Austin Tx Hardwood Flooring

Engineered Solid Wood Flooring

Hardwood Flooring Austin Tx

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Hardwood Construction - Engineered Vs. Solid

Engineered Wood Flooring Austin Tx
Engineered flooring is Engineered wood where only the first layer is solid wood and the rest is a criss cross plywood. It is used for all grades above and below, concrete slab or ply-wood.Our favorite Austin Hardwood Flooring Store carries the widest selection of this type of wooden flooring at good cost. Prices may very between $2.00 sf to $14.00 for materials. Installation costs may vary from $1.75 to $2.00 a square ft.

Solid Wood Floors Austin Tx
A solid wood pre-finished or un-finished when a piece of wood is solid from top to bottom. This plank gets nailed down on a wooden sub-floor. It can't be used below grade of directly on concrete surface. An expansion gap is important because solid wood expands and contracts easily.

Longstrip (pre-finished) glue down, staple, nail-down, or float
The longstrip plank is similar to engineered but consists of 3 rows or strips glued together in the top. Generaly the top layer is made of 16 to 18 pieces per row. Giving the effect of installing a wide board that is actually made up of 3 rows of shorter wood pieces. Each longstrip plank looks like an entire section that has already been pre-assembled for you. Longstrip planks are generally 78" to 86" in length and 7 1/4" to 7 1/2" in width.

Austin Hardwood Flooring Finishes

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A sand and finish wooden floor is a floor that was installed with out a finish,and sanded in place then coated with urethane. This method of installing can be more expensive and is proned to wear and scratch easier. It is important to remember that some factory finishes are treated with aluminum oxide then undergo a heating process which hardness the finish, this process is not duplicatable. Recently manufacturers came out with a pre-finished wood floor that can be installed together looking like a sand and finished floor. Another term to describe a sand and finish floor is seam-less floor.

The shine on a hardwood depends on the manufacturer, there are usually 3 catagories:

• Satin-a low sheen
  
• Semigloss- a medium sheen (most hardwoods come this way)
• Gloss- a high gloss
• Which type of gloss you decide to get depends on personal preference.

  Hardwood Types

  
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  Reclaimed flooring
  Reclaimed hardwood is the term used when a wood floor is reclaimed or salvaged as it was probably from an old barn from the American Revolution. It was probably salvaged from a deconstruction, used railroad ties, siding from an old house, old beams from Chicago or an old factory
  
  Hand Scraped Wood in Austin Tx
  The handscraped hardwood has the worn look feature with scraped edges and imperfections. This type of plank will hide scratches and dents more than a smooth surface finish. This type of wood resembles the way 100 year old floor will look after it has been walked on for nearly a century.
  
  Rustic wood flooring in Austin
  Rustic hardwoods or the distressed floor used when referring to the worn look of wood floors. Mistaken for the handscraped floor, rustic flooring gives a floor character. Manufactures also consider rustic wood flooring the last of the grade. It does not mean that there is anything wrong with the floor, it just means that the style is different. Million dollar homes install this type of flooring all the time.
  
  Smooth Finish
  This type of plank is smooth to the touch and eye. It usually has no imperfection of the top layer surface. The top has been sanded in the factory or in place then finished out making the floor shine due to its smooth surface. Usually this type of flooring may require extra care to protect it from scratching.
  

  Austin Hardwood Brands

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  Armstrong, Bruce, Mullican, Mannington, Anderson, Ecotimber, Johnson Hardwood, Butler Johnson, Earthwerks, Bluelinks, Award, Century Flooring, Diamond W, Expanko, Factory Direct, Florida Flooring, Hartco, Galleher, Kahrs, Lauzon, BR111, LM Flooring, Scandian, Longust, Pinnacle, Mastercraft, Columbia, MD Building Products, Expanko, Mohawk, Robbins, Oshosh Designs, Renaissance, Shaw industires, SMT, Swedeco, Tarkett, Teragren, Tom Duffy, US Floors, Wincanders, and Woods of Distinction, Versini.
  
