The Flooring Expert

As a new feature here to our Ask the Flooring Expert blog, we are going to begin doing a monthly editorial about issues that have come up frequently or more popular subjects to give a good in-depth look in the many topics of flooring.

For September we are going to examine one of the most popular trends in flooring: eco-friendly products or "green" flooring.

Bamboo and Cork are the most common flooring types known when the subject of eco-friendly flooring is mentioned. The statement "bamboo and cork flooring are eco-friendly" is not always true. Let's call this statement or mind frame an "eco-myth." I generally suggest these options for the eco conscious buyer, but you will want to do your research to ensure that your bamboo or cork is truly eco-friendly.

What Makes Bamboo "Green"?
Bamboo flooring is a great choice for environmentally conscious buyers because of its many features. Bamboo is an abundant natural grass that can grown 125 feet or more by the time it is ready to be harvested and it naturally regenerates itself without needing to be replanted. Also, the bamboo used to make flooring is a different species of bamboo than what pandas eat, so there is no worry of taking away a food supply from endangered species.

What's the Problem?
The eco-myth to bamboo is that bamboo flooring is only as green as the process used to make it. Most of the bamboo flooring in the world is made in China and parts of Southeast Asia where environmental requirements are not as strict. Unfortunately not all suppliers of bamboo observe eco-friendly practices when manufacturing their bamboo. To be truly conscious of what bamboo is green we must consider what happens after the bamboo is harvested. After bamboo is harvested, it is standard practice to put the bamboo into a vat of chlorine to give it the "natural" blond hue we see most commonly in bamboo products. Sadly some manufacturers simply drain the chlorine and other chemicals used to make flooring into local creeks or other natural water sources. Although the flooring itself may be eco-friendly as a renewable resource, the process to create that flooring has now harmed the environment.

Don't despair though, many manufacturers adhere to strict standards and ensure their manufacturers create a truly eco-friendly product. The advice here is to always do a small bit of homework and ask vendors about the source of their bamboo flooring before buying.

What Makes Cork "Green"?
Cork comes from the bark of Mediterranean oak trees. This bark is harvest every 8 - 10 years during the life span of the tree which typically is about 150 - 200 years. For the most part these trees are found in Portugal, Spain and areas of North Africa and provide a sustainable supply of cork products. Cork flooring is typically made from the waste product after cork stoppers are made making what was once deemed unsuitable product into beautiful flooring.

What's the Problem?
Cork is manufactured in many countries, but most predominately in Europe and China. Sadly not all sources for cork operate in environmentally friendly manners. The processes used and even the raw materials such as glues and core boards as well as the oversight of the entire manufacturing process is different from country to country. Specifically the process in Europe is vastly superior to those in China. The biggest problem comes from formaldehyde emission in the glue used to make these products. Manufacturers in Europe make products which meet E0 or E1 acceptable emissions standards. Unfortunately the products made in China does not meet these standards and is typically E2 or higher. A major portion of this problem comes from cheaper adhesives used which have higher formaldehyde content, but also the entire process and ISO utilization of the plants come into effect when the final product is considered.

Buyer beware as Steve always mentions - recently iFLOOR determined that none of the cork made in China meets E1 or E0 standards. So if your looking for cork make sure you get cork manufactured in Europe because its not only higher quality, but its better for the environment as well.

Alternative Eco-friendly Products
Beyond making educated purchases with bamboo and cork there are other types of flooring you can look into for a green alternative. The two lesser known options which are becoming popular and more visible are Palm and Mesquite Flooring.

CoCo Palm Flooring
A product soon be sold here at iFLOOR is CoCo palm. After a good chat with Ryan W., iFLOOR's VP of Products, I came away with a much better understanding of why he is excited to have this new flooring option available for our customers. This product comes from coconut palms trees grown to harvest oil for palm oil. The coconut palm tree is considered the largest single species of hardwood in the world and is the largest non-rain forest wood resource. After about 40 - 50 years these trees decrease their yield of oil and are cut down to make room for new trees to be planted. Nowadays these trees are no longer disposed of, but are made into a myriad of great products including flooring.

The plantations that these trees come from have been around since colonial times. CoCo palms particular plantations are located in Indonesia and are old Dutch Colonial plants that continue to product palm oil to date. CoCo makes a solid palm floor which contains far less adhesive than the more common engineered varieties offered around the world.

Mesquite Flooring
Mesquite is a highly sustainable source of wood that comes from the Southwest region of the US as well as Central and South America. Mesquite is actually a shrub (from the legume family) not a tree and despite attempts to cut, shred, remove and even burn mesquite grows back stronger and thicker. Based on current usages of mesquite, the supply in Texas alone can last for thousands of years without need to plant additional mesquite.

Normally the first thoughts that accompany mesquite would be barbecue or wood working,but virtually nothing from a mesquite tree is wasted. The beans are high in sugar and proteins and make a good cattle feed. Native Americans discovered many medical uses for the beans as well. Tea made from the beans is said to be a good antiseptic for superficial wounds and to settle the stomach. The limbs are cut into end grain blocks that make beautiful flooring patterns. The larger limbs and trunks are sawn into lumber for cabinets, furniture and flooring. The fall off and waste is made into mesquite chunks for the BBQ industry. Finally, the burl from the stumps makes beautiful material for artisans to do turnings and decorative pieces.

