Category: Home Decor

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Hardwood Flooring Home Decor

Pre-Finished v. Site-Finished Hardwood Flooring

One of the many decisions that must be in selecting hardwood flooring is whether you want to purchase raw boards and have them finished on site or if you want to get pre-finished wood to which stain and finish both have been applied in the factory before they ship to you. Each option has its advantages and disadvantages. To help you sort through them, we’ve created the chart below illustrating the benefits, drawbacks, and neutral factors of each option.

Pre-Finished v. Site-Finished Hardwood Flooring

Pre-Finished (Factory-Finished)

Site-Finished

Availability

 Prefinished flooring is limited to the cuts, species, and stains that are going to sell en masse. For this reason, it can be difficult to create a truly unique look with factory-finished flooring. Site-finished flooring provides more options –nearly endless combinations of species, stain, cut, and finish.
Products & colors can be discontinued, making it difficult to match boards to other areas of the home after a period of time. It is fairly easy for a skilled installer to match hardwood flooring and stain to existing flooring and other interior décor. Most species of wood will always be available as raw boards.

Cost

 The initial cost of pre-finished flooring is higher, but requires much less labor on installation, which tends to balance out the cost. Prefinished is also much more practical to install as a DIY project. The raw material for site-finished flooring is less expensive, but installation and finishing material costs can add up, especially since finishing requires greater skill and a professional installer is usually needed.

Installation

 Installation can be completed in the course of a day. This means there is no need to move your family out of your home to have your floors redone. You will need to relocate any furnishings temporarily, but can move them back in immediately as soon as a room has been completed. If the whole house is not being done, you can remain in your home throughout installation. The installation process can take several days to complete while stain, several coats of sealant, and topcoat are applied and allowed to dry. You will have to store furniture somewhere else during this time and move your family to another location, even if the whole house is not being re-floored, as the finishing process involves quite a bit of sawdust and fume that should not be inhaled.
Almost all VOCs from pre-finished flooring are released in the factory, so the toxicity of your finish will be practically none. For several days after an oil-based polyurethane is applied, you will smell and breathe in vapors from polyurethane resins and solvents.
In some cases you may be able to request that prefinished floors be the last part of a construction or remodeling project, but it is not always practical to work without flooring installed. In a new home, most contractors will install the floor, but wait until the rest of the work has been completed to finish the floor. That way, dropped tools and heavy boots don’t mar the finish, so your floor is pristine when you move in.

Finish Quality

 Factory finishes are applied in a strictly controlled environment and undergo a great deal of quality testing, so a pre-applied finish is likely to be relatively free of imperfections. However, occasional marks from machining may sometimes be visible. Dust, hairs, and small bits of debris can settle into an on-site finish before it has fully cured, leaving imperfections in your finish from the get-to. Dust will usually be worn off after a short time, but others small imperfections may remain.
“Full face fill” provided by some manufacturers seals the pores of the wood enabling the manufacturer to produce an ultra-smooth, even, beautiful sheen on individual boards that cannot be duplicated on-site. A site-finished floor is more subject to imperfections resulting from human error, such a small bubbles, brush marks, etc. However, these can largely be avoided by hiring an experienced, skilled professional.
Some complain that the aluminum oxide used to make prefinished floors so tough can make the finish look slightly ‘murky’.

Design

 Edges are microbeveled on all edges, which emphasizes seams between boards and cases individual boards to stand out more. Sanding and finishing onsite creates a smooth, uniform surface that many find desirable in their hardwood floors.
Borders, inlays, and other fancy flooring techniques are difficult or impossible because of the sanding that’s normally required. Onsite finishing allows for greater creativity with borders, inlays, parquet, etc.
You can see samples of prefinished flooring before you order it, so you know exactly what you’re getting. Species and stain can have slight variances from batch to batch, so, while you will have a pretty good idea of what your floors will look like, the precise result of your particular combination will be unknown until the floor is installed and cured.

Repair

 Easier to replace one or two damaged planks, provided they are still available; for this reason, it is always good to order some extra planks to have on hand for repairs. A skilled hardwood flooring professional can also make seamless repairs to site finished flooring by sanding the area and matching the stain and finish; for this reason, you will want to keep any remaining stain, at least until it expires. You can also peel the labels off of the cans so that you know the exact stain and batch number in case you need to purchase more in the future.
Most manufacturers offer finish warranties that guarantee a floor for 10-25 years, sometimes longer, that cover a specific range of clearly-stated problems, so you know what is covered from the beginning. A good installer will guarantee his or her work for a few years against problems resulting from installer-error, but damage to finishes will usually cost to repair, even if you feel the floor should have been able to withstand the damage.

Resistance to damage

 Aluminum oxide finish only available through a factory process provides a great deal more abrasion resistance. Site finished urethane floors can’t meet the level of protection that factory-finished offer.
The solid barrier created by a site-finished floor can in some cases help to prevent water from seeping between planks.

 

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Hardwood Flooring Home Decor Species

Species Profile: Pine

Pine has been one of the most commonly used woods for lumber and flooring for more than two centuries.  Though not technically a hardwood, a few varieties of Pine are as hard as the softer hardwoods and have proven their durability both in construction and as flooring over the decades.  Abundant throughout the southern part of the United States, Southern Yellow Pine, which actually comprises several species, can be found at a comparatively low cost in almost every market in North America.  Pine’s relatively rapid growth makes it ideal for plantation farming and its natural grain and texture allow for an almost limitless variety of stains, making it one of the more versatile options for flooring.

