Factory Finish vs. Custom Sand & Finish on SiteBuying Tips for Hardwood Flooring

You should feel comfortable with either choice. However, factory finishing offers many nice advantages. Factory finished flooring is inspected for defects at the mill so you receive first choice every time. On-site finishing depends on the quality of the workmanship that day.

Factory finished flooring usually installs more quickly and without the dust and odors that are involved with on-site finishing. However, even though factory finished flooring comes in a variety of colors, on-site finishing allows for closer color match with existing woodwork or cabinets.

Both factory finishes and on-site finishes are available in either high gloss or matte. Both types have exciting new finishes developed with space age technology. These finishes are not like grandma’s old wood floors because they require no waxing.

Engineered products install where no solid hardwood dares to go
Prior to the development of engineered hardwood flooring, hardwood products could not be installed on slab or in your basement without a special subfloor system. Now you can enjoy real hardwood flooring in those areas without all that fuss and expense. A special cross-ply construction eliminates the problem of expansion and contraction usually associated with solid hardwood.

Don’t become overly concerned with thinner or thicker top wood layers associated with engineered products because it’s the finish you are walking on. Generally speaking you won’t need to re-sand and finish these products; just re-coat them unless you need to change the color.

Special considerations when selecting hardwood flooring
Direct sunlight can affect the color of hardwood stains, therefore closing curtains or shades during peak periods will reduce damage. Area rugs left in place for extended periods of time may expose a shading difference once they are removed from the remainder of the floor.

Large pets with sharp toenails can also damage even the best finishes.

DuChateau hardwood floors capture an antique European style that is centuries old. This truly vintage recreation will add a bold beauty to your home and give it an artistic touch. The timeworn design shows the traditional character and longevity of the old-style European hardwood floors.

DuChateau Hard Wax-Oil Finish

DuChateau hardwood floors are finished using the age-old European tradition of oils and wax. The unique blend of the DuChateau finish allows the oils to penetrate deep into the pores of the wood to enhance and fortify. The wax remains at the wood’s surface, giving it a beautiful long-lasting matte finish and offers constant protection for the wood and its finish.

This special finish also has an open grain structure that allows the floors to breath, which helps regulate moisture and maintains a healthy room climate. Hard-Wax Oil is naturally water repellent and is extremely resistant to:

• Water-marks
• Cracks
• Flaking
• Peeling
• Blisters

DuChateau Hard-Wax Oil is also stain resistant. It blocks even the toughest stains such as wine, coffee, tea and juices. By using this finish, the wood’s natural colors flourish and maintenance becomes very easy to handle.DuChateau’s unique Hard-Wax Oil is 100% ALL NATURAL. It is so natural it can safely be applied to children’s toys! 

The finish has:

• No Pollutants
• No Toxins
• No VOC
• No Biocides
• No Preservatives
• No Benzene

DuChateau’s finish is made with natural materials like vegetable oil and natural waxes from raw renewable materials. It is the most environmentally friendly wood finish available.

Hard Wax-Oil vs. Poly

Aside from the argument that natural materials are better for you and the environment, there is a convenience and cost issue to consider. For the typical polyurethane finish, if you see a spot on your floor that needs repairing, you will have to replace the entire floor finish. This is not easy or cheap. This is not the case with DuChateau Hard Wax-Oil. It can be repaired quickly and easily. If you just need a quick spot repair, that’s all you have to do. There is no need to replace the entire floor.

As far as long-term issues go, plastic-finished floors will need to be re-sanded about every 7 to 10 years. On the other hand, DuChateau Hard-Wax Oil will last for the life of the floor if maintained properly. Hard-Wax Oils maintain the natural beauty of the wood and allow it to sustain its genuine character with minimal effort on your part.

What makes Mirage the world’s best hardwood flooring? Probably the many awards they receive for quality. In the last 9 years, Mirage received 16 first place awards for quality.If you want to be sure you are getting a quality product that will last a long time, you can’t go wrong with Mirage flooring. With Mirage, you have the option of 3 different installation methods so you can have quality hardwoods installed in every room of the house.

Mirage Value and Longevity

Mirage uses a nanotechnology-based finish called Nanolinx, which is the secret behind Mirage being the most wear-resistant flooring in the industry. Your floor will withstand the damage sustained by the typical busy family. Because of our quality standard, you are getting a floor you can love for a lifetime. Your beautiful hardwood floors will not only bring you great satisfaction, but will actually add market value to your home!

