Hardwood Flooring Grades

Hardwood floors typically come in different grades.  Which provide consistency to the look of the floor.  Appearance alone determines the grades of hardwood flooring since all grades are to be equally strong and serviceable in any application.

Choosing a lower grade of flooring doesn't mean you are getting an inferior product, it just changes the look of the floor.  One of the best ways to save money on a new hardwood floor installation is after you find the color of floor you like try a lower grade.  This point alone could save you $.50-$1.00 sq ft.

(Note: Characters applied to a higher grade may appear in lower grades)

Oak, one of the most popular woods for floors, typically comes in 4 different grades.  Clear, Select & Better, No. 1 common, No. 2 common.  You can also get it in Quarter/Rift Sawn in the different grades which produces a tighter grain pattern and a more stable product.

A Clear grade produces the most uniformity in appearance.  Most people do not choose this because the cost is the highest of the grades and there is very little differences between the boards.  "Looks fake" is the most common comment.  Select Oak is a flooring product with color variations produced by differences of natural heartwood and sapwood.  May contain a small tight knot every 3', pin worm holes, slight imperfections in the milling, and a few checks.  No. 1 Common is a very popular choice, it offers a reasonable price with a beautiful look that doesn't have an overwhelming amount of board variance.   You'll get varying colors and characteristics. No. 2 Common Oak may contain sound natural variations of the forest product and manufacturing imperfections.  This is a great choice for those who want a sound floor with the most variety of character and color variations, and it offers a better value for cost.

Different species of wood have different grades to them such as Maple is graded by: First Grade, Second Grade, Third Grade, Second & Better, Third & Better.

If you come across Mill Run this means the mill will take lumber of a certain grade turn it into flooring.  Instead of separating the flooring into different grades such as clear, select, common, the flooring is a mix of grades.  This typically will produce a longer than average board length and is more economical to produce.  Only boards with a manufacturing defect or unsound will be rejected.   This is my favorite because I like the long lengths and the variety of boards you get.

Plank flooring and Pre-Finished flooring generally have proprietary grades set by the manufacturer.  

It is important to remember that wood is a natural product of nature and no two boards will be the same.  It's wood and will have natural characteristics that pertain to a natural product.

What to do if you have water damage to your hardwood floors

The other day one of our clients got to learn the hard way what to do if they have water damage to their hardwood floors.  I will tell their story so you can be prepared in case something similar happens to you.

Mrs. K was cleaning her floors and noticed that something wasn't quite right.  They were a little warped feeling and she noticed some water coming out from under the refrigerator.  She pulled the refrigerator out and found the inline water filter to be leaking.  She turned the shut off valve for the water line and took a picture.  The floor behind the fridge was all buckled and starting to turn black.

She sent to picture to me and asked if I thought the floors would be alright.  I immediately told her I need to come over and take a look because the fact the wood was starting to change colors was an indicator of a lot of water had gotten into the wood.  In the meantime she called her insurance company to see if that was covered under her policy.

Once I arrived I could immediately see from the front door that she had destructive water damage to her floor. The water had traveled underneath the wall and the wood was acting like a sponge, just soaking it up.  When wood gets wet it absorbs it and begins to swell and move.  The floor in the living room close to the kitchen wall had started to buckle and the flooring in the hallway had buckled so bad it was pulling loose from the subfloor.

The wet flooring at this point wasn't worth saving and had to come out before it started to mold and cause other issues.  The insurance was covered and they sent out an adjuster to confirm the work that needed to be done.  I ended up having to tear out 100 sq ft of her floor and some of the drywall behind the fridge to remove the damaged material.  I set up a dehumidifier and a couple of fans to dry out the subfloor which took about 4 days. Most of her house is hardwood so it all needed to be resanded so that it would match the new wood going in.  The homeowners wanted to save their deductible which they did by moving the furniture themselves instead of hiring it out.  So they were able to have their floors fixed without any out of pocket expenses.  Thank the Lord for homeowners insurance.

I highly recommend you having a good homeowners policy, water damage especially is an expensive fix, this claim was over $10,000 to do all the work to get it back to how it was.

So if you come home and find water on your floor from your dishwasher, fridge or some other leak here are the steps you should take to get it resolved quickly and efficiently.

1. Turn off the source of the leak.  If you don't know where the water shut off valves are for your appliances find out today.