There are many benefits to having mesquite as a floor. Mesquite is naturally resilient and stable. Mesquite has a Janka hardness rating of 2345 which is nearly twice as much as red oak. Mesquite is also nearly impervious to water and was used by shipwrights construct fishing vessels back in the Spanish mission days. However, the real value of mesquite as a flooring material is in it's stability rating. Simply put, mesquite is THE most stable hardwood available being 350% more stable than red oak. Even more important is the fact that what little amount mesquite shrinks and swells, it does so evenly.

Summary
"Green" flooring is a growing trend in todays market, but make sure you know that process used to make your floor is just as eco-friendly as the material itself. European Cork and certain bamboo manufacturers in China make excellent products that are produced in an environmentally friendly matter. Also you can look into lesser known eco-friendly products such as Palm and Mesquite Flooring.

Thanks for reading the first of our editorials and I apologize for the length, but hopefully you've gained some great insight into the eco-friendly side of flooring.

Throughout September I received several installation based questions, many of which were the unfortunate few who have problems after installation because certain key parts of the installation process were either unknown or skipped over. For October's editorial I am going to help break down the preparation needed for the installation process and explain the keys to ensuring your install goes smoothly and your floor performs well for years to come.

After going through the process of finding that floor of your dreams and getting it to your home the first thing I can stress is patience. The installation process is not something to rush.

Preparation

This is the most important part of installation and is broken down into several different important factors: Acclimation, Inspection, Measuring and Subfloor Prep.

Acclimation

Your wooden floor, as solid and unmoving as it is now, was once a living, breathing, growing object. As such, it is organic and will inevitably have reactions to other natural factors. These factors include temperature, moisture, and humidity – factors that are all present in your home. Acclimation (also acclimatization) is a process that allows wood to adjust to its new environment. By leaving the floors inside the room for a certain period of time, the natural moisture content of the wood is able to adjust to the relative normal conditions of where it will be installed. In the long run, this crucial first step will help prevent the gapping, swelling or buckling of floors after installation.

When flooring material is delivered to a job site, you should use a moisture meter to check the moisture content of the hardwood floors before installation. The wood will acclimate to the indoor humidity and temperature in about three or four days. Some professionals even recommend that you bring the hardwood floors into your home for a minimum of two weeks for best results. I tend to suggest a week of acclimation or more in certain environments where it is more humid.

The process of getting your wood floors properly acclimated is quite simple:

Check jobsite conditions.
The area’s temperature and humidity conditions must be measured prior to installation. Moisture levels should not exceed 12-14%.

Check weather conditions before having the floors delivered.
There’s a very good chance that if your boards are delivered during a damp or rainy day, these will absorb moisture. Similarly, if floors are installed under these conditions, you can expect some shrinking and cracking within a few months after installation.

Check if plastering and painting have been completed.
Moisture evaporates from damp walls straight into the air inside the house, and some of this will definitely be absorbed by the wood floor. Do not have your floors delivered until after paint is completely dry.

Check the ambient humidity at the jobsite.
In many cases, installation will be done when the occupants of the house are away and when heating or cooling is turned off. This results in a differential humidity level than when occupants of the house are at home and the heater or air conditioner is turned on. The goal of acclimatizing floors is to let it adjust to normal living conditions; hence, you should make the necessary adjustments.

Stack flooring boxes in proper fashion to allow for best acclimation
When boxes of flooring are stacked properly this will allow for even acclimation across each plank to the environment of the room where it is to be installed. Stack the boxes in a Lincoln log like fashion where each box has minimal contact with boxes in the upper and lower rows. This will allow for maximum air floor around the boxes and even acclimation of your floor. Although it is usually not necessary to open the boxes, you can open them to help this process.

Inspection

Inspection is critical to ensure damaged or defective pieces of flooring are not installed. Your first inspection should occur when your floor is picked up from a store or delivered to your home. Ensure there is no damage to the outside of the cartons. As long as there is no visible damage to the boxes, it is likely there is no damage to the flooring inside as well.

After acclimation, inspect each plank of flooring and ensure to look for the following:

Damaged Planks
This can include splits, cracks, dents or problems in the finish of the floor such as spotting, flaking, bubbling or blotches.

Warped or Mis-milled Planks
Make sure that your planks are not warped (such as bowing or twisting) and ensure the milling is proper. Make sure the plank has square edges and that the tongue and groove or locking mechanism is properly sized and undamaged.

Subfloor Prep
This is key to ensuring your installation goes smoothly. The basic rule is to ensure that your subfloor is clean, flat and dry.

Ensure your subfloor is flat
This will involve getting out a level and checking to ensure your floor is level. If you subfloor's height changes 1/4" or more over 20ft you should look into using a self leveling compound to level your subfloor out.

Make sure your subfloor is clean
Remove left over staples, nails or remnants of previous flooring. Also make sure to remove over spray or splatters from drywall mud and paint. Sweep up dust and dirt after removing everything to ensure your floor is clean. Avoid washing your floor and do NOT leave any moisture on the subfloor before installation.

