Ask the Pro

We don’t claim to know it all, but as you might expect we hold some strong opinions on flooring. The one thing that is true for all flooring situations is that, each situation is unique! Our opinions are placed around this entire site, where appropriate, and along with additional comments are gathered below for the convenience of our visitors. You can scroll through, or use the links to jump to specific subject areas. If you need an immediate answer, call right now.

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Web Images

Ouch, that Hurts!

Solid versus Engineered

Wood versus Laminate

Do It Yourself

Measure it Yourself

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Avoidable Disasters

Tools Of The Trade

Professional Installation

Making the Grade

Stained Reputations

Testimonials

The convenience of shopping online should not blind you to the reality that for items like wood floors, the colors that your PC displays are not necessarily true to life. The best way to assure yourself of color and texture matches is to either request a catalog or visit the showroom. Call first, and tell us your concerns.

Ouch! Imagine having small bits of stone and sand ground in to your face by leather heels. The biggest cause of damage to wood floors is simple dirt and water. Our best advice: keep grit off the floor, dust mop or vacuum regularly and keep doormats clean. Wipe up spills promptly with a dry cloth or dry paper towel, use a slightly dampened cloth for sticky spills.

The basic difference is price and flexibility: beautiful solid wood floors can be installed inexpensively, but in certain conditions they are not recommended. Engineered wood can be installed practically anywhere.

Solid wood flooring can be used on grade and above grade, but not below grade. Solid wood should be in a moisture-controlled environment. Solid wood strip or plank is nail down only and requires a wood subfloor. Solid wood parquet can be glued to a variety of subfloor materials.

Engineered wood flooring can be used on grade, above and below grade.

Engineered wood flooring is more dimensionally stable so it can be installed in areas where solid wood is not compatible due to moisture. Engineered strip, plank and parquet are glue down applications over various subfloor materials. Some engineered strip and plank can be nailed down which requires a wood subfloor. Engineered includes floating floors where the tongue and groove are glued together, but the floor is not anchored to the subfloor.

I’d put it this way: wood floors are for generations, laminates for ‘a while’. Laminate flooring consists of synthetic backing with a high-pressure laminate surface. Laminate is not renewable and therefore has a shorter usable life span.

Wood flooring consists of wood backing with wood wear surface or solid wood. Wood flooring with proper care will last generations. Wood floors can be refinished, re-sanded, and re-coated to look like new

The best advice for even the handiest of men (and women) is to use the experience of your local flooring craftsman, even if you are committed to doing everything yourself. If you are unsure of your ability to do all of the work, consider saving money by doing the prep work, or clean-ups only. In any case, be smart and be-friend the local flooring expert.

Do the research, set aside the necessary time, prep the rooms, condition the wood, have the right tools, buy all the accessories you need, be aware of fumes, wait just a moment longer...enjoy!

Hammer and nails? Yes, but are you taking a year off for this project? If you want to shorten the time, ease your load, and leave a more subtle impression, there are a wide variety of modern flooring installation tools that you may want to rent or purchase.

Of course we suggest professional installation, preferably from a full-service dealer. It is the only way you can assure yourself that all three key elements of your new flooring (material, environment, and installation) are well suited to one another.

Face it, the wood floor manufacturer thinks their product is great - but they don’t have to install it. The freelance installer cannot afford to turn a job down, even when he knows that there are problems. Only the full service flooring pro has to worry about all three - so the result is that you get straight answers and honest value. Sure, we’ll do what the customer wants, even if we think its a mistake, but we’re going to let you know up front.

The term ‘Grade’ applied to wood flooring, is best understood by comparing two grades of flooring material from the same manufacturer. Then you can note, whether the higher grades lack of natural variations (knots, flecks, grain) and therefore its greater uniformity of appearance, is something that you are willing to pay for.

We’ve been in the business for a long time and while that in itself does not recommend us, our former customers do. Check out the testimonials, or come in and talk with us. We’re sure we can convince you that New England Wood Floors offers an honest value for  your hard earned money.

Measure It Right - The First Time!

When measuring for a flooring installation measure from the two furthest points in each room. Then multiply length times width for the total square footage but -be sure to add at least 5%, up to 10% more to that number to take into consideration waste. For linoleum measuring from the furthest two points means from the center of doorways and underneath appliances. We are not responsible for inaccurate measuring so, if you’re not sure, let us do the measuring for you.

NAIL-DOWN INSTALLATION

• Hammer (specialized nail guns)
• 1/2" Expansion Shims
• Tape Measure
• Pencil
• Safety Glasses
• Broom
• Hand or electric saw
• Softwood Tapping Block
• Side Nailing Machine
• Square
• Non Hardening Construction Adhesive

GLUE-DOWN INSTALLATION

What you will need:

• Cleaning equipment
• Clean damp and dry towels
• Electric saws (carbide tip blades)
• Hammer or rubber mallet
• Trowel
• Glue Down tapping block
• Last board puller
• Expansion shims
• Router bit (for changing directions)

Materials:

• Moldings
• Tongue and Groove
• Tongue and Groove glue (150 square feet per bottle)
• High quality urethane based adhesive & trowel
• Mineral spirits
• Glue remover
• Wood filler
• Cleaner
• Spline (for making a groove into a tongue if you need to change directions)

Laminate Floor Installation Tools:

·        Each manufacturer has its own recommendations. Read all installation information and acquire the proper tools before installation.