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Frequently Asked Questions
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What is the difference in prefinished and unfinished wood?
Basically the wood is the same as unfinished flooring. The big difference is the factory has sanded and finished the planks before they're installed on your job thus eliminating the cost and mess of sanding and finishing on site. Prefinished has the aluminum oxide finish, which is 5 to 7 times harder than typical urethane finish. The aluminum oxide also comes with a 25 year finish wear warranty.
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What is aluminum oxide finish and why is it better?
Aluminum oxide crystals are derived from ceramic, one of the hardest manmade materials on earth, and are suspended in the finish and baked in a Ultra Violet oven which creates a finish 5 to 7 times harder. Because of this a 25 year finish wear warranty is applied.
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Why would a person buy solid 3/4" wood flooring as opposed to engineered ?
Really it has to do with application .The 3/4" solid wood floor, which is a naildown floor is the most common and also can be refinished indefinitely, whereas the the engineered can usually only be refinished a few times. With the new finishes though,it's really not too likely you'll need to refinish your engineered floor very often. Engineered floors are more stable,and can be used in a direct glue down application on concrete, on or below grade or nailed direct. Both floors are good, it just depends on your application needs.
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Can we glue down 3/4" wood to concrete?
Not usually,unless plywood is glued down first and the flooring stapled to that which raises the floor an additional 5/8". Pre-engineered is the best wood that can be used in a direct glue down application. There are special instances where solid 3/4" flooring has been direct glued to concrete, but the flooring needs to be very well milled and/or shorter pieces.
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What kind of underlayment do I need?
Usually the existing underlayment or subfloor is sufficient, and no other underlayment is needed. On all nail down installations a paper is used similar to tar paper for an underlayment paper.
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Do we need a moisture barrier?
The underlayment paper is your moisture barrier, in glue down application a liquid 2 part moisture shield can be applied.
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Can we install over in floor heating?
We have had many sucessful wood floor installations over radiant heat, my house being one of them. Its all in knowing how to do it right the first time. Adhesive plays a very big part of a sucessful radiant heat installation. We'll walk you or your contractor through it! |
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Why would I want wood as opposed to laminant?
Laminant is a printed material, if its scratched the underlying particle board shows. It contains no real hard wood. Laminant may look real, (bring a piece down to compare and you'll see it doesn't really) but the corners can peel from moisture but REAL solid wood has a hard time peeling. Wood floors last for centuries, can be maintained, adding value to your home, and always look authentic. PLEASE, THEY CAN'T COMPARE!!
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How dry is your wood?
Most of our woods are kiln dried to an average moisture content of about 7%. It is important to acclimate your wood according to the amount of humidity on the installation site.
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Can I install my own wood floors?
Absolutely, we offer a wood floor installation class on Saturday mornings. This class is FREE of charge for your convenience and is strongly encouraged. The class is only for our customers and you need an invoice # to attend.
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How hard is it to install my own and what tools do I need?
Installing your wood floor can be very easy and enjoyable. We rent all the tools necessary to complete your wood floor, from nailers & compressors, hammers to miter saws and more. |
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How much does the class cost?
The class is FREE of charge to you, OUR CUSTOMER, we want you to know how to install your wood floor. If you bought your wood someplace else, ask them for a class!
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Do you Deliver?
Yes, if you are out of the Salt Lake City area we have made arrangements with a national carrier. With these arrangements we have secured the lowest rates possible and pass those savings on to you. Local home deliveries (to your garage), are usually around $50 to $75 per load.
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What are the hardest woods available?
Wood floors are designed to put up with the wear and tear of traffic so all the woods we carry are hard, however some are harder than others. The hardest wood that we carry is Brazilian cherry or a Santos Mahogany which is more than twice as hard as Black Walnut and nearly 4 times harder than Douglas Fir. Check out the Janka Hardness chart for more details!
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What woods are best in kitchen areas?
We would suggest any of the prefinished woods with an aluminum oxide finish. Depending on your tastes in color and atmosphere will vary the type of wood that is best for your kitchen.
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What if I still have more questions after reading this FAQ?
At this point we would encourage you to contact us with your questions and we will do everything we can do get your question answered. | |
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