FRequently Asked Questions

We're always here for you! Find answers here to our most asked questions.

What is the difference between prefinished and unfinished flooring?

Unfinished hardwood is installed in your home and then the finish is applied, which can be matched to existing or surrounding hardwood floors. Prefinished hardwood is stained and finished at the factory under carefully controlled conditions, which provides a more consistent appearance and superior durability. Prefinished floors allow you to enjoy your new floor much sooner, without the dust, noise, and time spent waiting for finishes to be applied and cured.

Should I use unfinished or prefinished hardwood?

Both choices have their advantages. If you are trying to match to an existing hardwood floor, you may want to go with an unfinished floor so it can be stained to match. However, this will mean finishing will be done onsite, resulting in more noise, dust and delays in using the room. Prefinished floors, on the other hand, are already finished with 10 coats of an aluminum oxide finish. This means you will get the convenience of not having to shut down the room while you finish the floor onsite.

What’s the difference between engineered flooring and laminate flooring?

Engineered flooring uses a veneer of real hardwood at the top which, depending on the thickness of the veneer, can be sanded down and refinished. As laminate flooring is nothing but a photographic image of the wood grain on engineered flooring, it cannot be sanded and refinished.

Should I expect color variation in my hardwood floor?

Yes, there is a natural variation in hardwood. Some species show more variation than others.

What is the difference between solid hardwood and engineered hardwood?

A solid hardwood board is milled from one piece of wood. A major benefit of solid hardwood is it can be sanded or refinished more than one time. It must be installed with nails, staples or glue.

An engineered hardwood floor is made up of layers of real wood that are adhered together to make the board more structurally stable. It can be installed on any level, and typically has multiple choices for installation, such as floating, gluing or nailing/stapling down.

Can a hardwood floor be floated?

Engineered hardwood floors can be floated, but not solid hardwood floors

What are edge shapes?

Square edges – smooth, seamless appearance

Micro edges – subtle distinction between planks

Beveled edges – distinct grooves between planks for a casual, rustic appearance

Micro-beveled (eased) edges – features a mini-bevel about half the depth of a beveled edge

Scraped edges – beveled edge with a texture that matches scraped flooring

Pillowed edges – softly contoured, more rounded