Rack out your floor
This process involves laying out your floor to arrange boards and prepare for cuts visually. This also will allow you to arrange flooring boards to get an even look and mix grains of planks to get a desired visual appearance.

Measuring
Although you will have already measured your floor to determine how much flooring you needed, you will also want to remeasure to determine cuts and how you will layout your floor. Important measurements include the cut pieces, near corners or vents and through doorways. Take your time with measurements and ensure to double check before making any cuts. Most of this measuring will be done during the subfloor prep process.

Up for December in our line of editorials will be a bit of information on reasons why problems occur in a finish. From spots and dull or milky appearances to problems like fish-eye shaped bubbles and flaking, most problems in finish occur from one of a few reasons.

Several factors can cause a finish to go awry. Here are the most prevalent reasons why finish issues occur: old or poor quality finish, proper sanding and buffing is not done, finish dries too quickly, or the finish used does not work well with the wood. We'll go over each of these to explain what occurs and how to avoid it.

Old or Poor Quality Finish
This can be a major factor in problems with finish. Typically, older or poor quality finishes will flake and peel or cause a spotty finish when applied. Some finishers will try to save a few bucks by mixing finish used on a previous job with new finish acquired for the job they are on, this tends to cause major problems. Others will buy lesser quality finishes in order to save a few bucks on materials, expecting to get good results. This can also lead to disaster with certain species of wood. The best way to avoid this is simple, make sure you check what type of finish is being used and ensure each can is purchased brand new and no pre-opened cans are used.

Improper Sanding and Buffing
Typically this is a DIY mistake, but anyone can make it. When installing and finishing a site finished floor there is a specific process that must be done to ensure the finish adheres properly. Wen this process is not done, you will encounter everything from a dull, milky finish to bubbles and flaking.

First you will need to sand the floor itself, this will rough up the floor lightly so that the initial sealer and layer of finish can adhere. Now you will need to lightly buff the layer of finish, this will rough it up a bit and allow the next layer of finish applied to adhere. Continue to buff between each layer of finish you intend to apply so that the following layer will adhere. Typically this process uses 260+ grit sand paper, but consult your finish's manufacturer for specifics. Also keep in mind that several thin layers of finish are much better than fewer thick coats.

Finish Drying Too Fast
When a finish dries to fast it will not cure properly, which tends to lead to uneven appearances in your finish or peeling and flaking. This tends to happen when there are too many windows along the are to be finished or the home is too warm while the finishing is being done. Easy fix here is to read the finish's suggestions for room temperature and to cover any windows to prevent excess light from coming into the room while the finish is applied and dries.

Finish Does Not Work With Wood
Sometimes, the finish used will not adhere to the wood being used. This normally occurs because the finish is a poorer quality or is old, but the reason why adherence is a problem is that some types of wood have more oils in them. Most finishes are water based, and as we know, water and oil do not mix.

This tip comes from Ryan W. who is iFLOOR's VP of Products. Certain species of wood, typically exotics, have more oils in them and tend to require higher quality finishes to ensure no problems occur. As a general rule, wood which is more photo sensitive and most exotics species are oily, and careful finish selection should be observed before finishing begins. Most domestic species, such as Oak and Maple, don't have this issue, but several of the popular species like Brazilian Cherry, which has a great color and gets a beautiful deep red tone over time, fall into this category.

Summary
When a site finish is going to be applied to your floor, you can get quite a beautiful and customer look to it, but there are several reasons why the finish can go awry, turning your project from dream to nightmare. Make sure to take your time and invest in a high quality finish. That's right, I said invest. In the end, your floor is an investment into your home's value and beauty, so make sure you treat it as such.

Great finishes to look at would be finishes along the lines of Bona Traffic or Glitsa Infinity II. There are many great finishes on the market, but these are two of the best. Also, ensure you follow the instructions from your finish's manufacturer to make sure everything goes smoothly.

Welcome to the New Year folks! Flooring, much like many other industries, sees new releases, products and even innovations each year. Much like cars, the new models begin rolling off the lines and for our first editorial of 2008 I wanted to address a common problem I deal with which revolves around the release of new floors - discontinued product.

With each year new floors are released, which means over time certain collections of flooring are inevitably discontinued. We get daily calls from folks looking for a product which has been discontinued. Whether because a plank or two was damaged or because they want to extend that floor into a new area, there is always that hope for a bit of light at the end of the tunnel.

The biggest dilemma with discontinued or soon to be discontinued items is that your average flooring retailer (and even the nation wide folks like iFLOOR) are never told when an item is going to be discontinued until all of the stock of that item is gone. Its terrible to think that flooring specialists won't know such vital information until it is too late, but unfortunately it happens.

Throughout the year, manufacturers will choose which collections they are going to improve, replace or discontinue. Typically, as new changes in the industry occur (which is every year) certain collections become out dated and its time for an improvement. A good example here is QuickStep's Eligna (which replaced the Uniclic Long Plank almost 2 years ago).

All the new floors get their first bit of exposure at a massive expo called Surfaces. All the names in the industry show up to show off all of their new lines of flooring and the new innovations in the industry.