  We are an Austin Tx Hardwood Flooring supplier to our costumers with one of the widest selections of hardwoods available. When it comes to selection, our supplier is one of the leading hardwood floor supplier in the state with over 1,000 different wood flooring samples, styles and colors. We carry engineered, and 3/4" inch solid hardwood products at very affordable prices. Wide 8" plank to the narrow 2 1/4" inch Brazilian Cherry Hardwood, Brazilian Teak, Red Oak hardwood, Brazilian Walnut Wood, American Walnut Flooring, .
  
  Hardwood is suitable for any room except for a full bathroom. It is also good for kitchens. Any water spilled should be picked up promptly. Consider using mats near your sinks. Bamboo is also a good product for your kitchen since it is also a grass not a hardwood. Consider using the Teragren product since its 25% harder than red oak and 12% harder than maple. Since bamboo is a grass, it does not absorb water the way wood does.
  We carry hard wood floors from around the world for any residential, commercial remodel or new construction project. Fine Hard Wood Floors, exotic hardwood flooring, handscraped, reclaimed, rustic floors at affordable prices in our Austin hardwood flooring store located in central Texas. Wood Floors Austin with Brazilian Walnut, Walnut Flooring, Oak Flooring,
  Brazilian Teak, Brazilian Cherry are the top 5 wood floor types. Hardwood flooring Austin is what we do best. If you have cats or dogs we have available options. The biggest wood floor covering selection in Texas
  
  

  Hardwood Floor Janka Hardness Chart

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  When in doubt you can always look up the hardness of a wood floor in the hardness chart below. The janka chart is measured by a metal ball test dropped on wood.

  Brazilian Ebony 3692 psi
  Brazilian Walnut/ Ipe  3680 psi
  African Pearwood/Moabi 3680 psi
  Bolivian Cherry 3650 psi
  Lapacho 3640 psi
  Brazilian Teak 3540 psi
  Tiete Chestnut 3540 psi
  Tiete Rosewood 3280 psi
  Brazilian Redwood 3190 psi
  Brazilian Rosewood 3000 psi
  Bloodwood 2900 psi
  Brazilian Cherry 2820 psi
  Patagonian Rosewood 2920 psi
  Caribbean Rosewood 2920 psi
  Santos Mahogany 2200 psi
  Tigerwood 2160 psi
  Purple Heart 2090 psi
  Jarrah 2080 psi
  Sydney Blue/ Gum 2025 psi
  African Rosewood/ Bubigna 1980 psi
  Merbau 1925 psi
  Amendoim 1912 psi
  Hickory/ Pecan 1820 psi
  Doussie 1770 psi
  Padouk/ African Cherry 1725 psi
  Kempas 1710 psi
  Bamboo 1650 psi
  Wongo 1630
  Zebrawood 1575 psi
  Timborana 1570 psi
  Cameron 1543 psi
  African Walnut/ Sappele 1500 psi
  Brazilian Maple 1500 psi
  American Maple 1450 psi
  Royal Mahogany 1400 psi
  Caribbean Walnut 1400 psi
  Australian Cypress 1375 psi
  White Oak 1360 psi
  Red Oak 1290 psi
  Caribbean Heart Pine 1240 psi
  Larch 1200 psi
  Teak 1155 psi
  Tigerwood 1155 psi
  Brazilian Euclyptus 1125 psi
  Peruvian Walnut 1080 psi
  American Cherry 950 psi
  Southern Yellow Pine 870 psi
  South American Lacewood 840 psi
  African Mahogany 830 psi
  Mahogany 800 psi
  Honduran Mahoany 800

  Hardwood Flooring FAQ's
  
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  When in doubt, you can always count on our frequently asked questions and answers list. If your question is not listed or is not answered to your satisfaction, feel free to contact us.

  1. What is the difference between solid wood and engineered wood?
  A solid wood is when a piece of wood is solid from top to bottom vs. Engineered wood where only the first layer is solid wood and the rest is a criss cross plywood.
  