Pine Trees

Southern Yellow Pine Trees
Southern Yellow Pine Trees

Pine trees grow naturally in some variety across the entirety of the Northern Hemisphere.  Yellow Pines, or hard Pines, hail from the Pinus genre of the Pinaceae family of conifers.  So, they’re really Pine-y.  Southern Yellow Pines, from which most domestic commercial Pine is harvested, is similar to the tree that most people picture when they think of a Pine – tall and slender with fragrant, evergreen needles and cones that bear seeds – only generally taller and with fewer low branches.

"Methusela" Bristelcone Pine
“Methusela”, pictured here, is a Bristelcone Pine thought to be over 4,600 years old

Pines, in addition to growing quickly (for a tree), also tend to be long-lived in the wild, living on average anywhere from 100-1,000 years.  Some of the oldest Pine trees, though, have been known to live longer than 4,000 years.  In fact, one of the oldest living organisms in the world is a Bristlcone Pine known as Methuselah, thought to have been growing for more than 4,600 years.

Pine lumber has long been used in everything from home frames to wooden roller coasters.  During the Colonial Period, it was the most economically important tree harvested in the Americas and was commonly sought on behalf of the British Monarchy for use in shipbuilding.  The needles of several varieties of Pine have long been used to weave baskets and decorative items, and the edible seeds of some Pines are what are commonly known as pine nuts, one of the key ingredients of a good pesto.

Pine Flooring

Pine flooring is usually made from Southern Yellow Pine (SYP) or Heart Pine, though occasionally White Pine can be used if it is treated to increase its durability.

Southern Yellow Pine

This popular wood ranges in color from light yellow or yellowish-brown at its heart to a light beige or pale yellow sapwood.  Depending on the cut, it can be quite uniform or very knotty, making it at once appropriate for formal, sophisticated rooms as well as rustic, natural looks.  Even though Pine is harder than most softwoods, it is still only 60-70% as hard as standard Red Oak.  It is however, somewhat more stable than Red Oak (28%), and is perfectly suitable as flooring in areas that experience moderate wear.

Heart Pine

Heart Pine, which is taken exclusively from the heartwood of the Pine tree, is darker in appearance that Yellow Pine and can sometimes display very dark streaks called sap stains.  While freshly laid Heart Pine will often be yellow in hue, it tends to develop warmer, more reddish hues over time.  The grain of Heart Pine generally offers plentiful swirls or banding, giving boards a great deal of character and charm.  It is common to find reclaimed Heart Pine in homes both old and new, as Antique Heart Pine perfectly represents the warm, natural, and classic feel often sought by lovers of hardwood floors.

Bacon's Castle Hardwood Floors
Bacon’s Castle, built in 1665, still boasts its original Heart Pine flooring.

Given the particular qualities of Pine, it is wise to consult a professional before making you finial choice.  An experienced dealer will be able to tell you weather Pine will be an appropriate choice for your intended application, give you recommendations on finishes, and recommend alternatives if a harder wood would be a smarter choice.  Our hardwood flooring experts are always happy to help.

Photo of Methuselah Pine is a section from a photo by Oke, GFDL , CC-BY-SA-3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

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Hardwood Flooring Home Decor

Hardwood Species: Designer Recommendations

Not too long ago, we asked designers across the country to share with us some of their insights regarding the use of hardwood flooring in homes.  They were overwhelmingly in favor.  84% said they more often than not prefer to replace floors with hardwood when given the chance.

Hardwood-Survey-change-to-hardwood

So what kinds of floors do these designers recommend?  Well, for homes with pets, there are some special suggestions, which we talked about in our post last month.  But, in general, almost 3/4 of our designers recommended one of three species above all others: Oak, Walnut, and Hickory.   These three domestic species offer toughness and durability at a reasonable cost.

Hardwood-Survey-species
Natural White Oak

Oak can be stained to enhance any decor and as North America’s most abundant hardwood, its ready availability in just about any cut and finish make it the perennial favorite of designers and homeowners alike.

Classic Walnut

Walnut offers a little added toughness to the classic beauty of Oak.  Its solid richness creates a warm, yet sophisticated look that shines with natural finishes and subtler stains.

Natural Hickory

Hickory, one of the hardest domestic woods, is also one of the most striking.  With a strongly variegated grain, Hickory is the go-to choice for those seeking a more natural, rustic look.

 

Why is hardwood so popular?  Well, besides being an enduring classic, hardwood “goes with everything”.  Whether you’re going for a modern look or a rustic design, hardwood flooring offers a beautiful, durable, and timeless option.

Hardwood-Survey-Experts-love-hardwood

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Hardwood Flooring Home Decor Under-Floor Heating

How Hardwood Became America’s Favorite Flooring: A Popular History

Hardwood and the Rise of the American Middle Class

Roman Radiant heat infoBefore the 1600s: Europe
Hardwood is not for floors

Before the 1600s, wood flooring was not a thing.  This is not to say that no floors were made of wood, but most were made of dirt or stone.  In the more densely populated urban centers, where two-story buildings had begun to be constructed, the second floors were, of course, made of wood (usually oak or elm planks about 2 feet wide), but this was a matter of practicality, and little thought was given to them beyond this.

Baroque Era (the mid-1600s to early 1700s)
Hardwood is for Royal floors

It was not until the Baroque era that wood flooring came to be a matter of fashion; this was in no small part due to Louis XIV’s choice to install elegant parquet floors in the Palace at Versailles.  From that point forward, the royalty and very wealthy of Europe followed suit and fancy wood floors, some sporting 3D illusions, others modeled after those at Versailles, and others a bit simpler.

King’s Apartment, Versailles

Hardwood Flooring in Kings Apartment, Versailles via @macwoods

Floors like this one in one of the King’s apartments at Versailles started a craze that hasn’t stopped.  Throughout the areas of the Palace constructed by Louis XIV, parquet designs, many even more intricate than this, can still be found adorning the floors.  One of these, the parquet design in the Hall of Mirrors, is famous for the way it changes from light to dark, depending on the angle from which one views it. Parquet tiles in style shown here are still called “Versailles Parquet.”