The moral of the story here is simple: when your purchase a new floor, don't be afraid to pick up some spare flooring especially with laminate or engineered flooring with a locking mechanism. These floors see revisions and changes more often. Should an accident occur which would call for replacing portions of a floor, you will have a small stock ready to fill your needs.

Even when you see the same product collection and color name available after a few years, there may have been a small redesign in the milling which makes it different enough to not match up precisely with your existing floor.

In the case where you need to replace existing flooring that is discontinued there are a few routes you can try, but as I have told several folks in the past, they're long shots. First, look into local retailers which actively stock that particular manufacturer's product. If this turns up as a dead end, look into places like Ebay or Craigslist. Sometimes folks who buy too much additional product will sell it later on via sites like this. If you find another dead end here, you can try to find similar products which will coordinate the floor, but keep in mind you can never truly match two different floors.

End all lesson here is try to pick up additional flooring when you first purchase it, this can save you a world of headaches in the future should an accident happen.

For this month's editorial I'd like to go into a bit of depth about flooring for bathrooms. As we get closer and closer to the start of the remodeling season, folks will be looking into what sprucing up they can do around the home. One of the most common questions I get has to do with flooring bathrooms, so let's dig in a bit here and go into viable choices.

As with any floor, you will first need to go over what performance and expectations you have for your floor. If you have children, especially younger children, you will want to consider different floors than for a home with only adults. With bathrooms, the biggest concern you are going to run into is moisture. As I have mentioned many times wood and water do NOT mix; however, it is not impossible to make a wood floor succeed in a bathroom or similar higher moisture places.

I borrowed this great photo from Steve's blog. Below is a bathroom done with Tigerwood out in the Magnolia area of Seattle, WA. This particular home was amongst a small group done by my good friend Gene D., iFLOOR's commercial contract manager.

Step One
Determine what you will expect your floor to do and the type of traffic and moisture potential for the bathroom.

If you have younger children, intend to take very hot showers (lots of water vapor in the air), or tend to leave wet towels/clothing on the floor you will want to look into flooring which is more resilient when it comes to moisture.

If your home is one with adults or older children and you expect little to no water to be on the floor and intend to use proper mats near showers/baths to protect the floor, you have more options.

Step Two
Determine your flooring options and the pros and cons of each.

Stone or Tile
Stone and tile are the most resilient floors you can get. Stone and tile not only can take abuse, but are virtually impervious to problems from moisture. The down side you get with stone is that it is usually cold under foot and not as comfortable feeling as other flooring types.

Hardwood and Bamboo Flooring
Hardwood flooring's natural beauty and elegance make it one of the most popular flooring choices available. With wood flooring the choices are seemingly endless. The downside to wood flooring is that it is susceptible to moisture damage and is less resistant to scratching and denting although this is based on the species of wood used.

Laminate Flooring
Although still in the wood flooring category, laminate is a step above traditional hardwood floors when it comes to abrasion resistance and moisture resistance. Although more resilient than most traditional wood floors, Laminate is still made from a wood fiberboard core and is thus susceptible to damage from excessive moisture.

Cork Flooring
Cork flooring has a few advantages over the rest of the wood flooring genre, especially when it comes to a bathroom. Cork is a naturally water resistant product, hence why we use it for bottle stoppers. Much like wood, cork can have problems when excessive amounts of water get on the floor or standing water is left on the floor. Another big benefit to cork is that it is a natural insulator, which means that the floor will remain a bit warmer than most other floors, typically staying at the same temperature as the room it is in. A final perk to cork is that it is naturally softer than other hard surface floors, which means it feels great under your feet, but unlike other wood floors, cork is naturally dent resistant. Cork has a feature known as memory, so when cork is dented it slowly will push out these dents as it tries to return to its natural state (essentially remembering how it is supposed to be). The downside to cork in this case is that it is susceptible to gouging much like vinyl, so avoid dragging heavy items over the top of a cork floor as this can dig in and gouge the floor.

Vinyl
Much like stone and tile, vinyl is virtually impervious to water and is fairly resilient, which makes it a common choice for high moisture areas. Nowadays vinyl comes in various appearances including some very nice looking wood plank appearances. The only downsides you will get with vinyl is that, much like stone/tile, will be fairly cold under foot. Also, much like cork, vinyl is susceptible to gouging when heavier objects are dragged over vinyl without using casters or furniture movers.

Step Three
Choose your floor based on performance and its qualities.

If you are unsure here, I would suggest looking into Vinyl or Stone/Tile as these are the most resilient options when it comes to high moisture potential areas. If you won''t be encountering kids having cannonball contests in the bath and a likeliness for wet clothing or towels to be sitting on your floor, looking into wood flooring types is an option.

Step Four
Choose your installation type and install your floor.

In the case of stone and tile or vinyl, you have specific installations that must be done. In the case of stone, one thing to keep in mind when laying your thinset mortar that if you are installing over concrete, use a uncoupling membrane to ensure that you will not have issues with the stone or tile cracking.

With wood floors, look into a glue down application when the product allows for this type of installation as it can give you a bit more moisture sealing. In the case of floating floors, look into putting a bit of tongue and groove glue into the locking mechanism in order to add a small bit of moisture protection into the joints.

