FLOORED BY WOOD
Other Columnists
When it comes to floors, nothing's as good as wood.
Just ask Lynn Luttenberger, who last year covered 1,100 square feet of her
West Islip Colonial with red oak flooring. After 20 years in the same home,
Luttenberger was adding on a great room and a master bedroom. For her floors,
she wanted a combination of elegance and durability.
"I just had to have wood," Luttenberger says. "It really is an eye-catcher.
When people see it, their reaction is: 'It's gorgeous.'"
Like Luttenberger, lots of Americans are pining for wood flooring. Since
2001, according to the National Association of Home Builders, about 11 percent
of the flooring in new homes is solid wood or engineered wood, which is a real
wood product. This past spring, American manufacturers shipped nearly 57
million board feet of wood flooring, almost a 6 percent increase from the
spring of 2004, according to the Wood Flooring Manufacturers Association.
This steady consumer demand for wood in display areas of the home - living
rooms, great rooms, dens and formal dining rooms - can be explained by wood's
many virtues. It's durable and can be refinished. It adds warmth and never goes
out of style. It can be the focal point of a room or play a supporting role
under an expensive area rug and cozy family room furniture. Plus, it adds
resale value to just about any home.
On Long Island, wood is ingrained in our remodeling and purchasing psyche.
"Over the last three to five years, I guess business is up about 10 to 15
percent each year," says Bob Galeano, owner of Imperial Flooring in Holbrook.
Galeano's flooring career spans 35 years, and his company supplies, installs
and repairs wood floors for builders, contractors and homeowners. He says oak
flooring makes up nearly 80 percent of his sales. Nationally, oak flooring
accounts for about 70 percent of the wood floor market, says Timm Locke,
executive vice president of the Wood Flooring Manufacturers Association, a
Memphis-based trade group.
"We're also seeing more demand for species like walnut, hickory or pecan,
cherry and maple," he says. "And people want wider flooring; planks 4 and 5
inches wide.... People want wood, but they're starting to say they don't
necessarily want the oak floor their neighbor has."
Locke and other experts say homeowners can be easily confused because there
are more exotic imported woods such as Brazilian cherry, bamboo and Santos
mahogany on the market. And because of the growing popularity of
factory-finished products and a new wave of engineered floors - not to mention
the do-it-yourself craze - more and more homeowners are choosing to install
their own floors.
Problems may arise, Locke says, because, unlike profucts of many American
hardwood manufacturers, imported exotic woods do not adhere to industry
standards. To help consumers compare grain patterns and flaws in various
species, the Wood Flooring Manufacturers Association has grading rules for
hardwood flooring - clear being the most pure and, of course, the most
expensive, followed by select, No. 1 common and No. 2 common.
Factory-finished floors do not always have the glassy-smooth look of an
unfinished floor that has been coated and sanded and hand-pampered by
professionals at the job site. And these floors have bevels in the ends and
along the sides, often to make up for flaws in subfloors and installer
inexperience. This means that when the floors fit together tongue-and-groove,
the bevels can give it an uneven appearance.
Research and education are important steps to a successful wood-flooring
purchase, says Galeano. "People need to shop around. ... They should take their
time. The floor is probably going to last 100 years."
Locke says visiting trade association Web sites and understanding the
differences in species and grades is crucial. "If people don't do a little
research, they think they're buying one thing but it's not what they want when
they get it home."
That did not happen to Luttenberger. She knew exactly what she wanted. As a
manager at Island Kitchens & Bath in Patchogue, she was knowledgeable about
wood cabinetry and the different grades and species of wood.
She picked a select grade of red oak with some discoloration and a few
character marks. The flooring was finished by an installer and cost about
$10,000. "I knew the common grades were more like builders' grades," she says,
"and that with the select grade I was able to get a more uniform color
throughout."
Some homeowners want more than just a good grade - they want a special
look. Jack and Lou McQuade live in a cottage in Bayport that was built in 1919.
With their five children grown and gone, the McQuades began remodeling the
house they bought in 1974 little by little. When it came to the floors in their
eat-in kitchen, they knew they wanted a distressed look - something that would
suit the rustic history of the place. So they picked pine salvaged from 19th
century sheds used to dry tobacco.
The 5-inch planks they settled on have a polyurethane finish and are dotted
with lots of character marks - like nail holes from the wood's days as a barn
floor. And they stand up to the McQuades' six grandchildren. All told, the
couple spent about $6,000 for nearly 400 square feet, including installation
and finishing.
"I was a little leery about a wood floor in the kitchen," he says. "It was
a durability issue. But it's great. It gives us the look we want. It's pretty
easy to clean. And it doesn't show the dirt. What's not to like?"
INSTALLATION
The availability and popularity of factory-finished and engineered wood
flooring during the past decade has enabled more homeowners to install their
own wood floors.
For example, some engineered floors are glued into place, others include their
own adhesive backing and some are "floating floors" that require no adhesive.
Still, in many cases, putting in wood flooring might be a project best left to
a professional.
That's because skill and the proper tools are required to install solid wood
flooring, whether factory-finished or unfinished. Specific nailing patterns
might be needed, which could require the use of a flooring nailer and mallet or
a pneumatic nailer. Preparing or putting down a new subfloor might be
necessary as well as some tricky cuts with a power saw.
Also, many wood floors must "rest" inside the house for several days before
being installed. This is so the flooring can acclimate to the humidity and
temperature of its new home.
Before installation, contractors usually test the wood for moisture content.