These floors were laid over periods of several years by expert artisans, with each inlay or pattern piece carefully hand-crafted and placed. Once placed, any outlying bits would be scraped off; then the whole floor would be scrubbed with sand and polished to a shine.

During this time it became common among the burgeoning merchant class to install wood flooring that could be painted to imitate the ornate parquet floors that only the very wealthy could afford to construct.  While many of the parquet floors of the palaces and estates survive today, few of the painted imitations can still be found.

Colonial Era in North America (the 1700s)
Hardwood floors are for colonists

When European colonists began to arrive in North America, they were quick to take advantage of any number of the continent’s abundant natural resources.  One of these was its vast native hardwood forests.  Very soon, hardwood flooring was no longer for the rich.

The earliest colonial homes featured very basic plank floors made from local hardwoods or slow-growth pine.  Because of the age and consequent size of these trees, they contained more of the tight-grained heartwood.  This tight grain made the wood harder and more durable than the younger trees usually harvested today.  These massive trees also tended to yield wider planks, which, rather than being finished, would merely be worn smooth over time.

An article from Old House Online describes how these planks were made:

gray-quotation-marks-square

Converting the timber into usable lumber was an arduous process; the introduction of the circular saw was decades away, and the predominant method available to create dimensional boards was to pit-saw the logs into planks. This required two men: One stood in a pit beneath a huge log that had been squared with hand tools, while the other perched atop it. Working together, they pushed and pulled at opposite ends of a long-bladed saw, carefully following chalk lines that indicated the direction of the cut. These rough-sawn planks were finished with plain, squared edges; laid side by side; and face-nailed into the floor joists. The lumber was often left bare and was eventually burnished by years of use.

One of the most remarkable enduring examples of this early colonial flooring can still be seen in heart pine floors in the historic Bacon’s Castle in Virginia.

Bacon's Castle Hardwood Floors

As wood flooring came to be used more and more, several improvements were made to how it was cut and laid. For example, it was soon found that by using ship-lapping­ — ­a ­­method by which the edges of the board are cut into an “L,” allowing them to overlap one another— one could avoid gapping that otherwise occurred as seasons changed and as floors got worn-in.

During the latter part of the century, it also became popular to paint wood floors, not to imitate parquet as had been done in Europe a century earlier, but to continue the decorative motifs that began to adorn walls and furniture.  The checkerboard patterns you often see in restored colonial homes were a product of this trend.

Industrial Revolution (the mid-1700s to early 1800s)
Could hardwood floors be for everyone?

With the advent of steam-driven machines, finished lumber could, for the first time, be produced on a large scale.  No more did it take two men with a giant saw several hours to create a few planks. Now, lumber could be milled in set lengths and widths, without the rough and often uneven cuts of the pit saw.  It was during this time that we began to see the narrower floorboards that were common through the 19th and 20th centuries and are still so prevalent today.

Industrialization also saw an improvement in the ship-lapped boards with the advent of tongue-and-groove molding.  Where ship-lapping only provided a bit of cover when boards began to move, tongue and groove boards, made possible by the invention of the automated side-matcher, could not only be joined together but nailed down without leaving any nails exposed to attack bare feet or snag sweeping skirts.

Also from Old House:

gray-quotation-marks-square

Tongue-and-groove molding is a precise method of joining boards together along their lengths by fitting a protruding “tongue” on one board into a channel cut on the adjoining board. With tongue-and-groove installation, the nails are driven through the tongue, forcing the boards together; this also conceals the nail holes, creating an unmarred surface. The interlocking boards also were much more resistant to upward movement, which minimized irregular edges sticking up in the path of passing feet. Structural-grade tongue-and-groove floorboards, typically pine or lower-grade oak, were typically a uniform 6″ to 8″ in width, much narrower than the wider pit-sawn planks of the 17th and 18th centuries.

The side-matcher also made it possible to create hollow-backed boards, which were lighter and conformed better to subfloors, which were becoming more and more common.

Wall-to-wall carpet factDuring this time, though many homeowners continued to paint their floors to match their décor, it also became popular to lay tightly woven carpet over a hardwood floor.  Just as steam-powered mills had given a boon to the lumber industry, so too had the invention of the power loom made carpet more common and affordable.  It was around this time, then, that wall-to-wall carpet made its first inroad to the mainstream.

Victorian Era (the mid-1800s to early 1900s)
Hardwood floors ARE for everyone!

As the Victorian Era came into full swing, so did the hardwood flooring industry.  Parquet patterns began to make a comeback, though usually only in those rooms reserved for entertaining in the homes of the wealthy.  However, it was also during this period, and thanks to industrialization, that we began to see what we now think of as hardwood flooring (smooth, even, polished boards) in middle-class American homes.  Hardwood floors started to be advertised as literally for everyone and anyone.

This description of “wood carpeting” from  WoodFloorDoctor.com is an excellent example of how far the hardwood industry began to reach.

gray-quotation-marks-squareA 1903 E. L. Roberts catalog shows “wood carpeting” consisting of 1 1/2″ by 5/16″ strips glued to a heavy cotton canvas. These came in rolls about 3 feet wide and were installed by tacking down each board every foot or so. They suggested many patterns of installation, most with fancy parquetry borders. Each of these small brads had to be set below the surface and filled. All these pieces were then scraped, sanded with the hand operated floor brush. This was a 25 pound block with natural bristles on it’s bottom. A broom handle attached, you pushed it across the floor, with sandpaper strapped to it. Slow but effective. Varnishes were usually slow curing tung oils introduced from China. These were not durable in themselves so the floors were hot waxed and buffed to a shine with the floor brush.

