Also, Rob discusses the packaging you will most commonly see, whether you buy online or at your local retailer. Take a look:

Cheers!
Rob.

When looking to install a wood floor, and learning about the benefits of the floor of your choice (in Patrick and Jodys case, a maple engineered floor), its time to order it.

Matt takes us through the steps of ordering from us, BuildDirect.

There are other channels through which to order your floors of course. But, wherever you get your order from, remember that youll need to order a bit extra for wastage. This usually adds up to about 5-10% of your square footage, according to your skill level. Better to have a bit extra than to run out of floor.

But, back to our project!

On Monday, well show you around the site to give you an idea of the before, keeping in mind that eventually were going to show you the glorious after once this wood floor has been installed.

Have a great weekend, all!

Cheers,

Rob.

Once your flooring has expanded or contracted according to the local environment, its time to apply what youve learned about your subfloor and begin the installation. But, wait – what have you learned about your subfloor?

Well look at that tomorrow!

Cheers!
Rob.

This takes in a few points which Rob Banks, Co-Founder of BuildDirect, explains in todays installment of our series, Watch Us Make A Floor. Take a look!

Check back in with us tomorrow. Well talk a bit about wood floor layout strategies, particularly with regard to natural color variation in wood flooring.

Cheers!
Rob.

One big one is color variation. Since your wood floor is a natural material, youre going to see some color variation in the batch youve ordered. Take a look at todays video, as Rob Banks and Matt Dickinson talk about some tips and best practices when thinking about a floor layout strategy, particularly with color variation in mind:

The next episode in our series is the reviewing of the tools you need for a wood flooring installation. Some of them are vital, some just nice to have. Well talk about all of them.

Cheers!
Rob.

As you install your wood floor, one big consideration is mess. From the dust that is created when youre cutting boards, to the glue you might use to strengthen the hold of installed boards, to the scraps of boards which youve cut, it can make a tough job tougher if you dont manage it correctly.

Heres Rob and Matt talking about some of the ways to minimize onsite mess when youre installing a prefinished wood floor:

On Monday, well look at cleaning wood flooring in the long term, after youve installed them, to do what you can to keep them looking as great as they do when theyre first installed.

Cheers,
Rob

I found this series about hardwood floor refinishing from a company in Arkansas called Clarke American Sanders who manufacture equipment for sanding hardwood flooring. Take a look at the first two videos in the series, five in total:

To view all of the videos in this series, and a number of other videos we like, you can take a look at our BuildDirect YouTube playlist.

Cheers,
Rob.

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Our guys here get asked that question a lot. The answer is that, yes, hardwood flooring is as durable as they say, speaking particularly of commonly available domestic species like oak and maple. And that if youre a professional installer, hardwood flooring is made to be installed relatively painlessly.

Cats and floors image courtesy of Serge Melki. Click image to see Flickr photostream.

Carter makes the point that irregularly shaped rooms offer even the experienced installer a challenge. And our guys here agree. Its always best to hire a professional to make sure that your floor will be installed correctly with minimal wastage the first time. Also, Carter makes a great point about letting your shipment of hardwood acclimate in the space where youre going to install it.

To me, if youre looking for a floor that is to become something of a feature to a residence, or even an office, hardwood flooring is the one to beat. This is where the practicalities of choosing building materials like wood flooring meets the idea of aesthetics and transformation. With a solid choice in hardwood flooring, a modest space suddenly gains the potential to be a part of history. That to me is a powerful idea.

Its this idea which drives me to blog about building materials. That at some point, the materials themselves become something other once you install them. They become a part of your life, even if after a while you take the effects they render as a given. The warmth, the richness of color and of feel that a wood floor can deliver, suddenly becomes a reflection of your own personality – because it characterises your life at home, or at work.

Cheers!

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White oak is a part of my own history. I grew up in a town called Oakville, no less. The town is so named after the native white oak trees which fueled the towns early economy as a shipbuilding centre in the early 1800s. White oak is naturally gifted as a water-tight material, so as a material for shipwrights it was perfect for the foundation of the industry, and of the town.

Here’s a shot of a white oak, taken in my hometown of Oakville Ontario. Image courtesy of HamCam. Click the image to view Flickr photostream.

Cheers!

Rob.

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It seems to me from all of the articles Ive read about hardwood flooring installation that half of the key to success is in the groundwork, so to speak. It is a vital step to consider the site of your project, and check it out thoroughly before choosing and buying hardwood flooring. As the article suggests, its important to get the opinion of a professional, sometimes more than one, to make sure that youve got a good basis for success.