Let’s understand right away that furniture, cabinetry, doors, etc., are fabricated in a factory under ideal conditions and that they contain 1 to 10 (on average) different pieces of wood. A hardwood floor is fabricated in your own home and is made up of 300 to a thousand individually different pieces. So, to be honest, a good understanding of what can realistically be expected is essential.
No matter how hard we try, or how well-experienced we are, there are some things one should not expect.
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1. You cannot achieve a table top finish. Each piece of oak flooring sands differently depending on its grain type (plain or quartered) making it virtually impossible for a completely flat surface. 2. It is impossible to create a dust-free finish. Since your floor is being finished in your home it is not possible to achieve a "clean room" environment. Some dust will fall onto the freshly applied top finish. 3. A monochromatic (perfect one colour) floor is very difficult. Wood, as a natural product, varies from piece to piece. Remember it is not fabricated -- it is milled from a tree and will have grain and colour variations consistent with the grade and species of flooring selected. 4. A floor that will not indent is a myth. In spite of the term "hardwood ", Oak flooring will indent under high heel traffic (especially heels in disrepair). The finish that is applied will not prevent the dents. 5. You will never see a hardwood floor without cracks between the boards, or within the parquet pieces. Although your new floor may start tight together, as a natural product it will continue to absorb and release moisture. This natural process will cause the flooring to expand and contract from season to season --resulting in cracks between some of the pieces in your floor. Some stain colours, such as white, will show this process more than others. Bevelled edges make the cracks less pronounced. |
A hardwood floor is never a duplicate. Every floor is your own custom
floor !