 The factory mills said in their ads “Any one familiar with the use of a saw, hammer and varnish brush can lay and finish them. A servant of average intelligence can keep parquetry floors as if they were newly laid with but little effort” Sure and at 10 cents an hour why not? These floors were touted as easy to install and yet as elegant as the time proven European parquetry. But few of these floors survive today. All that face nailing of small strips made for a squeaky and split-ridden floor. At the same time mass produced 3/8″, 1/2″, 3/4″ strip hardwood flooring was cheaply available at 10, 15 and 20 cents per square foot respectively.

Les raboteurs de parquet (The Floor-Scrapers)
Les raboteurs de parquet (The Floor-Scrapers) by Gustave Caillebotte, 1875

By contrast, quality hardwood floors were usually installed over concrete slabs and glued down with hot tar.  Then laborers were paid (a little) to scrape the floors smooth, sand them even smoother, then shellac, wax and buff them shiny.  It was also in the early 20th century that the herringbone pattern of wood flooring began to gain popularity.

 The 1920s and 1930s
Hardwood is for everyone, but not everyone is for hardwood

Wood remained the dominant choice for flooring in private homes, shops, and public buildings well into the 20th century.  However, during the 1920s and ‘30s, flooring materials like linoleum and cork, which tended to be less expensive, easier to maintain and, at the time, easier to install, started to give hardwood some distinguished competition.  In response, the hardwood industry made some advancements of its own, developing quicker-curing, harder varnishes and, finally, polyurethane finishes, eliminating the need for wax for the first time since hardwood floors were just a step up from dirt.

Post-WWII (the 1940s and ’50s)
Hardwood falls on hard times

Hardwood was able to hold its own against linoleum and cork, but when inexpensive wall-to-wall carpeting became widely available following the Second World War, the hardwood industry took a hard hit. Carpet had long been coveted among the middle classes because it had, until now, only been affordable by the very rich.  Now, not only could average Americans afford to carpet their homes, but the cost of carpeting was often included in home loans.  Unfortunately, the response of the hardwood industry this time was a more desperate one. Many installers, forced to cut costs to offer competitive pricing, also began to cut corners and the quality of the beautiful floors they laid began to falter.  Wood flooring came once again to be seen as a lower-quality alternative to more popular materials, materials that now had become reasonably affordable to most homeowners.  Consequently, wall-to-wall carpet and linoleum continued to dominate the flooring market through the 1980s.

NWFA founding Board
In 1985, the National Hardwood Flooring Association (NHFA) was formed. One of its tasks has been to ensure that the kind of quality crisis that followed the carpet-craze after WWII never happens again.

The 1980s – 1990s
Hardwood makes a comeback

As the century drew to a close, the dark cloud that had lain over oak began to dissipate and, mainly as carpeting laid decades earlier began to need replacing, younger generations once again turned their eyes to the hardwood.  In many cases, they found, when they pulled up their carpet, which a decent hardwood floor lay beneath.  With modern finishing methods, it was not too complicated to bring these floors to a presentable state.  Consequently, the perfect plank looks slowly began to come back into style.

Today
Hardwood is back on top

These days, more and more homebuilders are looking to hardwood to increase the value of new homes.  “Hardwood floors” has become a selling point for older homes and renovated apartments, and renovators go to great lengths to preserve original wood floors.  Our recent survey of designers nationwide showed that 84% percent of designers prefer to install hardwood when undertaking a project.

The advent and constant improvement of prefinished and engineered flooring over the past couple of decades have provided wood flooring more durable and more stable than ever before.  These advancements have also made self-installation a practical choice, finally marrying the convenience of Roberts’s “wood carpeting” with the quality of traditional hardwood floors.

Exotic hardwoods are imported from all over the world, and domestic hardwoods are harvested more and more sustainably.

New and trendy materials will no doubt continue to come and go, but when it comes to practical, lasting, beautiful floors, nothing compares to hardwood.

Final Thoughts

Are you planning on laying new floors in your home or perhaps buying a new house? If so, hardwood is a timeless option. It’s been sought after and trusted for centuries.

 

Sources:

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Hardwood Flooring Home Decor Species

Exotic Hardwood: African, Asian, & Australasian Species

As you may have noticed, this month we’ve been focusing on exotic hardwoods.  While South American varieties are by far the most popular, there are a few species from other parts of the world that have also made an impression on the hardwood flooring scene.  Here we offer one final installment in our exotic hardwoods series—a look at some popular species from Africa. Asia and Australasia.

Africa

Wenge (African Rosewood, Faux Ebony)

Wenge is one of the darkest natural woods available for hardwood flooring.  At its heart, from which most clear grade wood for flooring it can be almost black, hence the name “faux ebony”.  Its grain is very similar to that of Red Oak, but it is about 26% harder than the North American species.  Like most exotic hardwood, Wenge is typically milled prior to export and can be very difficult to acquire in lengths longer than 7 feet.  Since Wenge is rare to begin with, special orders of the raw lumber are uncommonly costly.

Grown in the Congo region of Central Africa and the southern regions of Tanzania and Mozambique, Wenge is not as abundant as other exotic hardwoods and is highly prized for its uniquely dark color.  It is also a durable wood that resists denting and daily wear, but it can swell significantly if not carefully acclimated prior to installation.

African Padauk (Vermillion)

Usually pronounced “pah-DUKE”, this strong, stable wood is one of the more abundant African hardwoods, though it is not nearly as common as its South American counterparts.  When first milled, it tends to be reddish-orange at its heart, but changes dramatically in color over time, darkening to deep purplish brown or even close to black.  UV-inhibiting finishes can delay this effect, but eventually, all Padauk will shift from the brighter orange-ish to a darker reddish brown.