  
  A solid wood that is 3/4 inch thick needs to be nailed to a wooden subfloor. If going over concrete a 3/4 inch plywood subfloor must be installed first. Roofing paper then gets installed for a sound barrier and moisture protection. Special thicker pad is also available for a softer step and knee friendly approach.
  A 1/2 inch solid wood may be glued down onto a concrete slab only and after a concrete sealer is applied over your concrete.
  An engineered floor requires no moisture barrier because it's already on top of criss-cross multiply wood glued together. This allows a 3-1 moisture protection ratio.
  
  2. How do I clean and maintain my hardwood floors?
  Use a swiffer, vacuum, or a very damp mop. Never wet mop a hardwood floor. Look for the manufactures recommendations on what type of cleaner to use.
  
  3. What is a laminate floor?
  A laminate floor is a picture of a hardwood floor. Usually the floors are made of synthetic backing for its base and a high-pressure laminate surface has been applied. These floors are not repairable because you cannot resand them. Manufacturers usually carry a 10-20 year wear layer guarantee. Some manufacturers also offer a fade and stain warranty. Often these floors can be clicked together for easy installation. A laminate floor is not a real hardwood floor. It is only immitation, but can be economical. Laminate flooring in Austin Tx is something we can help with
  
  4. What is a floating floor?
  A floating floor is wood floor, or a laminate that has no adhesive in between the subfloor and the actual wood floor. Generally, a pad is placed in between the subfloor and wood floor. A floating floor is ideal and recommended for when you have vinyl or ceramic that cannot be removed and has to be covered by woodfloor. Sometimes commercial or office areas have restrictions but you do not have to be limited because a floating floor is a good option.

  We have alot of floating floors to choose from. The Versini line offers alot of wood flooring that is desinged to float. It comes in a snap together design.

  5. Can I put solid wood flooring on concrete floor?
  Concrete is not suitable for a solid wood plank. A wood subfloor is much more suitable for a solid wood floors, because usually solids are 3/4 in. thick and get nailed down with a neumatic 3/4 woodfloor nailer. Underneath the 3/4 wood flooring, a black felt is usually installed. Other than the felt, a 15 lb. roofing paper can also be used. There are different types of padding. Some manufactures make padding with extra cushion. Extra cushion in a woodfloor can be a good thing because it is softer on your knees in the long run. The National Woodflooring Association recommends you do not glue a solid to a concrete floor. If you absolutely must have to, a concrete moisture barrier must be applied first before proceding to install. Here are 2 ways this can be achieved:
  • First 6 mil of polyethaline, or black/clear plastic is installed. Next a 3/4 in. subfloor CDX is nailed down with a 22 or 27 caliber nail gun every 8 sq. in. Next, a black felt paper [intalling this helps reduce the squeeking between wood floor and the 3/4 in. subfloor. Then the wood floor gets nailed down. The only issue with this is that your floor gets raised about 1 1/2in. Now the other option is this:
    
    
  • A chemical moisture sealer has to be applied. Each manufacturer recommends its own type of sealer. Normally, this sealer gets applied to your concrete floor and it has to dry first which usually takes around 24 hours before being able to apply the glue. Once this has taken place then can a 1/2 in. or below solid hardwood floor can be installed.

     

  
  6. Can you glue down wood flooring on top of subfloors?
  (ex. upstairs)
  The answer is yes, only if your subfloor is CDX plywood or above. Always make sure that your sub-floor is clean and free of debris. If your sub-floor is uneven you must level it off. A good way to level off a sub-floor is to always make sure to use a straight edge and find the low spots. If you have low spots, they must be filled with float. A high spot can be sanded down of shaved down to meet industry standards.
  
  7. What about bamboo?
  Bamboo is a very poplular product for which many mistake as a hardwood, but in reality it is a type of grass, not a hardwood. Bamboo can be softer than Red Oak and may not be resanded.
  
  8. What is cupping or buckling?
  
  There are waves on my wood floor. It almost looks like ripples you see in the ocean like waves Cupping is a term used for wood floors when it has expanded severely and the edges seem to be protruding upwards. The only thing that can cause this is excessive moisture. This can be especially true with a 1/2 in solid gluedown. Excessive moisture may be caused by a water leak, or poor air circulation in your house. Wood has to be within 3% moisture content between the wood and concrete floors. If it is not, it may not be installed until the solid wood has acclimated. Aside from the moisture sealer being applied to the concrete, this is a rule of thumb. That is why engineered flooring is recommended on concrete floors because it has a moisture barrier resistance built in the criss-cross-ply and has a less chance of cupping due to poor air-circulation.

