Hardwood flooring is natural and beautiful. No other flooring offers the warmth, beauty, and value of hardwood. Now that you’ve decided to explore adding or replacing hardwood floors your first step is to schedule your FREE in-home estimate. We’ll come to you at no cost, bring some sample flooring, measure and evaluate your situation and provide you with a written estimate for our services. Call us today at 407-606-6893– or just complete our contact form.
Hardwood Floors of Orlando is a leader in sales, installation, dust-free sanding, refinishing and maintenance of high-quality hardwood flooring. We pride ourselves in our work in such a way that it is a constant pursuit of perfection in every wood floor that we work with.
We are unmatched in our personal service and our customer focused approach to customer service. Our experienced staff will assist you during the entire process — from our in-home consultation with a free estimate, the selection of your wood flooring and the installation of your new hardwood floor.
Call us today for your free in-home estimate.
Installation of Unfinished Wood Flooring
Wood flooring is one of the most important jobs for any construction project. This is why we generally inspect the job site for an exact evaluation of what should be done, and to provide the customer with an accurate price quotation. Some of the aspects we need to take into consideration before we start the installation job are: proper acclimation, flooring grade level, and sub-floor condition.
Acclimation Process
Acclimation is the act of allowing wood moisture content to become at equilibrium with the environment in which it will perform. It depends on your geographic location, interior climate control and time of the year. It is recommended that the wood to be stored in the rooms in which it will be installed. Operating permanent HVAC system at least five days preceding installation promotes proper acclimation. Where building codes do not allow operation of the permanent system, acclimation of the flooring must be completed with the temperature and humidity maintained at or near normal living conditions between 60 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit and at the average yearly relative humidity for the area.
Flooring Grade Levels
Above Grade
Solid wood floors can be installed successfully above grade level.
On Grade
Solid wood floors can be installed successfully on grade level.
Below Grade
Solid wood floors are not recommended for below grade installations but can be done with other suitable products and processes.
Sub Flooring Guidelines
Solid hardwood floors, unfinished or pre-finished, being installed over concrete needs a flat, clean, dry, structurally sound and free of squeaks surface. We recommend ¾” or minimum 5/8″ CDX Plywood sub floor/underlayment. Engineered and laminate floors can be installed directly over concrete floors.
Species of Wood
Today there are more than 50 species of wood available, domestic or exotic, among which the most common are red or white oak, maple, ash, beech, birch, brazilian cherry, black walnut, and hickory. Both domestic and imported species come in a variety of colors, hardness and price range that can meet the requirements of any budget.
Grades of Wood
When referring to the grade, one describes actually the surface appearance or the look of a species and this does not affect the strength or other qualities of that wood.
Clear Grade is usually free of defects, although it can exhibits small imperfections. Provides a uniform appearance while allowing for natural color variations.
Select Grade resembles clear grade but contains some slight imperfections such as knots or variations in color.
Common Grade No 1 and No 2 accentuate more the natural characteristics of the wood such as knots, flags, color variations and wormholes, giving a rustic, sporty appearance.
Cuts of Wood
The final appearance of a floor is also determined by the angle at which the board is cut.
Plainsawn wood is the most common and most economical because it is produced with less waste. The parallel cuts show different grain patterns and other variations that are not created by other types of cutting.
Riftsawn is more stable than plainsawn. Wood floors have a more uniform appearance because each board has the same grain pattern.
Quartersawn boards are very stable and the grain is relatively consistent.
Styles of Wood
Solid wood flooring comes in many different types and sizes:
Strip flooring is the most common in the majority of installation. Strips are usually 2 ¼”, 1 ¼ or 3 ¼” wide.
Plank flooring is normally 5″ or 6″ in width but it can reach 14″ if it is special ordered.
Parquet flooring is a geometric pattern created from wood flooring pieces. It usually comes in blocks of 6″x 6″.
Installation of Pre-Finished Hardwood
The installation of pre-finished hardwood floor requires the same preparation as the unfinished. It can be installed above or on grade level but like an unfinished floor, it requires proper sub flooring for a below grade floor level. Pre-finished floors are becoming more popular because:
They require less time for installation
They typically come with a finish warranty
There is very little dust and mess
There is no smell caused by the finish
The homeowner can walk on the floor immediately after installation
Besides these advantages, pre-finished floors are finished with seven or more coatings in controlled settings. Wood floors finished on site offer two to three separate coats.
Above Grade
The final appearance of a floor is also determined by the angle at which the board is cut.