Mirage Sustainability

Concerned about the environment? Mirage is a great product for those who care deeply about environmental impacts. They produce all of their floors in North America with the best hardwood. They only purchase from responsibly managed forests, so they can be sure they are producing with limited impact on the environment. Mirage produces flooring while keeping their manufacturing process sustainable.100% of every tree cut buy Mirage is put to good use. They use most of it to make products like:

•  Lumber
•  Plywood
• Wood Chips
• Sawdust

They even take the bark and use it for landscaping. The rest of the tree is the branches that are left in the forest where they biodegrade and fertilize the soil encouraging future growth.

A family company with a big reputation. IndusParquet hardwood floors have been established as the worldwide leader in the production of premium, exotic hardwood flooring. IndusParquet flooring has found its way into such prestigious places as the Vatican and Italian Ferrari showrooms. Their expertise in exotic hardwoods is unmatched and the beauty and sophistication will be reflected in your home.

History of IndusParquet

The founders, Kiko Uliana and Jose Antonio Baggio, of IndusParquet got their start working in the sawmills at a young age. They were producing parquet flooring at age 19 during the week, and they would install it on weekends.It was 1970 when IndusParquet was founded in Sao Paulo, Brazil in the city of Tiete. After 4 decades of producing exceptional hardwood flooring with the involvement of 4 generations of family, IndusParquet still employees many of the company’s original employees.

IndusParquet Expertise

IndusParquet has experienced 40 years of sustained growth. This has helped the company become established as a world leader in hardwood flooring. They have 3 manufacturing plants located in Brazil and distribution centers placed around the globe. They export to all 5 continents and 25+ countries.IndusParquet is built upon the principles of quality and style. Their floors are featured in Louis Vuitton stores. They utilize the best available manufacturing technologies to create their innovative, exotic hardwoods. They are leaders in creating flooring fashion statements.

IndusParquet Sustainability

IndusParquet operates on a zero waste policy, which means 100% of the wood that they take into their factories is utilized. No wood is ever thrown away or put to waste. IndusParquet also operates 3 large reforestation plantations in an effort to guarantee a sustainable resource.

Brazil places strict limitations and controls on the harvesting of timber. Any endangered tree or trees that supply animals with food are off limits. All harvested trees are given an ID code that stays with the tree throughout the entire manufacturing process.

IndusParquet is in complete cooperation with the government of Brazil and makes its own efforts to ensure the sustainability of the planet. IndusParquet plants are also certified with the Forest Stewardship Council, which guarantees that manufacturing processes are done in a way that minimally impacts the environment. When you see the “Made in Brazil” mark on exotic wood flooring, you can be assured it was made to sustain the environment.

The style of LM Flooring is that of timeless beauty and classic appeal. The quality and resistance built into every single floorboard adds a great value to your home. With plenty of style options to choose from, you will find the perfect hardwood flooring for your home. LM Flooring has over 150 styles of wood flooring and veteran artisans expertly craft each one.

LM Flooring is one of the largest manufacturers of wood flooring and is also an industry leader in the green movement. LM uses both domestic and exotic wood species to create a wide range of hardwood flooring options.

LM hardwood flooring can come with handcrafted scraping and distressed designs or they have options for decorative patterns. Their advanced technologies allow for the very best precision wood milling and Italian finishing. LM offers the newest commercial-grade acrylic infused hardwood floors to give your home a beautifully unique look.If you’re looking for quality service, LM Flooring is a great choice. They work with only the best flooring distributors to sell their products, to guarantee you are working with the most trusted professionals.

LM Flooring strives to live up to the highest industry standards to protect the environment and provide the best quality and service to their customers. They have the following certifications and memberships:

• National Wood Flooring Association
• LACEY
• SCS
• ISO 9001:2000

LM Flooring Green Initiative

LM Flooring is at the forefront of the green movement, helping to ensure our world’s most important resources are preserved. Out of all the flooring manufacturers out there, LM Flooring produces the most flooring from rapidly renewable and recycled materials. Their Engineering techniques allow them to use up to 3 times more square feet of floor covering for every tree harvested!

The quality of the floors allows them to last for a lifetime. Multiple generations of forests will grow from seed to harvest, before the floors will ever have to be replaced. That’s good news for you and the environment. LM uses 85-95% recycled materials to produce most of their products. This limits their impact on forests by 10% less than other engineered wood flooring manufacturers.

LM Flooring works with managed plantations, so they are never removing resources from natural forest growth. They are members of the FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) where they actively support best forestry management practices and contribute to the banning of illegal-logging activities.

Founded in Maryland, Chesapeake Hardwoods creates hardwood flooring that stays true to its Chesapeake roots. They make hardwood-flooring styles that are elegant, comfortable and casual. They harness the old world style and create wide plank hardwoods with a variety of shades that capture the feeling of the calming Chesapeake.