Final Notes
When working on your bathroom, keep in mind that the biggest problem you will encounter is standing water getting on the floor, especially with wood flooring. Being able to prevent standing water or high amounts of water vapor in the air will vastly increase your flooring options as well as the longevity of the floor in your bathroom. Use proper mats near bath tubs and showers to prevent standing water from getting onto the floor. Do not leave wet clothing or towels on the floor and clean up any spills ASAP. Around toilets, use a bit of silicone caulking or something similar to add a bit of moisture seal around the edges of your floor.

Here is another great image I borrowed from Steve's blog. Again we are looking at a home finished by Gene D. in the Magnolia area of Seattle, WA. Here you can see the bathroom done in natural Slate tiles.

As we get closer to the DIY season for home improvements, I wanted to go a bit in depth on what products and preparation is necessary to put hard surface flooring over a concrete subfloor.

Product Choices
Having a concrete subfloor does limit the choices you will have for flooring, but there is still a great range of different floors you can put down over concrete.

The best rule here for wood floors is that if it can be installed as a floating floor, than it can be installed over concrete. There are also some floors which can be glued over concrete much as stone and tile floors can be installed over concrete.

Hardwood
Hardwood floor choices to be installed over concrete are typically engineered floors, most of which can be floated. You can also look into engineered or 5/16" solid floors which can be installed as glue down floors. 3/4" solid wood floors should NOT be installed over concrete.

Laminate, Bamboo and Cork
For laminate, bamboo and cork all can be installed over concrete, but I suggest looking into the floating choices from these categories as they are far easier to install.

Stone and Tile
Stone and tile can be a great choice to put over concrete subfloors, but a few things should be kept in mind. When installing over concrete it is highly suggested to use an uncoupling layer as this will prevent the tile/stone from getting cracked over time. The reason behind this is that an uncoupling layer absorbs in plane movement as concrete expands and contracts. Without this layer the thinset mortar which holds the tile in place which does not move with the concrete absorbs this movement and cracks occur in the mortar and tile as concrete moves and the tile does not.

Other Flooring Options
There are a few other options out there such as carpet, vinyl and leather tile, and a few select others, but each these flooring types is suited to be laid basically anywhere and there is rarely any installation method which can not be done (most of them are all glued in place).

Subfloor Preparation
Concrete can be very tricky as it is never truly flat, but it is key to make it as flat as possible, so checking how level the floor is and ensuring cracks, and variations in height are taken care of. This is especially true for glue down floors, as variations in subfloor height will telegraph through the floor. Floating floors on the other hand can typically mask variations up to 1/16" over a span of 8 feet or so, but anything beyond this should have measures taken to level out the subfloor.

Check the moisture level of the subfloor, which should not be higher than 8% moisture content, then you will want to clean the concrete and allow it to dry. Once your concrete is fully dry, do any leveling work necessary, such as grinding down high spots or using a self leveling compound for low spots or filling cracks. Allow any leveling compounds plenty of time to cure and use a concrete sealer if there was more than 8% moisture content in the subfloor.

Installation
Typically when installing over concrete there are only two methods of installation: floating or glue down (you can essentially include using mortar with glue down). Floating installations will be your best bet here as they are far easier to do. When installing a floating floor, ensure that you use a moisture barrier. I would suggest avoiding glue down when possible as they are not only messy, but they are the most likely installation to fail if not done by a professional.

Final Tips
One of the most important parts of the process of installing over concrete is the prep stage and ensuring that your subfloor is ready for installation. The key to any installation is patience and the old saying of measure twice then cut once.

For our editorial this month, I would like to go into depth about a very common misconception when it comes to shopping for flooring. Before we get rolling, I'd like to give some Kudos to Bryan over on our Marketing team for the idea on this article. Bryan mentioned that a friend of his whom recently purchased flooring mentioned "we prefer to buy quality wood floor, you know, the thick stuff." This led to a short conversation between Bryan and I, which has led to April's flooring lesson.

The concept that a thicker floor is a better floor is very common and a majority of the time is very wrong. The basic thought process, which I used to have before getting into the flooring industry, is that a thicker floor means there is more wood, so it must be stronger and higher quality. Let's dig into why this thought is wrong and what thickness actually means for a floor.

Hardwood:

Durability is usually what thicker floors are attributed to having, but a 3/4" solid red oak floor can have the same durability as a 5/16" solid red oak floor. When it comes hardwood floors, durability comes from two very important factors: finish and species.

Dent Resistance

The species of wood the flooring is made from is critical in getting an idea for the dent resistance a floor will have. Each species of wood has a measure hardness rating which stems from the Janka Hardness test (also called Janka rating). The Janka test determines the pounds of pressure required to push a steel ball into the wood so that half of the ball's diameter is buried in the wood. Red Oak, which is a standard in flooring has a Janka rating of 1360, anything under this rating is typically considered a "soft" wood. Regardless of how thick the wood is, it will still have the same hardness and therefore the same dent resistance.