Grown in the tropical regions of Central and Western Africa, Padauk is one of the few exotic hardwoods sometimes milled in the U.S. and Canada.  Its grain is usually straight and, in a quartersawn variety, it displays ribbons of color similar to those of Brazilian Cherry.

Zebrawood

This is one of the most distinctive hardwoods out there and really lives up to the exotic classification.  Though its rarity and resulting high price make it a rare choice for large spaces, zebrawood flooring is not unheard of.  As one might imagine from its name, zebrawood has a pronounced and unusual grain that creates stripes of blonde and very dark brown, reminiscent of the stripes of a zebra.  Depending on how the wood is cut, these “stripes” may be chaotic and wavy (plain sawn) or quite straight and uniform (quartersawn).

Zebrawood has been considered a luxury wood for decades, showing up in places like Cadillac Mercedes automobiles, high-end decorative furniture, and all over Prada’s flagship Manhattan store.  Unfortunately, its popularity has led to its becoming endangered in its native West Africa and responsible hardwood flooring distributors, including MacDonald Hardwoods, rarely carry it.  However, a similarly striped wood called Tigerwood, which is grown in South America and is somewhat more abundant, can sometimes be easier to find.

Australia and Southeast Asia

Jarrah (Eucalyptus)

Jarrah is one of many varieties of Eucalyptus found in Australia.  It is a popular choice for flooring because of its hardness and durability as well as the variety of color it offers, ranging from shades of red to grey tones.  Though its grain is mostly consistent, it often features beautiful darker streaks and sometimes creates small knots and pitch pockets, giving it a unique character.

The color of Jarrah tends to change very little over time, but it is a less stable wood when it comes to moisture and, like Wenge, must be carefully acclimated prior to installation.  Jarrah flooring is usually available in Select and #1 Common grades.  Only the #1 Common grade generally displays the characteristic knots and pitch pockets.

Merbau

Exceptional among exotics for its stability, Merbau is a hard and durable wood with a coarse grain displaying interlocking patterns of both wavy and straight lines.  Its coloring ranges between yellow- and orange-brown, often with golden streaks, and tends to vary from board to board and even within planks.  Exposure will eventually darken the wood to a more chocolaty brown with a reddish tint.

Merbau grows throughout Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand as well as in several Pacific islands and the northern part of Queensland in Australia.

Australian Cypress

Australian Cypress is one of the paler exotic hardwoods, honey-colored at its heart and a light cream in the sapwood.  Though treated as a hardwood because of its, well, hardness, the Australian Cypress is technically a softwood like pine.  But don’t let that deter you.  While it is not as hard as some of the exotic woods we have discussed, it is one of the hardest conifers in the world, harder than Northern Red Oak, and has proven durability.

The grain of Australian Cypress wood tends to be straight and fairly consistent, interrupted periodically with tight knots throughout.  Like other woods from this region it is exceptionally stable and is a great choice if you are looking for the bright warmth of pine, but need something a little tougher.

Teak

Also lighter than many popular exotic hardwoods, Teak, which grows throughout Southeast Asia, is a very stable, though somewhat softer wood.   It ranges from a pale cream color at its sapwood to golden brown at its heart.  Like many kinds of wood, Teak does tend to darken with exposure to the sun, but it rarely becomes darker than a rich brown.

For a softer wood (still comparable in hardness to most North American hardwoods), Teak is a remarkably durable wood and is often reclaimed and repurposed for decorative arts.  Natural resins in Teak lend it an uncommon resistance to water and insect damage, making it a popular choice for bathrooms, kitchens, and outdoor decks.  It has even been a popular wood for shipbuilding over the centuries.

Of course, there are many, many exotic hardwoods on the market today.  These are some of the most common and popular for hardwood flooring, and our specialists at MacDonald Hardwoods would be happy to talk to you about any of these, or others, to help you find the wood the is right for your home.

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Hardwood Flooring Home Decor Species

Learn the Basics of Exotic Hardwood Flooring

In one of our September posts, we took a look at a few of the more popular domestic woods used for hardwood flooring.  This month, we wanted to explore some of the exotic hardwood species that have become popular for flooring in recent years.

Though the word “exotic” may call to mind wild jungles and hard-to-reach rainforests, in fact, when we’re talking about wood, it just refers to any species grown outside of North America.   Many of the species most familiar to you fall into this category, including mahogany, teak and rosewood.  While many exotic species do originate in the tropics, there are a few that come from other places as well.  We will get into the origins of specific species later, though.

Why do people choose exotic woods?

Tiger wood
Many exotic hardwoods, like this tigerwood, have a very distinctive color and grain.

Appearance

Most exotic wood species have a color and grain that is very distinct, and much different from those found in domestic woods, which tend to be a bit more consistent and subtle.  Many exotic hardwoods show a striking difference in color from heartwood to sapwood, from board to board, or, as with zebrawood and tigerwood , even from grain to grain.  Consequently, a hardwood floor made from an exotic species tends to make a bolder statement and be more striking in home, though always with the characteristic warmth of wood.

Durability

Taken as a whole, exotic hardwoods tend to be denser and harder than domestic woods, testing higher on the Janka hardness scale in the majority of cases.  This lends strength and durability to their inherent beauty, enabling simpler finishes that let that beauty shine through.  They also tend to require less maintenance as a result, and their unique grain patterns often hide scuffs and scratches better than more uniform domestic species.  Of course, modern advances in the industry tend to ensure that any hardwood, exotic or domestic, is likely to last a lifetime and longer.

What are the challenges of exotic hardwood?

Color changes

As you have probably learned by now, any wood species should be expected to change color over time, especially if exposed to the sun’s UV light.  Many exotic wood species seem to have a higher tendency toward such changes, and the difference is often more dramatic than in most domestics.  Before you choose a species, you should talk to one of the professionals here at MacDonald Hardwoods to be sure you know what to expect as your floors age.

