Hardwood Buying Checklist
The following checklist will help you find out what you need to know before you buy whether you buy online or at your local store. This will help you get all your facts straight in order to make the most informed choice.
Here’s a brief video that goes over some of the absolute basics when it comes to buying hardwood floors:
Is Hardwood the Right Floor for You?
The choice of flooring in your home is crucial to your overall décor. Hardwood makes a definitive statement by being a timeless classic.
Hardwood flooring is one of the few choices that will actually raise the value of your home and help it sell, since hardwood floors are worldwide known for retaining beauty, structural integrity and character for decades.
Once the decision to buy a hardwood floor has been made, several other things must be considered before the flooring can be bought and installed.
Where is the room located? Is the room below grade, on grade or above grade? Standard solid hardwood cannot be installed below grade. Thin profile solid and engineered hardwood can both be installed below grade. Hardwood should not be installed in rooms where standing water is common, like bathrooms. If installed in a kitchen or wet bar area, wet spills should be dried immediately.
What is the purpose of the room? What will the room be used for? Rooms subject to moisture exposure will be better off using an engineered hardwood rather than a solid.
Are you installing over in-floor radiant heating? Keep in mind that solid hardwood cannot be installed over radiant heating. On another hand, most engineered hardwood floors are suitable for installation over radiant heating.
What will the traffic be like in the room? If the room is expected to receive high traffic volume, the species of flooring will likely need to be a harder wood.
Are there children or pets in the home? Children and pets are likely to be hard on the flooring. This is why selecting a durable species is important. Claws will scratch the surface, and children will spill and run their toys across it.
Does the room contain a door to the outside? We recommend you placing door mats. Dirt particles can scratch the surface of the finish, making the floor appear aged. Place non-staining rugs on the floor to protect its surface if you own a surface in a high traffic area. Don’t forget to place mats around areas where water may be an issue (for example in front of the kitchen sink and dishwasher).
What is the “feel” of the room? If the room is casual, certain hardwood choices and grades will be better than others. Two examples of different styles are smooth, elegant select and better grade versus a hand scraped, more antique look. This, in combination with the colors and styles, will help make a final hardwood choice.
How much exposure to sunlight does the room get? Take into consideration that extended exposure to sunlight will lead to discoloration of certain light sensitive hardwood species. Look for a UV coated floor and/or rotate furniture and rugs in the room to prevent any one area of the floor from getting too much sunlight for a long period of time.
How much do I need? Measure the dimensions of the room in which you’ll be installing the floor and multiply length x width to get the total square footage. Always make sure to order 10% more than you need to cover off any boards that come damaged or become damaged during the installation process.
What Type of Hardwood does the Seller Offer?
Do they offer solid and engineered hardwood? The basic thickness for solid hardwood is ¾”. For thin profile solid hardwood, 5/16″ is the standard. The planks are sawn in one of three ways and this affects the stability, and the price of the hardwood. Solid hardwood floor planks are made with a tongue and groove edge locking process. This makes it easy to join the planks together in order to make a strong joint. One side of the board has a groove and the other has a tongue. Engineered hardwood is made by gluing a real hardwood veneer to a core board made of either plywood or high density fiberboard. This construction method leads to engineered hardwood is being more dimensionally stable than solid hardwood.
Do they know how the flooring is manufactured? The way it is made will affect price and it will also have an impact on durability. Flat and quarter sawn planks have an increased chance of trying to revert to their natural shape, which leads to cupping and crowning of the flooring over time.
Do they offer formaldehyde-safe engineered hardwood? Engineered hardwood is made by gluing a real hardwood veneer to a core board made of either plywood or high density fiberboard. This construction method leads to engineered hardwood is being more dimensionally stable than solid hardwood. The adhesives used must meet safe emissions standards for indoor air quality, such as E1 or E0 class or be CARB-compliant.
What species do they have? Some people prefer a certain species of hardwood regardless of the other factors. Each species has a different hardness, as measure by the Janka Hardness Scale.
What grades do they have? The Janka Hardness Scale is an important aspect of choosing the right wood flooring. This classification determines the durability of a particular type of wood over another. If pinholes, knots, and color variations are not a concern, lower grade floors are the way to go. If people are looking for flooring with little color variation, and little natural character with knots and pinholes, higher grade flooring will be necessary.
Do they offer different surface textures? Besides a smooth, machine milled texture, there are a few other options which will add a touch of decor and character to the room. Distressed hardwood, either by hand or by machine, gives the wood an antique.
What color choices do they offer? If there is a certain color or style you want to go for, alert the sales representatives for help.
Can I install the product myself, or should I hire a professional? Before anything, you have to make up your mind if you are going to pursue with the installation by yourself or hire a professional. This decision lies number factors including: selecting a site finished or a prefinished floor, the type of hardwood floor, the room itself, and the budget for the whole process.
What is included in the warranty? Your hardwood floor will be guaranteed against defects. Most hardwoods come with a finish warranty and a structural warranty against defects in the product. It is important to read the warranty before anything.
Where Should I Buy My Hardwood Floor?
There are many offline traditional brick and mortar establishments. Also, the truth is that making the purchase online may provide additional cost savings.
We recommend you going with someone who you is knowledgeable and you can trust. Sellers who cannot easily answer product questions are likely not your best bet.
Can I take home a sample? Yes, samples are very important to decision making. You may not only want to take a sample home but you may want to take home and keep more than one sample, depending on how long it takes you to make your final decision.
How much will it cost? Most hardwood flooring is warehoused in varying locations across North America. Some retailers have warehouses themselves and ship directly from there. One way or another, the cost of warehousing (and sometimes the cost of shipping) ends up in the cost of your product. Having this said, the final price depends.
Is there a minimum order? While some retailers set minimum orders, others don’t. Check with your seller.
What about matching moldings, trims and accessories for my hardwood floor? Without moldings, trims and transition pieces, a hardwood floor job can look unfinished. When installing a prefinished floor, most of them come with their own matching trim pieces in order to complete the job. An unfinished hardwood requires separate staining of unfinished molding and trim pieces for matching the finished floor.
What about financing? The truth is that redoing your floors can be expensive. That’s why some people opt to pay for their new flooring over time. If you prefer to buy your floors this way then you’ll have to find a retailer that offers you financing.
Is there a return policy? While some sellers will not accept returns at all, others have very flexible return policies.
What if there are damages upon delivery? Your retailer is responsible to rectify whatever problems might arise. Whether that’s a money-back guarantee or replacing the damaged products, your retailer must ensure the quality of the product you buy.
What if I’m not happy with my hardwood floor once installed? Choosing your hardwood floor can be difficult and if you make a mistake with the color or style, you’ll have to alert your retailer before installing it. While some vendors have a policy that will cover this, others won’t. Keep in mind that virtually no one will let you return your floor once it was installed.