2. Call us right away to come out and make an assessment as to what needs to be done to fix your floors.  Water travels and causes a lot of damage the longer it sits. If you need to have it mitigated, where the excess water is removed, we recommend Elite Restoration based in Puyallup WA.  They will come and tear out any unrepairable damage and set up drying equipment.

3. Call your insurance company and make sure you are covered and they will schedule to have an assessor come out to inspect what needs to be done.  Give them our contact information so we can coordinate on getting the process going.

4. We will work out a schedule with you to get your home put back together as soon as possible.  The amount of time this takes varies depending on how extensive the damage is.

5. In the meantime the insurance company will send you a check to pay for the work that needs to be done. This usually has both of our names on it and if it's big enough usually the bank's as well.  All names have to be signed off on it and the proper payments made.

6. Be prepared for the inconvience.  You will most likely have drying equipment running 24 hours a day, which is annoying to say the least.  Furniture and appliances may need to be moved out.  You may have to spend some time out of the home while some of the work is being done.

When accidents happen it can be a major inconvience but with our help we can hopefully make it more bearable for you.

What type of finish should I use on my hardwood floors?

There are many different options in finish to choose from when finishing a hardwood floor.  I'll explain only a little about it as this is supposed to be a short informative blog. 

Traditionally the base level of finish you have is an oil urethane commonly called Polyurethane.  I'm not a fan of this type of finish.  I don't care for how it looks and wears. So I won't talk about it.

The most popular finish around here is a conversion varnish, traditionally called a Swedish Finish.  The main manufacturers are Glitsa, Synteko, and Precision. Each company's finish has it's own characteristics and I would endorse each one.  This type of finish is alcohol based and gives the floor an amber tone to it.  The downside is that is has higher VOC levels so the smell is quite a bit stronger than other finish types.  The finish has a nice warm color and clarity to the grain.  I like the way it looks over most woods.  This finish also wears real nice, kinda like leather, it looks better over time.  You typically have 2-3 coats applied at first than additional coats applied after wear typically every 5-10 years. 

Next there is water borne finishes.  This type of finish uses water as the carrier system.  The VOC level is a lot lower, but that doesn't mean it's any healthier to breath.  It has the benefit of a faster cure time and the smell dissipates quickly. Under this type of finish system there are single component and two component varieties with a sealer as a base coat.   The two component ones being much more durable.  We like to use the Pallmann line of finishes because they have a real nice look to them.  Some, such as Bona Traffic, even though is a good finish, has a plastic look to it and you lose some of the beauty of the wood itself.  The chemistry of finish has come along way since the 80's when this finish started to gain popularity and the durability now matches that of the solvent based finishes. The main difference being in the way it looks and wears.  Hard to explain and only a person of  particle taste would notice the difference. 

Another type of finish I do occasionally is a penetrating oil finish.  Sytnteko Natural and Pallmann Magic Oil being a couple brands.  This finish penetrates the wood and seals the grain where as the other finish actually mainly sit on top of the wood.  This has a matte sheen to it and is easily repairable for the do-it-yourself type person.  This finish has a unique look and takes a little more to maintain, but the extra maintenance is worth it because it looks so good and has a very nice feel to it. I only recommend this type of finish to people who I know would appreciate it, and those I have absolutely love it.  

When we give a floor consultation we usually offer three different finish options:

Our entry level finish system includes Pallmann Pall-X 96 Waterborne Finish. Don’t let the term “entry level” fool you. This is an excellent quality, durable, residential and light commercial waterborne floor finish. It is not UV sensitive so it won’t amber over time, allows light foot traffic in approx. 4 hours and has a deep rich appearance. Waterborne finishes are more environmentally friendly than traditional polyurethane finishes, both for the applicator and the consumer, dissipating less volatile compounds during the drying and curing process. Pall-X 96 is fully cured in 7 days. It is a three coat system consisting of 1 coat of Pall-X Build Waterborne Sealer and two coats of Pall-X 96 finish. We recommend this finish for less active households. Typically, if you don’t have children and pets, then this finish is a great option for you.

The next level of finish we commonly use is Glitsa Gold Seal.  This is a Swedish formulated finish designed for use in high traffic residential homes.  It has a unique combination of durability, scratch and scuff resistance, clarity, and grain definition giving the wood a vibrant rich color.  We apply 3 ample coats to give your floors outstanding protection.  Glitsa is American Made right here in Seattle.  This finish is walkable after 24 hours and maximum cure time is 60-90 days.  We highly recommend this finish for active households, those with children and dogs.

