All hardwood flooring comes with a built in moisture content. Some manufacturers require that the floor be placed inside the home to become accustomed to the atmosphere of the home. Other manufacturers do not want the product acclimated, rather installed directly out of the cartons on the first day the project starts. The same is true with laminate flooring. Please consult with the flooring manufacturers specifications regarding acclamation of their particular product.

Floor preparation is just as important as installing the floor itself. Realistically it should be considered the most important. Unfortunately many installers don't place the emphasis as they should. Neglecting floor preparation will often result in failure. It may not be apparent immediately, but over time, hardwood floors will loosen from the sub floor and begin to creak, pop, or have hollow sounds. Methods to correct before the actual installation are several. With wood sub floors minor high spots can be sanded down and low spots filled with an appropriate compound suitable for nailing hardwood floors. Concrete floors will have to be chipped or grinded if there are severe high areas. Low spots filled with a compound that cures quickly.

Generally speaking, there are two different types of hardwood flooring. First there is solid hardwood. This is the more traditional type of flooring, manufactured from solid pieces of wood. This type of flooring is normally installed over plywood or other type of wood sub floor. The installation method is either a nail (cleat) or staple down.

The second type of hardwood flooring is called engineered flooring. These are constructed in ply fashion similar to that of common plywood with an actual hardwood veneer on the surface, commonly called the "wear layer." Wear layers can vary from one manufacturer to the next. One key to look for when choosing an engineered floor is the thickness of the wear layer. The installation method of engineered floors is either nail or staple down, glued down, or floated. See our installation FAQ section for more details.

Laminate flooring is a synthetic material made to image wood, or tile. It is a laminate (melamine) surface that is adhered to a fiberboard core material and then another layer of laminate is adhered to the back of the board. Aluminum Oxide is used on top to give laminate flooring a very durable wear layer. Most laminate flooring is guaranteed not to wear, fade, or stain over the life of the floor. All laminate flooring must be installed using the "floating floor" method.

Moisture control or awareness is critical for successful hardwood flooring installations. Any successful hardwood floor installation requires proper moisture testing.

Several hardwood floor organizations have their guidelines to go by. These guidelines have proven over the years, if followed correctly, to allow a problem free hardwood floor for years to come. Most moisture testing is usually accomplished using a moisture meter. Whether the sub floor is concrete, wood or gypsum, a moisture test MUST be completed. Ask your FloorWorks sales professional for more information on moisture testing.

The proper installation of hardwood floors doesn't stop with installing the boards themselves.  Another major importance would be the trim work that is needed to compliment the installation. Transition moldings or thresholds are trim moldings used where the hardwood or laminate floor meets other types of flooring. These moldings create a smooth transition especially when the two floors vary in height.

Another type of molding used in flooring is wall base and quarter round. These types of moldings finish off the area where the floor meets the wall.

A site-finished floor is when the hardwood flooring is installed in an unfinished state. After the floor is installed, it is then sanded and several coats of floor finish are applied. There are several types of floor finish ranging from polyurethane to oil based finishes.

Nail down installations are regarded as the traditional way to install hardwood flooring. This type of installation works with both solid and engineered flooring. Solid ¾" flooring is fastened to the wood sub floor using cleats (nails) or staples. Engineered flooring is mostly stapled down depending on the thickness of the flooring. Suitable sub floors for a common ¾" solid hardwood floor would be:

• 3/4" CDX grade plywood
• 3/4" (23/32") OSB PS2 rated underlayment
• Minimum 5/8" CDX grade plywood
• Existing solid wood flooring
• Screeds
• Tongue and groove wood sub flooring

Glue down installations comprise a large segment of the hardwood flooring business. They are often used in situations where concrete sub floors are king in residential and high-rise applications. Most glue down applications use the engineered type of flooring. FloorWorks does not recommend gluing down any solid flooring more than ½" in thickness. Some items to consider for glue down applications are sensitivity to the adhesives used.  The types used today are greatly improved from those of only five years ago when trichlohydrates were commonly used; a strong lingering odor that would sometimes take weeks to dissipate. Now the more common types are urethane and acrylic based that don't pose the reactions of older ones. Some of the premium types would be Bostiks, Taylor, Franklin, and Dritac.

Floating floors are installed over a thin pad called underlayment. The floor is not fastened or adhered to the sub floor, and in essence "floats" on the underlayment. If the sub floor is concrete, a moisture barrier is installed before the underlayment is installed. This is usually a 6-mil polyethylene sheet.

The flooring usually has a locking tongue and groove or the tongue is glued into the groove. These floors will expand and contract with temperature and humidity changes from season to season (i.e.; summer to winter). Expansion zones around the perimeter allow this expansion. Usually a ¼" expansion is acceptable in a residential application. All laminate floors are installed using this method and some hardwood floors can also be installed using this method.

FloorWorks takes pride in the craftsmanship available to our customers. Borders, medallions, patterns, and medallions are just a few ways to create a unique hardwood floor. Also, a custom staircase will always add a spectacular entryway to the second floor area of your home. Please call us to schedule a custom floor consultation.

FloorWorks has a one-year warranty on installation defects. The material warranty comes from the individual manufacturer and is dependent on the type of flooring purchased.