Wood Flooring FAQs

  Naturally present in hardwood, grain variations help determine a wood's style. Dramatic grain variations will produce a rustic style. Moderate grain variations are present in traditional woods. For a sleek, contemporary look, choose a select hardwood with very little color variation.    

  Our hardwood flooring has an excellent reputation with satisfied home remodelers throughout our area. As suppliers and craftsmen, we want your business. We're always willing to go the extra distance to please our customers.
 

You'll find both our sales staff and our installers to be knowledgeable, helpful and friendly. If you're looking for top quality hardwood flooring supplies along with expert installation and even free design consultation, look no further than Happy Feet Floors. We invite you to call our office today, or stop by our Showroom.    

  Solid or engineered, the construction of your hardwood can help determine where your floors should be placed. Solid is created from a single piece of wood that makes a beautiful floor that lasts for years. Engineered is made from several layers of wood and is designed to withstand higher levels of humidity so it can be placed in different areas of the home.   Our hardwood flooring has an excellent reputation with satisfied home remodelers throughout our area. As suppliers and craftsmen, we want your business. We're always willing to go the extra distance to please our customers.
 

You'll find both our sales staff and our installers to be knowledgeable, helpful and friendly. If you're looking for top quality hardwood flooring supplies along with expert installation and even free design consultation, look no further than Happy Feet Floors. We invite you to call our office today, or stop by our Showroom.  

Solid (unfinished & prefinished) nail-down only - use for above ground, or sub floors; requires correct expansion allowances between vertical walls  

Longstrip (pre-finished) float, and/or nail-down - used for all grade levels on wood subfloors and/or concrete slabs  

Engineered (pre-finished & unfinished) float, or nail-down - use for any grade level on wood sub-floors and/or concrete slabs  

Unfinished wood floors (also finished at job-site) receive a smooth, sanded finish and custom colors. Usually 2-3 coats of finish are applied requiring several days.

Pre-finished wood floors (also known as factory finished) generally install in under a day and it's less messy compared to job-site finishes. You're limited to the manufacturer's colors, though factory finishes are very wear-resistant having 7-10 coats of finish. Many manufacturers include aluminum oxide for extra durability.  

Unfinished wood floors (also finished at job-site) receive a smooth, sanded finish and custom colors. Usually 2-3 coats of finish are applied requiring several days. 

Durable Wood Floor Finishes 

You can forget about having to scrub and wax your hardwood flooring. Today's pre-finished wood floor manufacturers incorporate advanced techniques for applying durable finishes directly at their factories. Ultra violet lighting is used to apply several coats of urethane to pre-finished wood planks in only a matter of a few minutes, making hardwood floors affordable and easy to maintain.
 

A factory-finished hardwood floor usually has several coatings applied to the wood surface. Many suppliers are now applying 6-10 coats of ultra-violet cured urethane. By not having to duplicate this on a job site, which could take installers several extra days, flooring retailers and builders alike have good reasons to sell pre-finished hardwood floors, especially since an installation can be completed in a single day.
 

This doesn't mean you should clean your floor with a mop, though it does mean this type of floor will resist watermarks unlike old regular waxed hardwood floors. The UV-cured urethane finishes make today's wood floors much easier to maintain.   

UV-cured - Factory coatings that are treated before application by Ultra Violet lighting instead of a heat source.  

Polyurethane - A tough, durable and clear finish applied to wood flooring as a protection layer against wear.  

Urethane-Acrylic - A somewhat different chemical composition compared to Polyurethane with equal benefits.  

Ceramic - An advanced technology which incorporates "space-age" ceramics for improved resistance to abrasion of the floor's wear layer.  

Aluminum Oxide - Component that's added to urethane for extra abrasion resistance; the chemical additive is found more on higher grade flooring.  

Acrylic Impregnated - Acrylic monomers injected directly into the wood's cell structure to increase its hardness, then is further finished with an additional wear layer over the flooring surface.  

On-site Finished Hardwood Floor - For custom, stained hardwood flooring, or a wood floor that matches your existing trim, an on-site finish is the way to go. This means you begin with bare (unfinished) hardwood, then the floor is sanded, stained and finished in your home. Other advantages include being able to sand smooth any uneven heights, or irregularities in wood planks. Be prepared; the process can take several days to complete.     

Sweep, or vacuum regularly to remove debris and accumulated dirt from the floor.  

• Never use a wet mop, or attempt cleaning a hardwood floor with water. 
• Water can dull your floor's finish and permanently damage the wood. 
• Although hardwood floors can be scratched, any scratches to the finished top layer are usually easy to repair. 
• Over time, sunlight will change the color of most stained hardwood flooring to some degree. 
• Hardwood floor finishes can be restored to their original luster. 

Many hardwood manufacturers have their own brand of formulated cleaners for wood floors. We always suggest that our customers follow the manufacturers recommended care procedures for their floors. We can also provide you with more suggestions and helpful information. Call or visit our Showroom.