Wood Selection

Once you have selected a wood you like, A & R Wood Floors will check the availability of the wood and order it specifically for your job.

Wood Delivery & Acclimation

The wood will be delivered to your house or job site straight from the distributor.. A very important step in the process is to allow the wood to be stored at the site in a dry location for 48 to 72 hours minimum. This lets the wood stabilize to the new environment. For proper acclimation it is best to stack the wood flooring in or near the room that it will be installed in. After acclimation, the ideal moisture content of the new flooring should be +/- 6% of the existing subfloor.

Floor Preparation & Installation

We will cover the sub-floor with a special hardwood flooring underlayment. This paper has a duel purpose. First, it keeps any moisture in your basement or crawl space from attacking the wood flooring from underneath. Secondly, it keeps the wood flooring from rubbing against the sub-floor to alleviate squeaks. The actual nailing goes quickly  and although the wood is inspected and graded by the manufacturer, our installers remove unacceptable boards as they install the flooring. After installation, natural imperfections may still exist, and are a natural part of the floors beauty.

Finishing

The standard  A & R finish consists of one coat stain and two coats of an oil based polyurethane. Newer latex (water base) finishes are also available upon request. Although these finishes are dry to the touch within 24 hours it takes a full 7 days to be considered fully cured. A & R Wood Floors recommends to wait 48 hours before moving furniture back and a full seven days before placing rugs on your new floor. You may choose to move it in sooner, but the surface is still quite soft and susceptible to marring. Give it time—you'll be happy that you did.