Frequent Asked Questions
Answers to frequently asked questions by customers about hardwood flooring and its usage.
01
What is the most durable hardwood floor available?
A. It is the hardness of the floor that will give the best indication of durability. Refer to the Janka Hardness rating for a true indication of hardness for a selected species:
American Black Cherry - 950
American Black Walnut - 1010
Yellow Birch - 1260
Red Oak - 1290
White Ash -1320
White Oak - 1360
Hard Maple - 1450
Santos Mahogany - 2200
Brazilian Cherry - 2345
Brazilian Teak - 3540
Brazilian Walnut - 3680
Ebony - 3692
02
What is the difference between your prefinished and unfinished flooring?
A. The prefinished hardwood floor is end matched with a tight micro-beveled edge, and has up to 10 coats of aluminum oxide finish. The unfinished floors come end matched with a square edge and must be finished on site. Both floors usually come with 25-year structural warranty.
03
Can a hardwood floor be floated?
A. Our hardwood flooring is a four-sided tongue-and-groove product that can be nailed directly to a wood subfloor. A hardwood floor cannot be floated. Refer to our engineered floors for flooring that may be floated over radiant heating or below grade.
04
How does moisture affect my hardwood flooring?
A. Excessive moisture can lead to numerous changes to your floor, such as cupping, buckling or cracking. Therefore, it is highly recommended that you do not use water to clean your floors.
05
Can we install hardwood flooring in the basement?
A. No. It is highly recommended that you do not install hardwood flooring below grade. However, it is possible to install laminate flooring or engineered hardwood floors in these situations. Call a BuildDirect customer representative at 1 877 631 2845 to discuss some of these options available to you.
06
What is the best way to clean my floors?
A. The best way to maintain your floor is to sweep, dust mop and/or vacuum the floors regularly. Hardwood floors also clean easily with a Swiffer or similar type dry mop. You should avoid excessive moisture. A slightly damp mop may be used to mop up a spill. For maintenance instructions call toll free 1-877-631-2845 and a BuildDirect customer service representative will be happy to help you with suggestions.
07
When ordering hardwood flooring how much extra should I order to allow for waste?
A. As a rule of thumb, add 7% to 10% for waste and cuts depending on the area.
08
Should I use unfinished or prefinished hardwood?
A. Both choices have their advantages. If you are trying to match to an existing hardwood floor, you may want to go with an unfinished floor so it can be stained to match. However, this will mean finishing will be done onsite, resulting in more noise, dust and delays in using the room. Prefinished floors, on the other hand, are already finished with 10 coats of an aluminum oxide finish. This means you will get the convenience of not having to shut down the room while you finish the floor onsite.