Our premium finish system includes Pallmann Pall-X 98 Waterborne Finish.  It is a 2 component commercial grade waterborne finish ideal for heavy use residential and commercial applications. It is not UV sensitive so it won’t amber over time, allows light foot traffic in about 4 hours and is fully cured in 4 days. This is a four coat system consisting of 1 coat of Pall-X Build Waterborne Sealer and three coats of Pall-X 98 finish. Being a waterborne finish, it is more environmentally friendly than traditional polyurethanes, dissipating less volatile compounds during the drying and curing process. We typically recommend this finish in commercial settings like office buildings or hair salons, or in active households where the best protection is desired or needed.

Properties of Floor Finish – (How will my floor perform once finished?):

Many people have unrealistic expectations of what a floor finish can do. Floor finish is ‘wear resistant’ and not impact resistant. The density of the wood floor itself is what resists impact. A high quality finish will not prevent impact but will flex somewhat and not break the seal of the impacted area. This is how you want the finish to perform in these situations. There is no floor finish on the market that will be able to stop wood from denting if a heavy object is dropped on it.

You will also find that with any given finish applied to a floor surface that in direct sunlight one may see what we call ‘micro abrasion’. This would primarily be seen in the high traffic areas. This is normal as even lowly dust is considered an abrasive and we both know how easy it is to get our floors dusty. Surface abrasion can be seen from a specific angle and under precise lighting conditions. But it’s not a sign that the finish has worn through, simply that you are now living and walking on it. This is to be expected and normal. 

How to clean a hardwood floor

How to clean and what cleaner to use to clean my hardwood floor is a very popular question I am asked.

Hardwood floors are very easy to take care of and maintain.  Before you use a cleaner you'll want to sweep up the loose dirt, or you could use a dust microfiber mop or a soft bristle attachment on a vacuum.  Next using a microfiber cloth lightly spray the floor with your chosen cleaner and wipe it.  That's all there is to it.  I recommend a dry dust mop daily and using the cleaner only when needed such as only once a week or every other week depending on the use of your floor.

The cleaner I really like and use on my own floors is called Glitsa Clean.  I like it for the following reasons: 
•  Water based formula
•  Neutral pH
•  Fresh scent
•  Leaves no residue
•  Biodegradable
•  Contains no phosphates
•  No rinsing required
•  Recyclable container
And it works well.  You can buy a quart of it for around $10 in concentrated form.  You dilute it with water and this will last you well over a year.  You can also get from Glitsa a nice microfiber mop to use with it.

Now some main points to keep your floors looking good for years to come.
Use walk off mats at entryway doors, make sure the mat has a natural backing such as wool or felt.
Ladies do not wear spike heals.  I've seen many a floor damaged from spike heels.
Dust mop regularly.
Do not use waxes, oils, or refresher products on your floors.  These products will alter the finish of your floor risking the success of a future maintenance coat and a lot of the times ruins the look of the floor.
Apply a maintenance coat to your floor approximately every 5-10 years, depending on usage.
Use felt protectors on chair and table legs to prevent scratching of the finish.
DO NOT USE STEAM CLEANERS

Acclimation

is my thought for the day.  I will briefly discuss what this is.

 Before you have a new wood floor installed you need to have it acclimated to its environment.  Which means that it should be close to the same temperature and moisture content as the sub-floor.  This is checked by a device called a moisture meter which reads the moisture content of wood.

 There are moisture meters that also read the moisture content in drywall or concrete so make sure you have the correct meter for what you are trying to read.  They are pretty simple devices to read.  The most popular meters come from Wagner, Delmhorst or Lignomat.  I like the Delmorst Total Check myself, it is a nice all in one can do meter.

Hygrometer to measure Temperature and Humidity

Wood acclimating prior to installaion

You want to check the moisture content of the sub-floor and the wood floor.  It is recommended to have no more than 4% points difference between the two for 2-1/4" strip flooring and no more than 2% difference for plank flooring of 3-1/4" and wider.  If you are reading concrete than you want no more than 3lbs coming up.  Measuring moisture in concrete is different and since we don't do a lot of concrete sub-floors here in Western Washington I won't dive to deep today into that world.