"Ideally, you want a moisture content between 6 percent and 8 percent at
installation," said Lenny Mackey, who, as owner of LP Hardwood Flooring in East
Moriches, has been putting down wood floors for 22 years.
Handy homeowners who can read directions and operate both hand and power tools
should have few problems. Remember, however, that wood floors can expand and
contract because of humidity and temperature. Experienced installers have some
tricks for laying tight-looking, squeak-resistant flooring. Most manufacturers
include specific installation instructions. If you still want to tackle the job
yourself, here are some Internet resources to guide you: NOFMA.org
InstallingWoodFloors.com WoodFloorsOnline.com Hardwood.org Woodfloors.org
- Gary Dymski
GRADING THE GRAINS
Not all wood flooring is created - or graded - equal.
The Wood Flooring Manufacturers Association has grading rules for comparing
like species. These cover unfinished hardwoods, including oak, beech, birch,
hard maple, hickory/pecan and ash as well as factory-finished oak. Most species
have at least three grades: clear, select and common. Oak, the most common
wood flooring, has four: clear, select, No. 1 common and No. 2 common. Clear
and select grades, often more expensive and desirable, have more uniform grain
patterns, fewer character markings, such
as knots and worm holes, and more consistent color.
Wood flooring graded by the association contains either a NOFMA emblem on the
bottom of the wood or an American Flooring Manufacturers Association label on
the packaging. More information on grades and wood flooring species can be
found at NOFMA.org.
Here's how the association differentiates between the four grades of unfinished
oak:
Clear oak: Mostly heartwood - the oldest, densest and hardest wood of a tree
that extends from the center of a log to the edge, or the sapwood - with a
minimum number of character marks (knots and milling imperfections) and
discoloration so it has a uniform appearance while allowing for natural color
variations.
Select oak: Natural heartwood and sapwood with color variations and slight
surface imperfections from milling as well as tight knots every 3 inches,
pin-worm holes, burls and a reasonable amount of open checks, which are
separations of the fiber along the grain.
No. 1 common oak: Prominent variations in color and characteristics, such as
flag-worm holes, heavy streaks and checks. Open character marks, such as checks
and knotholes, are present but must be sound, which means the wood must be
intact. Minor imperfections in machining are permitted. Extremely dark pieces
are not
included.
No. 2 common oak: May contain natural variations and manufacturing
imperfections as long as they're sound. This grade is for general residential
and utility use, and character marks and contrasting appearance are desired.
- Gary Dymski
BUYING TIPS
1. Research. Visit the Web site of a hardwood trade association and a few
manufacturers' sites. The National Wood Flooring Association (www.wood
floors.org) has a series of "Real Wood Floors" brochures for consumers. To
request free copies, e-mail info@nwfa.org, call 800-422-4556 or write
National Wood Flooring Association, 111 Chesterfield Industrial Blvd.,
Chesterfield, Mo. 63005.
2. Shop around. Not all wood floors, unfinished or factory finished, are the
same. There are differences in thicknesses ( 3/4 and 9/16 inch) as well as
finishes and installation procedures.
3. Know the difference. Factory-finished floors are solid wood that was
finished - stained or sealed - at a factory. Engineered floors are real wood
veneers with a plywood-like backing that can be either snapped or glued
together. They are suitable for installing on concrete. One of the most
important features of an engineered floor is the wear layer, or top layer. This
can range from 1/10 to 1/4 inch thick. A thicker wear layer usually means a
more expensive floor.
4. Beware. If you buy exotic or imported species, remember there is no sure way
to differentiate between grades.
5. Installation is crucial. An experienced and reputable installer makes a
difference. If price is a concern, save money on the grade - buy No. 1 common
instead of select - and spend more on installation. You'll probably end up with
a better-looking floor that doesn't squeak. - Gary Dymski
PRICING GUIDELINES
Solid-wood flooring comes in strips that measure 2 1/4 inches wide and 3 1/4
inches wide as well as in 3-inch-wide and 5-inch-wide planks. Try to buy
flooring that has more pieces that are 47 inches or longer in the bundling.
Longer pieces create a floor with fewer butt ends and a more uniform look.
The way solid flooring is sawed from the logs can affect appearance and price.
So-called plain-sawn flooring - also known as flat-sawn - has growth rings at
angles up to 45 degrees on the face side of the wood that give a swirled,
looped look. Quartersawn boards feature growth rings that run at angles between
45 and 90 degrees and offer a more linear grain pattern.
Moisture and temperature changes can affect the thickness of quartersawn
boards, so they tend not to shrink. Expect to pay as much as 50 percent more
for quartersawn wood flooring.
For installation, add about $2 to $3.50 a square foot. Prices for finishing can
run from $1.75 to $2 a square foot for clear coats. Add $1 a square for
staining.
Here is a guide to flooring prices. Prices are per square foot and cover only
materials. Remember, prices can vary, depending on the grade of the wood and
the manufacturer.
Unfinished select white oak: $2.69 to $3.50.
Unfinished select red oak: $2.79 to $3.50.
Unfinished maple: $3 to $6.
Unfinished cherry: $3.50 to $6.
Factory-finished oak: $3.79 to $6.
Factory-finished premium woods (maple, cherry): $6 to $8.
Factory-finished exotic woods (Brazilian cherry, teak, walnut): $8 to $11.
Engineered oak, maple and cherry: $5 to $7.
Engineered imports and exotic: $7 to $11. - Gary Dymski