Resistance to finishes

The density that lends exotic hardwoods their hardness can also make them resistant to added color or complex finishes.  Fortunately, most people who opt for exotic hardwood do so for its natural coloring, and often opt for protective oil-based finishes rather than stains or polyurethanes.  If you do choose to finish your exotic hardwood, do your research and make sure that your finish is known to take well on the specific species you’ve chosen.

Less stability

Remember, tropical woods are far from home in North America.  They come largely from climates that are fairly consistent in temperature and high in humidity.  They are not always well adapted, then, for the drastic changes in both temperature and humidity experienced throughout most of the U.S.  For this reason, it is especially important that exotic hardwood flooring be installed by someone with experience in accommodating the higher expansion and contraction rates of these reactive woods.  It may also be advisable to choose an engineered variety over a solid exotic hardwood, as an engineered plank will consist largely of more stable woods, with a layer of your beautiful exotic on top.

Availability

In general, the more popular exotic hardwoods are widely available as both engineered and solid flooring, but, especially if you are shopping for hardwoods online or in catalogs, it is best to visit a showroom before setting you heart on a specific wood.  The availability of your favorite species can depend on the trends in your area as well as situations in the woods country of origin, including their ability to enforce sustainable harvesting practices.  You may find that the species at the core of your decorative scheme is in short supply this year and only available in a few sizes or has to be shipped so far that the added cost becomes unreasonable.  So, when thinking about exotics, try to stay flexible.

Are exotic hardwoods harvested with the health of the environment in mind?

You noticed we mentioned sustainable harvesting practices.  All around the world, the lumber industry is working with governments, environmentalists, trade organizations to ensure that sustainable practices are put in place and maintained.

Recently, the Lacey Act, which has regulated lumber production practices in the United States for more than a century, was extended to include lumber harvested overseas.  The Act expressly prohibits all trade in plant and plant products (furniture, paper, lumber, etc.) illegally here or abroad, including wood from trees that have been taken against the will of the landowner or without proper authorization or have been harvested from officially protected areas.  Those bringing lumber into the country must provide proof of provenance, declaring the country of origin of harvest and species name of all plants contained in their products.

Of course, the degree to which areas are protected varies from country to country, but organizations like the Forest Stewardship Council are making it easier to ensure that exotic hardwoods are ethically harvested by following their path of production and giving lumber that passes muster their seal of approval.

You can read more about where wood flooring comes from in our earlier post on the subject, here.

 

Ready to take the exotic wood plunge?

Be sure to check back in the coming weeks for more on some specific species that are sure to make your heart flutter and, in the meantime, take a look at some of the exotic hardwoods in the MacDonald Hardwoods gallery.

Tigerwood image by Jim_K-Town via flickr, some rights reserved.

Categories
Hardwood Maintenance Home Decor

How Do I Raise Relative Humidity in My Home?

As winter approaches, hardwood households throughout the northern hemisphere are starting to think about how to prepare for the coming months.  With temperatures cooling, outside air can hold less and less moisture, and when that already dry air gets pulled inside and heated, the relative humidity (RH) within your home can drop to dangerous levels—for your health and your woodwork.

By now, you are probably aware of the adverse effects of dry winter air.  Chapped lips, cracked skin, worsened asthma symptoms and respiratory infections become more frequent as the dry air takes its toll on your body.  Static electricity generates annoying shocks, crazy hair and unexpected appendages to your clothing. The plants start to shrivel, the wood starts to crack, and unsightly gaps appear in your hardwood floors, and the air sucks the moisture out of organic materials to make up for its deficit.

Fortunately, there are some things you can do, from temporary, localized fixes to long-term, whole-house alterations to combat the dry winter air and reclaim your health and comfort.

Plants

If the RH in your home is just a little low in certain places, you may find that items already in your house are all you need to bring a room back to comfortable levels.

  • If you have houseplants, find a mister or spray bottle and mist the plants every day; this will help them to get the added moisture they need (plants typically like about 10% more moisture than people and wood) and will add a small amount of moisture to the ambient air.  Some people also use a spray bottle to spritz a light mist throughout a dry room, but this requires that the mist be fine enough and in a small enough volume that the moisture does not settle onto floors and furniture.  We think this seems a bit labor-intensive, not to mention risky for your hardwood.
  • Another quick fix often used by folks with plants is to fill a shallow tray with small, decorative stones or pebbles and fill the tray about halfway with water, leaving the tops of the rocks exposed; this will allow for slow evaporation throughout the day and the basin can double as a tray to catch extra water from houseplants.  Depending on what they are made of, you can also set these trays near heat sources or in sunny windows, to encourage evaporation.  Of course, this method requires some maintenance, as you will need to refill the tray regularly and you will want to wash the stones from time to time to prevent mold.
  • Plants, in general, can also help to increase the RH in a room, as there is bound to be some excess moisture at each watering.  You will naturally want to take care that pots are not placed directly on wood floors or in areas where watering is likely to cause drips or overflow that could cause damage.

Around the house

Certain daily activities naturally generate large amounts of humidity.  Small adjustments can make these activities work to your advantage, and cut down on energy costs to boot.