Abrasion Resistance

Finish also plays a major roll in a floor's durability, most importantly abrasion resistance. Seeing a scratch in a brand new floor can be a real pain and depending on the finish used on your floor, you will be able to gauge just how resistant your floor is to abrasion. In the flooring industry there are many types of finish and a myriad of different formulas for each type, so without going to in depth and boring you with details about each formula and why its so great, let's cover the basics. Multiple thin coats of finish will be much better than few thick coats. Certain finishes are far stronger than others. One of the toughest parts of finish in the flooring industry is aluminum oxide. Aluminum oxide is one of the hardest compounds on earth and many urethane finishes have aluminum oxide added to prevent abrasion. The higher the aluminum oxide content, the more of a matte or low gloss appearance you will have. Acrylic finishes are also very tough and along side the aluminum oxide finishes they provide the best abrasion resistance on average.

The other portion of this misconception is that a thicker floors means it is higher quality. The quality of a floor comes down to a few key factors: milling, wood grade, and finish.

Wood grade is the first major factor as this will determine how the flooring looks, how sound it is, and how it will begin the process before being milled and finished. Wood flooring has many grades from very uniform, high grade looks to more rustic or character grades. Here is a basic overview of the grades, but keep in mind there are a few degrees left out as it becomes a matter of smaller details. Clear grade flooring is the top tier typically found in flooring. Clear grade is very uniform in wood grain and coloring and is typically free of the character parts of wood such as knots and mineral streaks. Select or Select and Better is a very good grade of flooring and is more common in most domestic species of wood (such as oak or maple). These grades have a bit more grain variation and some color variation, but is still typically free of most knots and other characters of wood floors. The next tier down would be common grades (typically #1 and #2). These are grades of wood with much more character such as sound knots, mineral streaks, shade and grain variation and the occasional worm hole. These grades are great for getting a bit more visual appeal in your floor and a less uniform appearance. Many times floors which are referred to as rustic grade are made from common grades of wood. The final tier would be cabin or tavern grade flooring. This grade will have tons of character, including worm holes, unsound knots (typically ones which are removed or filled with putty), strong mineral streaking and various other character marks.

The milling is very key here as this will determine how well the flooring as a finished product is. Including in milling is the process of selecting planks, checking for errors and the level of engineering involved in making the wood. Some manufacturers have very high-tech facilities to mill their products, which results in very low rates of defect and easier installation. Greater milling also ensure more uniformity in the product being built.

The final portion here is the finish. High quality floors have very good finishes applied to them, as this not only increases durability, but also can give the floor certain desired appearances which usually are matters of gloss level.

The only scenario in which thicker is better becomes truthful is the wear layer of a flooring when discussing refinishing. Thicker wear layers allow for more potential refinishes should they be necessary.

Engineered Wood Floors

Engineered floors also defy this conception as they are typically much thinner, but due to the technology involved in making them, they are far more stable and resilient than solid wood floors. Engineered floors have a wear layer made from the species of wood desired and are laminated to a cross-ply substrate made of a less expensive wood (typically poplar) which helps to reduce expansion and contraction as well as increase dent resistance some as the cross plies help to absorb shock. There are also various other benefits to engineered floors, but they fall in line with my previous mentions where matters of milling and finish determine quality.

History
3/4" solid wood flooring has been around since it was hand-sawn and sculpted since the 1300s. This tradition has been kept on mostly for sake of tradition and because it has been a standard for so long.

The change to this traditional aspect of flooring came in Versailles, France in 1684 when parquet flooring was introduced. Parquet, a wood working mosaic, was cut thinner than the 3/4" standard in order to produce it more effectively.

Since then advancements in milling technology have allowed for various thicknesses of flooring to be produced, including the more recent use of 5/16" solid hardwood flooring which was brought about in the 1970s in part to work with homes which were typically built with vinyl and carpet. This allowed wood flooring to be easily installed without a need to raise cabinetry and trims while still getting the wood floor look of home made in the 30s and 40s. With this change in thickness, planks were made in short widths to make the product more dimensionally stable and as an unintended, but rather nice product of these changes it made 5/16" solid flooring suitable for glue down applications over concrete which 3/4" solid can not do.

Summary

As you can see, thicker is better is a misconception which is for the most part incorrect when talking about flooring. Durability and Quality of flooring is not determined by the thickness of the floor, but rather by the species and grade of wood, milling and finish. Advances in technology and engineering have also led to many changes in how we determine quality in flooring.

For May's editorial we're going to go into a bit of depth about refinishing floors. As the DIY season is coming around, many people will look into various remodel projects and other ways to spruce up their home. Many times, giving the current hardwood floor a face lift is a great way to freshen up a room.

Refinish or Re-screen?
Before beginning a refinishing project, it is important to know whether or not your floor needs to be refinished or re-screened. Re-screening is a process which involves removing the top layer of finish, and then applying new layers of finish over the top of the remaining finish coats. Typically most floors which receive any work only need a re-screening, as a majority of scratches or surfaces marks are only in the finish and have not damaged the wood itself.

In the case where gouges have occurred, or very deep dents which have effected the wood, then this is a more likely candidate for an actual refinish job. You may also decide to refinish a floor if you wish to change or remove the stain currently on your floor.

It is important to note that most pre-finished floors have between 5 and 8 coats of finish on them normally, this means that once you refinish them, you will never have a finish layer that is quite as long standing as the initial finish, as most site applied finishes are 2-3 coats. Also, most pre-finished floor warranties will be void as soon as you refinish or re-screen them, so keep this in mind before deciding to proceed with any refinish or re-screen work.