Chesapeake Hardwoods offer a high quality flooring at reasonable prices. You can get the premium styles to improve the look and feel of your home without spending a fortune. You can count on long-lasting hardwood floors with a warranty to back it up.

Chesapeake Saint Michaels Collection

The Chesapeake Hardwoods Saint Michaels Collection is solidly constructed at ¾” thick and 3 – 5/8” wide. The smooth hardwood textures come out after the wood is carefully crafted to obtain the natural beauty so easily seen in Chesapeake flooring.

The Saint Michaels Collection offers a variety of styles from natural looks to deep burnished colors with bold lines. The concept of this collection comes from a quainter look and more elegant time, which gives these options a warm and inviting feel. This collection contains 8 different style options:

• Coastal Kempas
• Brazilian Cherry Natural
• Tigerwood Natural
• Portside Kempas
• Bay Kempas
• Brazilian Teak Natural
• Sunset Rosewood
• Nautical Rosewood

Chesapeake Annapolis Collection

This Chesapeake flooring collection was inspired by life on the coast. The unique colors and textures are designed to evoke feelings of living life near the ocean. The engineered construction is 3/8” thick and 3” wide. The beautiful Annapolis area offers many inspirations for the Annapolis Collection created by Chesapeake Hardwoods. This collection contains 8 style/size options:

• Gunstock Oak (3/8” x 3”)
• Gunstock Oak (3/8” x 4-3/8”)
• Brazilian Cherry Natural (3/8” x 3”)
• Brazilian Cherry Natural (3/8” x 4-3/8”)
• Butterscotch Oak
• Natural Oak
•  Royal Acacia
• Walnut Acacia

Chesapeake Cambridge Collection

Each plank is handcrafted ensuring you get a unique, natural look. At ½” thick and 5-1/2” wide, this hardwood floors will add natural charm to your home. The Cambridge Collection offers breathtaking looks that will draw you in every time you enter the room. This collection offers a natural and rustic look with quality performance. The wide planks are meant to give the feeling of an old fashioned beach boardwalk. The Cambridge Collection has 4 hardwood flooring styles:

• Sand Dune Oak
• Marina Oak
• Shoreline Hickory
•  Coastline Hickory

All of Columbia’s unique hardwoods are grown domestically in America and are know for their beauty and originality. Columbia’s hand-crafted hardwoods are perfect for homeowners who are looking for something original to showcase in their home.

Columbia creates laminate flooring inspired by the unique hardwoods they create. With every detail of actual hardwood included, their laminate floors have an extremely realistic look. They use that same attention to detail to create their stone, slate and ceramic laminates.

Columbia Hardwood Floors

Columbia has three categories of hardwood floors. The first, Character Floors, offers wood flooring with a truly authentic aged look. It is flooring from a simpler time and allows the homeowner to create a nice lived-in feel they can enjoy for many years.

The other category is Domestic Exotics for those seeking a natural beauty and sophistication from their hardwood flooring. This category offers a wide variety of effects to choose from. You can find wavy textures to various color and grain variations.

The Traditional Oak Collection is for homeowners seeking a nice classic style that will add a great beauty to any room of the house. These typically include straight grains with unique color variations. Here you’ll find a wide variety of colors, finishes and sizes.

Columbia Laminate Floors

Columbia offers both laminate wood floors and laminate tile floors. You can get the beauty and detail of Columbia’s hand-crafted hardwoods with the ease and low price of laminate wood flooring. Columbia’s proprietary blend of high style and design elements gives you a many Specialty Designs to choose from.

Columbia tile flooring gives you the beauty of stone, slate and ceramic without the hassle of messy installation. They create a realistic appearance and feel that will give your home a contemporary high class look for a lot less.

Natural Aged Flooring is a company dedicated to providing the highest variety of solid and engineered hardwood flooring solutions. The company stands out with their extensive customization options as well as their excellent customer service.

Overview

Based in Southern California, Natural Aged Flooring has over 2,500 retailers across the US and Canada. Moreover, the manufacturer has several warehouses across the North American continent Pennsylvania, Florida, California, Missouri, Texas, British Columbia that ensure the timely delivery of all customer orders.

With over 30 years of experience in the flooring industry, the company specializes in imported engineered wide plank floors. Even though Natural Aged Flooring is well known for the premium quality distressed hardwood, it is necessary to mention that the manufacturer offers customization options for all their products.

Villa Caprisi is inspired by the world renowned Italian design and flair. Ultra wide and Extra long, this distinctive collection is offered in a Brushed, European white oak. Whether in the Handground or Smooth texture, Stained or Smoked Finish, every piece is crafted by hand, creating a totally unique look with no repetition from plank to plank. Each Villa Caprisi floor is truly…..ONE OF A KIND.