardwood flooring is constructed of two components, a ‘core layer’ on the bottom, topped by the ‘face veneer’. The veneer, or wear layer can be of differing thicknesses. The thicker the wear layer, the more times the product can be sanded. The core layer is constructed of multiple layers of wood which can be of the same or of a different species, glued together in a cross-hatch configuration. This cross graining provides greater dimensional stability, minimizing the expansion and contraction that natural wood exhibits when exposed to varying moisture levels and temperatures. It can come from the mill already stained and finished, or it can be finished at the jobsite after being installed and sanded. If you are going to install one area now and another later, you might want to choose an unfinished product that can be sanded and finished at the jobsite. You also want to ensure that you keep a record of the materials used on the first section so that you can match the second section after the color has changed. They will both end up the same (or at least very similar) color after a few years, but they will both change over time. The other way that you can ensure that they match is to purchase enough prefinished (which has the stain and finish applied at the factory/mill) material for both areas at the same time. For the best match, mix the wood from all the boxes for the first floor, then repackage the rest. Store it in a dry place until you are ready to install it in the other area. Purchase products and hire a professional that are members of the National Wood Flooring Association. They set the standards for and provide education for our trade. They offer certifications in installation and in sand and finish which oprovide homeowners further assurance of skill and competence.
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Another hardwood vs engineered wood flooring question!
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Comments (17)
I'll agree with ProSource Memphis, you need to install an engineered wood floor because of the concrete. For our customers that are in your exact situation we offer engineered products, prefinished and unfinished (site sanded/finished), that have 3-5 mm wear layers. Some of these products can withstand 2-4 sandings, which equals way more lifespan than a cheap engineered floor. This equals less cost in the long run, but higher cost up front. Basically the thicker the wear layer, the better chance your engineered floor will last longer (80 years + estimated for 4-5mm), and the more expensive it will be. ProSource is correct, gluing a 3/4" solid floor down can be problematic and not worth the risk. Especially when there are high quality engineered floors that offer essentially the same thing. Engineered is going to be more stable with your fluctuating climate as well. You'll want a hygrometer in the home to monitor relative humidity. It should be somewhere around 30-60% RH for the floor to play nice. There are so many more variables involved in this discussion that entire books can probably be written. But that's my $.02
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Hey. Thanks for the comment. Would that offer the protection for the floors, too?
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Looks fab - well done! What kind of wood did you use and did you treat it?
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