Question | Answer |
Types of flooring sold in BOARD format | Wood/engineered wood, laminate, bamboo |
Pre-finished solid wood flooring | Quick & easy to install, expensive |
Unfinished solid wood flooring | No stain or finish, put boards in - sand them down - apply stain - sand again - apply finish, cheap to buy product - but labour is expensive (better than pre-finished!!) |
How is solid wood flooring produced? | Milled in varying lengths and widths, always installed with tongue and groove joints! |
How can you tell the quality of the wood? | If it is higher quality you'll see lots more of longer boards |
What is a wood GRADE? | Different flooring looks/types - figured, clear, knotty |
What are some PROS to natural wood flooring? | no glues or chemicals, random lengths, can finish on site, renewable resource |
What are some CONS to natural wood flooring? | may warp, twist, or crack, MUST be nailed down, needs consistent humidity/no damp conditions |
How can you tell the quality of ENGINEERED wood flooring? | The thicker it is the better quality it is |
What are some PROS to engineered wood flooring? | No deflection, some can be heated or installed below grade |
What are some CONS to engineered wood flooring? | Glues and chemicals, can't finish on site, MDF core - less random lengths |
What are some lower grades? | Plank or tavern |
What are some higher grades? | Clear or premium |
Which wood surface treatment includes NO treatment and light distressing? | Classic |
Which wood surface treatment includes it being hand scraped and fully distressed? | Trend |
Which gloss level shows every little footprint, drop of water, smudge, etc? | High gloss level |
How is laminate flooring usually installed? | Usually click-lock floating or being glued down |
How it bamboo flooring made? | Stock of bamboo is harvested - then sliced - then boiled and steamed - flattened - then laminated into a flooring product |
What is the only thing not natural about solid wood flooring? | on the surface there is some sort of finish to protect the wood - or a stain |
How can you tell if flooring is natural wood? | If the pieces in the floor are different lengths |
What is laminate flooring? | It is a printed reproduction of wood, protected by a layer of plastic |
What is usually in the core of laminate flooring? | Chipboard or MDF |
What type of hard flooring isn't real wood but just looks like it is? | Laminate flooring |
Polished surface finish | creates a glossy shine - usually good for granite, marble, and limestone |
Honed surface finish | creates a matte/flat finish - shows fewer scratches - usually good for marble, limestone and slate |
Acid-washed surface finish | creates a shiny finish with pits in the surface or bumps - usually good for marble and limestone - softens the shine on granite |
Saw-cut refined finish | creates a matte finish - almost like honed finish |
Flamed surface finish | created by heating the surface of the stone followed by rapid cooling, creating pops and chips in the stone to leave a rough texture - usually good for granite |
Split-faced surface finish | rough but not as rough as flamed - hand cutting and chiseling, exposing the natural cleft of stone - usually good for slate |
Tumbled surface finish | smooth/slightly pitted surface - usually marble and limestone |
Brushed surface finish | "worn-down look" - by brushing the surface of the stone - natural wear |