10 Questions to Ask Before Purchasing Hardwood Flooring from a Supplier
1. Who do I contact if there are any problems?
Most flooring stores obtain the flooring they sell to you from a distributor who obtains the flooring from the manufacturer. Sometimes, especially when it comes to products from other countries, more than one distributor is involved. In many cases, if you have a problem with your flooring and complain to the retailer, the retailer will call the distributor and notify them of the complaint, and the distributor will notify the manufacturer of the complaint. In most cases, the manufacturer will deny the complaint, and if you're lucky, they'll send a representative to personally deny your claim. Most retailers would correct a manufacturing problem to please their customers because they are the ones who deal with them face to face, but in reality, they do not have the final say unless they want to replace the flooring out of their pocket. Because the manufacturer is so far removed from the actual client, they know it is better for their bottom line to deny the claims and assume they will never have to deal with the issue because they are so well protected by their warranties. Consider a person sitting at a desk with a stack of hardwood flooring claims on their desk and a big stamp that says "denied".
2. How long will the finish last?
When purchasing a prefinished hardwood floor, durability is probably the most important factor to consider. The finish is what you walk on, and it must be very durable if you want a beautiful, long-lasting floor. Many imported prefinished floors have poor durability and can be removed with a few swipes of 150 grit sandpaper. When purchasing hardwood, there are two ways to test the finish: one is to rub the finish with 150 grit sandpaper to see if the finish will come off, and the other is to firmly press the edge of a coin against the finish; a quality finish will dent but not come off. Aluminum oxide or, better yet, titanium oxide hardeners will be present in the finish of a high-quality manufacturer. Many offshore-manufactured products will claim to contain aluminum oxide but do not. Simply place a sample of a hardwood floor in your microwave to see if it has aluminum oxide in the finish. If it sparks, it does have aluminum oxide in the finish. That may seem strange, but it's worth checking because hardwood flooring is a big investment, and you want to know how long the finish will last.
3. What is the warranty on the structure and the surface?
This is a critical aspect of selecting a hardwood floor. Anyone can put a 25, 30, or 40-year warranty on their product's finish, but the real question is whether they will stand behind their warranty. Many large hardwood flooring manufacturers offer ten-page warranties. When you read the entire warranty and all of the exclusions, the client gets the impression that there is no warranty at all. The problem is that most consumers do not read the warranty and are surprised when they discover that the problem they are experiencing with the flooring is one of the "exclusions." Most warranties will state that there is a 5% margin of error, which means that when your entire floor is finished, the manufacturer is allowed to have 5% of the boards be defective. This means that a finished floor of 1000 square feet could have up to 100 boards with any kind of defect.
4. What is the flooring's waste factor?
The waste factor of the flooring is also an important consideration. If the manufacturer recommends 10-15% waste, that means you'll need to buy that much more to get enough to install your entire floor. The higher the recommended waste factor, the lower the product quality. When comparing products, you may discover that one is more expensive than the other, but you must consider the difference in waste to the price. A floor for $6 with 3% waste would cost $6.18, the same as a floor with 10% waste, which would cost $5.62, and the product with 3% waste would be of higher quality. The bottom line is that you shouldn't have to sort the waste out of the boxes; the manufacturers should take the waste out at the plant so that you only get high-quality pieces that you can install on your floor.
5. How long are the flooring boards on average?
When it comes to hardwood flooring, the average board length is a question that is rarely asked. It is something that few people consider until it is brought up. The longer the average length of the floor, the better it looks, particularly in large rooms. One-foot and two-foot lengths result in a choppy and unappealing floor. The box size is not the only way to determine average length; an 8' box can contain all short pieces. Many offshore manufactured products come in four-foot boxes, ensuring that you get a floor with very short lengths. Short lengths are common not only in offshore products but also in many North American-made products. One very high-end Canadian manufacturer's 3-1/4" Select and Better Red Oak has an average length of 27-29".
6. What is the flooring's moisture content?
Moisture content is a critical consideration when installing hardwood flooring. The flooring must be at the appropriate moisture level for your home/interior climate, which is typically between 6 and 9 percent moisture content. Installing hardwood flooring with a high moisture content will result in spaces in the floor when the flooring dries out while installing a hardwood floor with a low moisture content will result in cupping when the flooring absorbs moisture. If the flooring retailer does not have a moisture meter and cannot check the moisture for you, I would advise you to leave. The majority of people selling hardwood flooring know very little about wood and moisture; if they don't even have a moisture meter, it's a sign that they're not professionals who know nothing or very little about hardwood flooring and shouldn't be selling it.
7. What does the supplier suggest for acclimatization?
I'm sure you've heard the phrase "the flooring must sit in your home for two weeks before installation." This is a broad statement that, in most cases, will cause more harm than good to your hardwood floor. If you did this in a new home while they were dry walling and painting, the wood would be so damp by the time you installed it that you'd be asking for trouble. The truth is that a new home will have 1000 to 2000 gallons of water oozing out of it for the first two years. If your flooring is left in the home before installation, it will absorb all of the moisture. If you are storing the flooring in your home, make sure it is stored in normal living conditions to avoid it drying out or picking up too much moisture. In some cases, especially if you live in a seasonal home, you may want to let the hardwood flooring absorb moisture before installing it. If the home is always in a high humidity environment, you want the wood to absorb moisture so that the living conditions are normal for that environment. You should use a hygrometer to measure the humidity in your home before the installation and to monitor your humidity afterward to ensure your home is in the proper humidity range to avoid problems with your flooring.
8. How does the stain/finish appear?
Many large manufacturers will finish all different woods at the same time without making adjustments for each wood because adjustments affect production. To achieve the best stain/finish, each wood must be finished differently. Oak needs more finish to "fill in" the grain or it will appear pitted, which is not desirable in an oak floor. When you hold a piece up to the light, you should be able to see a perfectly smooth finish. Maple necessitates more brushing than oak for the stain to penetrate the wood and not appear "blotchy." Maple is a lovely wood, and with the right staining, you can bring out features like Birdseye and tiger tail. These features are hidden if not stained properly.
9. Does the supplier stand behind the work of their installers?
If you are purchasing flooring from a company and having your contractor install it, you should ensure that your installer is a professional. In many cases, if you use a contractor and there is a problem, the installer will blame the problem on the hardwood and the manufacturer will blame the problem on the installer. You won't have much luck getting your problem resolved if no one takes responsibility. If you are purchasing flooring on a supply and install basis, you should ensure that the company guarantees their installers' work and that the installers are qualified. Many stores will subcontract their installations to contractors, making it impossible to monitor their work unless they visit each job site. Go to http://www.nwfa.org to find a list of certified hardwood installers in your area.
10. What is the flooring's quality?
Comparing flooring grades can be perplexing and deceptive. Many large manufacturers have five or six different grades of flooring, so just because brand A's product is less expensive than brand B's does not mean it is the same or even a similar grade. Because there is no standard grading system for prefinished flooring, simply labeling a product "select and better" does not guarantee that it is of the highest quality.
Cesar A Woodworking has extensive experience in the manufacturing, finishing, installation, and inspection of hardwood flooring in Manhattan, New York. His company is a small hardwood flooring manufacturer that produces only the highest quality hardwood flooring products, such as wide plank engineered flooring up to 10" wide, exotic hardwoods like Jatoba and Ipe, and all domestic hardwood flooring products like maple and hickory. More information can be found at Cesar A Woodworking.