  • If you have space, consider setting your clean clothes out to dry on racks rather than tossing them in the dryer.  As they dry, that pure, fresh-smelling moisture will be directly absorbed into the surrounding air, leaving clothes dry and air moist, at least for a time.  If you don’t want to wait, you can even use a fan to help speed up the process—the result will be the same.
  • A similar principle applies to the dishwasher.  Most modern dishwashers allow you to stop the machine at the end of the wash cycle and air dry rather than bake drying the dishes.  If you open the dishwasher door for the drying process, all of that warm, moist air can escape into the dry air in your home.  Because the dishes will be hot from washing, they will usually dry reasonably quickly and without spots, just as though you had baked them, but the valuable moisture will raise the air quality in your home instead of getting siphoned off outside, where it is not needed.
  • Like a steaming hot shower to push out the cold winter?  Your house might like it, too.  Instead of clearing the bathroom with a vented fan after a shower, try opening the door and letting the moist air blend with the drier air in the hall or bedroom.

Single-room humidifiers

Room humidifiers are just what they sound like—humidifiers, usually reasonably portable, designed to raise the amount of moisture in the air of a single room (about 12’x12’ with a 10’-12’ ceiling).   They come in several varieties and are usually quite affordable, with decent models starting at $30-40, though the fancier ones, which can, for example, be set to operate automatically depending on RH levels, can be as much as $1,000 or more. That’s why many people opt in for humidifier and air purifier combo units to get the best of both functionalities.

  • Ultrasonic, or cool mist humidifiers, are currently among the most popular options for adding moisture to a room and are generally recommended for families because they do not involve any heating implement or steam that could cause injury to a curious child.  In an ultrasonic humidifier, a small metal diaphragm vibrating at ultrasonic frequency breaks water into tiny water droplets that are then blown by a fan into the air.  Though the water in these humidifiers must be changed frequently to avoid microorganism growth, they are quieter than some other types of humidifiers and use only a little electricity.  An alternative to the ultrasonic is an impeller humidifier which uses a rotating disc to fling water at a diffuser that, in turn, breaks the water into minute droplets that then diffuse into the air, for a similar effect.  Distilled water is recommended for either style, as tap water tends to be rich in minerals that can create unwelcome deposits after a time.
  • Vaporizers, or warm mist humidifiers, are essentially steam machines.  They consist of a reservoir of water and a mechanism for heating the water to its gaseous form, which then takes its natural course into the air.  Vaporizers are often the humidifier of choice because the heating process kills many microorganisms that might otherwise be released into the air and the steam leaves behind heavy minerals that could, over the long term, leave residue around the room.  They are also nice for combating winter-time respiratory infections and can be enhanced with medicated inhalants and natural essences to improve respiratory health.  On the other hand, a vaporizer requires a heating device, which always poses a risk of injury and fire (though these are usually minimal) and entails somewhat higher energy usage.
  • Evaporative humidifiers are the most basic of the single-room machines, and work on the same principles as some of the quick fixes described above, though they are, of course, more consistent.  These simple mechanisms draw water from a reservoir in no small wicking surface from which the water can evaporate.  The fan then blows air onto the surface to encourage evaporation. Evaporative humidifiers are relatively inexpensive and easy to use, and these humidifiers can typically cover larger areas than other styles of room humidifiers.

Whole house humidifiers

As you might guess, there are also humidifiers that can be connected directly to your forced air heating and cooling system, so you can use your existing ductwork to raise relative humidity for wood floors.  Like room-style devices, whole-house apparatus work in a variety of ways.

  • Drum humidifiers are one of the more cost-effective whole-house humidifiers to install and maintain.  Inside the unit, a rotating evaporator pad called a drum wicks water from a pan and moved it into the air stream of your heating system, which evaporates the water then carries the moisture as air circulates. The container is automatically refilled from a pipe in much the same manner as a toilet tank. You will need to replace the pad of a drum humidifier regularly, and the pan cleaned from time to time to prevent mold and mildew, but the system itself will run automatically, activated and deactivated by a humidistat, which monitors your home’s relative humidity.
  • Disc wheel humidifiers operate in much the same way as drum models, only instead of a sponge-like pad, a group of plastic, grooved discs carry the water into the air stream; this can be preferable because the plastic resists mold and does not need to be replaced very often, and the output is somewhat higher because of increased surface space for evaporation.
  • Bypass flow-through humidifiers use fresh water rather than a water reservoir as their water source, eliminating the need for frequent cleaning that a standing-water pan entails.  With these units, an electronically controlled valve opens when the humidity drops below a certain point, causing fresh water to flow across a porous aluminum and ceramic evaporator pad.  The pad is placed, so that warm, dry air is forced through it by the furnace blower, evaporating the water, which it carries with it as it circulates throughout the house.
  • Spray, or mist, whole-house humidifiers, like the drum and disc-wheel styles, are activated by a humidistat.  As its name would suggest, the unit releases a fine mist of fresh water into the heating system’s ductwork, which distributes it evenly throughout the home.  Often smaller in size, spray models can fit in spaces where other styles are not an option.  And, because it has no water pan, maintenance for a spray unit is relatively low, though spray nozzles (custom sized according to the volume of air in your home) can get clogged by hard water deposits.
Categories
Eco-Friendly Flooring Home Decor

Cork Flooring – It’s What’s Happening

cork flooringIf you’ve been thinking about installing hardwood floors in your home, you may want to consider the benefits of cork tile or planks before making your final decision.  Cork can create the warm, welcoming feeling often sought from hardwood, but with some added bonuses that might surprise you.  Comparable to hardwood in cost and maintenance, cork is quickly becoming the material of choice in modern homes.

Cork is highly renewable  The material for cork is harvested from the long-lived cork oak, a variation of oak native to the Mediterranean region (exotic, right?).  It is essentially bark peeled from mature trees every 8-12 years or so.  The harvesting process does no real damage to the tree, which simply regrows its bark between harvests, eliminating the need to cut down and regrow trees except for every, say 250 years or so.  Even more eco-happy, much of the material for cork flooring is reclaimed from the manufacture of things like wine corks and other cork products, so it already has one “reuse” cycle before it even gets to your home.