Re-screening Process
Re-screening a floor is far more simple than the refinish process. You will need to buff the floor using a 220 grit sand paper or screen to abrade the surface of the finish enough to allow for new finish to adhere to the floor. Before you begin buffing, it is highly advised to rub two piece of sand paper against each other to slightly dull them before going to work on your floor, this will help prevent swirls in the finish, layer. Using a buffing machine with 220 grit screens are heavily suggested here. Once you have finished abrading the floor, you will then want to ensure all dust is cleaned up. Any debris or dust left on the floor can cause major problems with the finish when it is applied.

Remember, it is best to apply multiple thin coats of finish, lightly buffing between each coat rather than a few thick coats of finish. If your previous finish is an aluminum oxide finish it can be very difficult to adhere new finis to the aluminum oxide - so use a product like Bona Prep and any adhesion worries should be eliminated.

Refinish Process
Refinishing is a bit more work than re-screening, but the methodology is the same. You will want to rent a floor sander and get a good range of screens, typically 36 or 40 grit, 60 grit, 80 grit and 100 or 120 grit. Most refinish jobs will only use 3 screens, but if you want to be a bit more thorough, use the 4 listed.

Before you begin sanding make sure to mask off all of the door ways (painters plastic or visqueen taped up along all door ways to corridors or other rooms). Turn off any heating or air conditioning circulation systems to prevent dust from getting pushed throughout the house. Also ensure you wear proper eye protection and a dust mask or respirator. Sanding a floor will produce a lot of dust and you do not want to breath this in nor have clean it out of other rooms. At this point lightly use the sand paper/screens against each other or some concrete, much like you do for screening, before you begin sanding.

Start by attaching the 40 grit screen to your floor sander (typically a drum sander) then evenly sand your floor. Make sure that you are not moving cross-grain with your flooring as this can mar the floor. Always keep the sander moving while it is active to prevent swirl marks from occurring. Once you have sanded the entire floor, make sure to use an edger if your sander can not cover the edges of the floor, then vacuum up any remainder dust, then move up to the next screen (60 or 80) and repeat your sanding and vacuuming process. Once you have finished with this screen, simply repeat the process until you have used your final screen, which is either 100 or 120 grit. If you are going for a natural finish, finish with 100 grit, if you are going to apply a stain to your floor, use 120 grit be fore applying the stain.

Once this is finished, apply sealant and stain if you plan on staining the floor, then apply your first coat of finish. Allow the finish to cure per its instructions then buff with a 220 grit screen. Buffing helps to lightly abrade the finish so that the subsequent layer of finish can properly adhere, preventing flaking and dulled or milky looking finishes. After buffing, apply the next layer of finish and repeat the process until you have applied all of your finish coats. Do not buff the final layer of finish.

June's editorial will go over a few tips for the DIY folks out there as we get into the swing of the DIY season. New flooring is a very common DIY project that can be a great investment for increasing your home's value, but small oversights can turn into huge nightmares when it comes to wood flooring. Let's go over a DIY check list to help get that new floor in right.

Preparation
Preparing for the project ahead is crucial. Countless floors have gone from good idea to nightmare project because preparation was not done. Prep for your floor is more than just the actual work to prepare a new room - it is also the research time to find the right floor for your project.

Determining what floor is best is typically a matter of spending some time speaking with flooring professionals or simply reading on the internet, such as this blog here. Some basic questions to answer which will help you narrow down your search:

What type of subfloor will you be installing over?
This will determine what floors you can install and what installation method you can do.

What level of traffic will this floor see?
Higher traffic areas like a kitchen need tougher floors than low traffic areas like a bedroom.

Will this room have heavier furniture, such as cabinets, in it?
This will help determine what format of installation you should look into.

Beyond these questions, once you have chosen a floor, its important to go through the proper measures to prepare your subfloor and flooring. Acclimation and Moisture testing is critical, if your floor and subfloor's moisture content is not within 4% of each other you are ensuring future failure. Also ensure your subfloor is level - this means FLAT. If that subfloor is not flat, make sure it is before you install your flooring, otherwise you are likely to get some noise and warping.

Installation
Although I will not go in depth with the actual installation process, I will go over some basic principles which will help make your floor project a success.

Measure twice, cut once - if this isn't a mantra you have already from other DIY projects, learn it now. With flooring, making sure your cut carefully and measure well is big when it comes to limiting the amount of waste from your installation. This includes taking time to dry fit or rack out your floor to plan out your staggering and cuts early. While dry racking, pull from multiple boxes of flooring to help ensure variance in shade and grain patterns.

Snap chalk lines and use them to ensure your floor remains straight. Snap chalk lines roughly 18" away from your starter wall, then every 18" from that initial chalk line. This amount will vary based on plank width, but try to have chalk lines for every 3-5 rows of flooring, wider planks you should go for less rows, strip style flooring may require 7-10 rows between each line. This goes hand-in-hand with measure twice, cut once.

Patience is key during installation. Take your time, ensure each plank is snugly fit and that your expansion gaps are in place. Also, make sure you have a stagger pattern going with your floor, with at least 8" between joints.