A typical wood sub-floor around can range from 6%-12%, I have seen a few as high as 18% but with readings that high they have excessive crawlspace moisture.

Prior to installation of a new wood floor I highly recommend a trip into your crawlspace to see what the environment is like.  Because moisture travels up and you want to be aware of any moisture issues prior to installation or else your floor will react once that moisture enters into it.  You want to make sure that it is dry, you should have at minimum a 6 mil black plastic covering the ground.  This will slow the rate of moisture transfer.  It should be seam taped and ran up the foundation wall but I have yet to see that done.  So if you don't see any standing water anywhere pull back the plastic and see if there is any moisture underneath it.  Preferably the dirt will be dry and dusty, if this is not the case you may need to take some extra precautions to prevent the moisture from affecting your floor.

The wood should be delivered to your home and placed in the area where it will be installed.  It needs to just sit there and acclimate.  Never place the wood in the garage or in an unfinished, unheated room unless of course you plan to keep the room that way.  The flooring needs to be acclimated to its living environment so have the heat going if its winter time and the house enclosed if it's new construction.

Failure to properly acclimate your flooring could result in problems days or months down the road.  It could cup, buckle, crack, shrink, move and pull the nails loose from the sub-floor.

I seen a $20,000 floor cup from moisture because the homeowner refused to follow my advice after I inspected the crawlspace and found moisture under the black plastic.  They were in too much of a hurry and were trying to save a buck.

This is just a basic overview of what acclimation is for your flooring just to make you aware of it and its importance.  I could delve much deeper into this subject and I know guys who have a PhD in this stuff.

Staining Maple Floors

Yes you can have your maple floors stained a different color.  I love how the stain highlights the different grain patterns in maple giving it an entirely new look.  Most hardwood floor companies won't stain maple, the usual reasons being that it will be blotchy and uneven.  Translated this means that either they don't know how to do it, it takes extra work to do or they think that it is supposed to look like a stained oak floor and since it doesn't it must be wrong.
Truth is staining a maple floor gives it a cool depth and unique color variations, something that is impossible to duplicate the same in another floor.  It is not supposed to look like oak, that's the beauty of it.

 One of my favorite colors to stain is a color called Sable Black.  This is a very dark, true black stain, not advisable if you aren't a clean freak because it will show a speck of dust from across the room.  But boy is it beautiful looking.  Another color I like is called Kona, a dark rich brown.

Maple floor stained Kona

I don't like to waste a perfectly good floor so staining maple is a very viable option as opposed to tearing it out and installing a whole new floor.  Also the cost to sand, stain and finish a floor is less than to install a new floor.

Maple stained Taupe

To do the job successfully it usually takes an extra two days or more, depending on color, to complete the process as opposed to just a natural color.  You can't cut any corners in the sanding process and you have to maintain a clean floor.  Then the floor needs to be water popped which is a technique where the floor is wetted down with water which opens the grain up allowing the stain to penetrate the wood cells.  This is allowed to dry overnight and then the stain can be applied.  Now certain brands of stains work better than others and give a better more consistent color application.  

A stained maple floor makes your floor unique as there isn't a lot of them done so you can have something different that is very elegant looking. 

If you are tired of the way your maple floors look let your hardwood floor company know that you would like to have it stained.  And if they try to tell you no give me a call and I can help you out.

Introduction

Let me introduce myself My name is Joshua Crossman and I am a hardwood floor craftsman. I have a wonderful supportive wife and four beautiful daughters. I have been in the trade since 1999. I worked at a company until 2004 when I decided to become self-employed and opened P.T.L. Hardwoods.  I became a member of the National Wood Flooring Association and started taking classes to further my knowledge of wood flooring. I earned enough credits to earn a Craftsman degree and shortly thereafter got my certification as a Certified Professional Installer, Sand and Finisher. I love being a member of the NWFA where I have learned so much from some very talented people. I love hardwood floors. I get a lot of satisfaction in providing a high quality product to my clients. I decided to start a blog to educate people about the benefits of hardwood floors as well as to what to look for when you are choosing a company to work with you. Also I would like to showcase different ideas, designs, and styles you can have in your floor. Thanks for checking my blog out, feel free to visit our website for more info www.ptlhardwoodfloors.com, I can be reached by email at ptlhardwoods@gmail.com. Please feel free to let me know what type of information you would like to see here.