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Seeking suggestions for wood flooring

8 years ago

We're getting ready to build a new house and are starting to work on our flooring selections. While we love the look, feel, and warmth of wood floors, we've been disappointed with how easily they scratch/dent (we've had red oak in the past and have Brazilian cherry now). Yes, they can be sanded and refinished but we're the type of people who agonize over spending $$$ on a floor that will quickly appear damaged. We're a young family with two boys and two large dogs (labs).

I'm thinking we need to approach the wood floors from 4 angles:

(1) Set an expectation that they will show some damage over time so that we don't react with surprise and disappointment when it happens.

(2) Minimize grit on the floors to preserve the finish (we'll have tile at each entry and a "no shoes in the house" policy ... hooray, mudroom!).

(3) Select a durable wood/finish to minimize damage.

(4) Select a style/finish that will hide damage as much as possible so that we don't fixate on it.

Can anyone suggest products that address #3 and #4?

We want to stick with light to medium, neutral brown tones (not too yellow, not too red). Some color/variation is good but we don't want a stripey look. We don't like the wavy look of hand-scraping but we do like light distressing such as saw marks and wire brushing. The material needs to be fairly stable as we have big temperature and humidity swings in our area (8000 ft. elevation; we'll have a whole-house humidifier but it may only run when the furnace is on; no A/C).

Featured Answer

PRO

Unique Wood Floors

8 years ago

You are absolutely right when it comes to wood flooring the expectations for performance is critical. The hottest thing in the hardwood flooring market nowadays is a low gloss matte finish with texture which many other flooring coverings are looking to replicate. I must admit that these other flooring options are getting very close aesthetically but nothing can truly feel the same as walking barefoot on a textured hardwood flooring. The re-introduction of oil finished hardwood flooring combines the natural beauty of wood with a finish which penetrates into the wood and serves as a protective layer while allowing you to feel all the wood grains and warmth which come with a natural product. The best part about this trend is that the matte finish is extremely beneficial in hiding scratches making them nearly undetectable. Pair that with some texture and the dents from dropping toys or pet claws will blend right in. Based on what you're describing here are a couple options which might interest you:

Millennium Walnut Hand Scraped

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Comments (10)

PRO
Elesgo
8 years ago
Elesgo USA can suggest you german-made laminate floorings, which can really make a great competition for woods because of the following advantages:

1.Acrylate coating (free from melamine and solvents)
2.Natural and harmonious (character of nature)
3. Good indoor atmospheric environment (non-porous, dirt-trap free surfaces)
4. Easy to clean (closed and sealed surfaces)
5. Real-feel material (no plastic feel)
6. Brilliant appearance (through acrilate laminate)
7. Sound reduction (no "click-clack" effect)
8. Antistatic property (no electrical charge)

Elesgo laminate is made in german factories, it's quality has been certified by a lot of internatinal companies, such LGA, DECRA etc. They are wear resistant, pressure and fire resistant, resistant to stains and household chemicals.
redfoxco thanked Elesgo
PRO
Unique Design Solutions, LLC
8 years ago
Definitely take a look at our Wood Grain Porcelain options here and see if it fits your design needs. Its a great alternative for people who love wood but hate the upkeep. You will find the same overall look, with a lot less hassle and upkeep and a lot more durability!
redfoxco thanked Unique Design Solutions, LLC
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redfoxco
Original Author
8 years ago
Unique Wood Floors -- Those are gorgeous! Our local hardwood floor shop told us we would have to re-oil twice a year or risk voiding the warranty on their oil finish products. Is that typical?
User
8 years ago
One upside of oil finish is that you don't have to move all of the furniture to do professional maintenance on it every 2 to 10 years. The downside is that you need to buy and use the correct products for regular maintenance and you should refresh or re-oil at the prescribed intervals.
redfoxco thanked User
PRO
WOCA USA
8 years ago
A floor with a penetrating oil finish should last on average 2 to 5 years before needing another coat of oil. Foot traffic and lifestyle are factors as well. Maintenance is easy, but requires products specifically designed for Oil finished floors. See link, http://www.wocausa.com/guide/how-to-care-for-your-flooring-dos-and-donts

All available at Unique Wood Floors.
redfoxco thanked WOCA USA
User
8 years ago
If the WOCA Oil Refresher is used as recommended, would that eliminate the need to apply a coat of oil?
Meris
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago
Rubio monocoat is a floor finishing option, another matte oil one that you can fix yourself. Again, needs maintenance, as all those do, but you can do it yourself.

Im using it in my home, and floors aren't installed yet, so I can't give you an opinion yet.
redfoxco thanked Meris
PRO
WOCA USA
8 years ago
jfcwood, WOCA Oil Refresher does not replace a coat of oil. WOCA Oil Refresher cleans the surface and has a bit of oil (2%) in it, which rejuvenates the finish. This extends longevity between re-oiling. We recommend regular mopping with WOCA Natural Soap on a regular basis and then mopping with WOCA Oil Refresher once every 3 to 4 months.
Jennifer Havin
8 years ago
LOVE my oil finished Kentwood floors, 2 years in, no reoiling as of yet, use my WOCA soap. Just had my first "stain" , puppy pee, used stain remover, looks ok for now, reoiled, will follow instructions and clean. I know we can sand out if needed. Love that they are not shiny, feel so good under foot.

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