Cork is good for your health  Cork has a couple of benefits to your well-being.  You have probably squeezed a wine cork or pushed a pin into a bulletin board before.  Imagine how a material with that kind of give might feel under your feet and how much easier that might be on your back and legs, especially if you are one to, for example, work in the kitchen or at a standing desk for hours at a time.  While cork flooring is much denser than a wine cork and is sealed with a polyurethane sealant that makes it much less squishy than a bulletin board (and much more durable), its unique cellular structure gives it significantly more shock-absorbing power than most other flooring materials, especially those traditionally used in the kitchen.

Cork is good for your dishes  The same shock-absorbing power that can save your back from undue strain can also save things like glasses, vases, and children from injury when they fall from high places.

Cork is an excellent insulator  This applies to both heat and sound.  In fact, it is so good at keeping in heat and keeping out sound that it is often used as an underlayment other flooring materials for this very purpose.

Cork is versatile  Like other tile (see what we did there?), cork can be used to create a wide variety of looks for practically any room in the house.  From natural cork planks (used in such classy joints as homes designed by the much admired Frank Lloyd Wright) to brightly died cork tiles, it is not hard to find a cork to fit the room.  In fact, the variety may make it hard to choose.  Fortunately, you can mix and match as you please.

Cork is made partially of magic  OK, so not magic exactly, but a substance called Suberin that creates a natural resistance to molds, bacteria, and insects and, get this, acts as a fire inhibitor.  When you think about it, this only makes sense, given that the purpose of the bark on the tree to protect it from these very things.  Still, it’s pretty neat.

Cork floors are very forgiving  While we do not recommend being careless with your cork floor, its natural variation in tone and texture tends to hide minor bumps and bruises and its resilient texture allows it to self-heal to some degree.

So who wouldn’t want a healthful, magic, self-healing floor, you ask?  Well, while cork does have a lot of positive attributes, it also has some characteristics that need to be considered before laying it throughout your home.

Cork requires some maintenance  As we mentioned before, cork requires similar maintenance to hardwood – it needs to be swept or dry mopped regularly to remove harmful abrasives; it needs to be kept dry so that it does not absorb liquids, which will stain it; and it should only be cleaned with specific products designed to keep it looking its best.  Cork also tends to require more frequent refinishing than hardwood, even when properly cared for.  This typically means having it re-sealed with a few coats of protective polyurethane every few years.  Alternatively, it can be sealed with wax, which is more resistant to scratching but must be stripped and reapplied more often.

Cork is not especially pet-friendly  Because of its texture, cork can be more easily gouged by a pet’s toenails, damage that is beyond the cork’s power to self-heal and is not always easy to repair.

Cork is best installed by a professional  While it is possible to install certain forms of cork flooring on your own, the vital importance of sealing it properly really recommends that it be done by a professional with experience laying this type of flooring.

Cork needs to be protected from heavy objects  The same cellular structure that makes cork so friendly to your feet also leaves it subject to indentations and gouges from heavy objects.  It is important, then, that furniture never be dragged across a cork floor (though this also applies to hardwood) and that coasters be used under the legs of heavier items to better distribute their weight.

Cork is subject to discoloration in direct light  Cork has a greater tendency to fade in sunlight than hardwood, so it may not be the best choice in rooms that receive a great deal of direct natural light.

Cork is sensitive to moisture  Like hardwood, cork will respond to changing humidity levels in your home.  However, because cork expands in every direction rather than only in the direction of a grain, like hardwood, expansion and contraction is usually less noticeable.

Cork is not for everyone  Though cork comes in wide variety of textures and colors, some people simply do not care for the look.  But, if the idea of cork appeals to you, it is worth talking to our experts.  They can help you hone in on the styles of cork that might best suit your needs, both practical and aesthetic, so that you can make an informed decision about whether cork flooring is right for your home.

Categories
Hardwood Flooring Hardwood Maintenance Home Decor

How to Prepare your Hardwood Floors for Gatherings

As we look forward to hosting gatherings throughout the year, it is important to consider how extra foot traffic may affect your hardwood floor. Although there are several ways that your floor may be damaged, there are an equal number of preventative measures that can help you keep your mind on the party. Let’s walk through some of the ways you can protect your floors during parties.

Slipper Gallery

If you find that some guests hesitate to remove their shoes in your home, you might try making it part of your party theme. By providing a shoe rack full of new slippers of many different styles and colors, your guests will embrace the practice and enjoy the gesture. You might even offer the slippers as gifts as a memento of your party.

Rugs

Investing in a few runners to place in high traffic areas will considerably decrease scuffs and scratches. These can be easily rolled up and stowed away or they can be used year-round to accent your home décor. Large area rugs can also add color and design and brighten up a room while protecting your hardwood flooring.

Towels

For rainy days when the kids leave umbrellas on the floor or snowy days when people or pets track slush into the house, it is helpful to have heavy rugs and towels at your entryways. Removing your shoes on a rug will prevent excess moisture from damaging your floors. If any type of moisture is left on the floors, it may cause dark stains. Some substances, such as rock salt, can ruin the finish itself.

Cleaning

Although it may seem like a good idea to wax your floor before a gathering, it will actually make it more slippery and increase the likelihood that drinks or food may be spilled. A dry mop should be sufficient to keep your floors free of debris. In case an accident should occur, be sure to leave tissues or napkins on around to make it easier to wipe up any spills immediately.

Enjoy

Take time to enjoy yourself at your gatherings. When you prepare in advance, you can trust that your hardwood floors will survive. Your friends at MacDonald Hardwoods are happy to recommend cleaning products and supplies or offer advice about repairing or replacing your floor. For the best prefinished hardwood floors in the Greater Denver area, visit MacDonald Hardwoods.

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