   

  
  
  9 What about the gloss of a hardwood?
  The shine on a hardwood depends on the manufacturer, there are usually 3 catagories:

  • Satin-a low sheenSemigloss- a medium sheen (most hardwoods come this way
  • Gloss- a high gloss

  
  Which type of gloss you decide to get depends on personal preference.
  
  10. What is distressed hardwood?
  A distressed hardwood is wood that has been handcarved either by hand or by machine. This hand carved facing tends to give wood a sort of rustic, restored worn look with lots of character. This floor is perfect for pets because if you scratch it, you can always stain the scratch with a stain pen and it looks like part of the rest of the wood These floors have a warm feeling to them and are becoming more,and more popular. There is also handsculpted wood flooring too.
  
  11. What is a sand and finish?
  A sand and wood floor is a wood floor that was installed with out a finish,and sanded in place then coated with urethane. This method of installing can be more expensive and is proned to wear and scratch easier. It is important to remember that some factory finishes are treated with aluminum oxide then undergo a heating process which hardness the finish, this process is not duplicatable. Recently manufacturers came out with a pre-finished wood floor that can be installed together looking like a sand and finished floor. Another term to describe a sand and finish floor is seam-less floor.
  
  12. What goes in between my wood floor and my baseboard?
  Quarter-round or shoemolding. The expansion gap, generally 1/4" gets covered up by this type of trim.

  
  13. Is hardwood suitable for any room?
  Hardwood is suitable for any room except for a full bathroom. It is also good for kitchens. Any water spilled should be picked up promptly. Consider using mats near your sinks. Bamboo is also a good product for your kitchen since it is also a grass not a hardwood. Consider using the Teragren product since its 25% harder than red oak and 12% harder than maple. Since bamboo is a grass, it does not absorb water the way wood does.
  
  
  14. Will hardwood increase the value of a house?
  The answer is yes! Hardwoods will definetly increase and raise the market value of a home. A hardwood floor is an investment.
  
  15. What should I do prior to installation?
  The process for preparation of a hardwood floor is simple. First, let the wood floor acclimate in a controlled enviroment. This means inside your house NOT YOUR GARAGE. Two to four days is the required time for accurate acclimation. Never deliver wood in the rain or snow. The boxes do not have to be open since they come with small holes for air flow. During this process temperatures should not exceed 72 degrees.
  
  16. Do hardwood floors change colors?
  All hardwood floors age in time and change color, some more than others. Most of the exotic hardwoods may do this in a more drastic way. This is a normal process for woodfloors for it is a natural color. Brazilian Cherry and Tigerwood are good examples of the two most drastic color changing woods. If you go to our gallery, you will see before and after pictures of the same floor in the same house after eight months of installation. Once a Brazilian Cherry floor has reached its peak it no longer darkens. The process, in general, can take about one year.

  
  

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  Dark hardwood floors are now being used more in modern condos and homes. They can make a house look unique if installed in the right setting. There are some draw backs and some benefits to dark wood floors

  Some of the benefits is that some dark wood floors might contrast with furniture you may have in the home. Of coarse dark or almost black floors make the floor look lower. This affect makes the ceiling look higher or raised. If you have light colored walls and ceiling, than a dark wood floor might be a right choice for you. A dark hardwood with a white throw rug gives an accent to a room. Any white matted furniture for that matter. Antique white glazed cabinets with dark wood floors give a nice detail and say allot too.

  Draw backs in the dark wood floors is that they are hard to clean. When any part of your floor gets direct sunlight you might really see the dust. If you have dogs or cats with white fur, this might be a bit of a problem. Dark wood floors also show foot prints. The bottom line is that if you plan to get the darker floors you might consider being more cautious about dust coming in from outside. A swiffer is a good idea even more so with darker woods.

  
  

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