Although each installation has its own quirks, but if you follow this basic practice of preparation and patience during installation you will minimize any chance of your new floor failing. Also, make sure you have all of the right tools and again, measure twice, cut once.

As we get into the height of warm weather, DIY projects and various home make-overs, I'd like to go over outdoor flooring options for decks, patios and similar applications. As spring and summer roll around it is very common for questions about what product to use for a patio/deck/etc come in to the iFLOOR staff here - so let's dig in and go over good solutions.

First and foremost, indoor flooring is NOT suitable for an outdoor environment. Simply put, wood flooring and even some vinyl, tile, linoleum and similar products are not designed to handle the shifts in temperature found outdoors nor deal with the shifts and exposure to moisture. This is especially true with wood flooring. Unlike other products which are suitable for outdoor applications, typical wood flooring is not treated to handle the moisture and climate changes of the great outdoors.

If you plan on doing a project outside which involves flooring, like patios, then you need look into a product which is designed for this environment. Decking or stone tends be very common so let's look into these options.

Wood Decking

We all know it and it is the best outdoor wood solution out there. Nowadays you can get more than just the old long plank look from decking, companies like Vifah make snap together decking products which come in parquet styles and plank set ups to vary your appearance. Also, many companies make a variety of different species, but softwood species like cedar, pine, and others still remain very popular. If you want to have a wood floor outdoors, use decking material - not only is it easier to get, but it also is a bit less hassle than finding another product and ensuring it gets the proper treatment to withstand the outdoors.

Outdoor Stone/Tile

Stone has always been a popular choice for out doors. From stepping stones to a simple concrete patio, stone products are, simply put, the best resilient option out there. Stone and tile are great options for outdoor patios or various other outdoor applications because they are virtually impervious to moisture and climate shifts.

Another option would be to use patterned concrete. Patterned concrete or stamped concrete now comes in many different patterns, colors and appearances that simulate the look actually stone tile patterns or even cobblestone style looks.

Outdoor Carpet

Carpet is one of the largest selling and most widely used flooring options out there, so why not make it for the outdoors as well? Outdoor carpet has several great applications such as screened-in porches, lounge areas besides pools and many others. Outdoor carpet is a great option for bringing a warm, comfortable look to the outdoors as well as some comfort under foot. Outdoor carpet also comes in a myriad of colors and patterns so you can achieve virtually any look. The only issue you may run into with outdoor carpet is resiliency. Although its built for the outdoors, the weather will take its toll and unlike stone and most wood decking, outdoor carpet will eventually need replacing.

There are other options out there including types of vinyl, rubber and composite floors. Although not as commonly seen, these are still great options and provide a myriad of looks.

My ending advice here is simply to reinforce that flooring meant for indoor applications is not suitable for outdoor environments. Make sure that the product you select for your outdoor floor is meant for this application. Whether its stone, decking, outdoor carpet or other options, ensure you install a floor which is treated and built for outdoor applications. Also, make sure proper expansion room is left for those needing it. Decking typically needs a good 1/4" or so between planks and stone typically needs about 3/8" or so for grout lines to ensure that the surface is properly set and can shift throughout the seasons.

For our August edition editorial here on the Ask the Expert blog, I wanted to break down and discuss AC ratings for laminate floors. AC or Abrasion Class ratings are a way for folks to determine cost versus durability of laminate floors.

So, before we determine what each rating means, let's know what the AC rating tests. The abrasion testing done ranges from resistance to burning, scratching, impact, chair casters, furniture legs and more. Basically any type of common abuse the laminate floor would see in a variety of applications from basic homes to commercial applications. Once all of the data is compiled, each line of laminate is assigned a rating of 1 through 5.

AC1 - the lowest tier of laminate floors, these floors are built to resist minimal residential traffic and are typically very inexpensive. AC1 laminate flooring is suitable for low traffic rooms such as bedrooms or other rooms in a home where traffic is light.

AC2 - suitable for lower traffic residential areas such as living and dining rooms. These areas receive some traffic in a home, but are not the rooms which will see the most abuse.

AC3 - these floors can be applied to a more varied area such has small offices, kitchens, recreation rooms or even very light commercial settings such as small office buildings. These floors are also much better at resisting the scratches from pets due to their stronger finishes.

AC4 - built for light to medium commercial applications, these floors are the beginning of commercial grade laminate. Suitable for busier offices, boutiques, restaurants and similar locations, these floors also are great in homes with multiple pets or children.

AC5 - the highest tier of laminate, these floors are suited for higher traffic commercial applications such as department stores, hotels, public buildings and similar areas where much higher amounts of traffic move through. These also see some residential applications for people who want the highest quality laminate floors or wish to ensure they have a floor which is as abuse resistant as possible.

Most quality laminate these days is typically at least AC3, and very few floors below this rating resist common abrasion very well and usually require fairly stringent cleaning schedules to ensure minimal abrasion possibility. I tend to recommend AC3 rated laminate at a very minimum simply from a durability stand point, but some times it necessary to get a laminate floor which is more budget friendly. Often, laminate is far more abrasion resistant than other forms of wood flooring, but keep in mind that the highest quality finishes applied to some hardwood floors will perform akin to AC3 and AC4 laminate - so not all laminate is tougher than traditional hardwood floors.