Frequently Asked Questions - New York City

Are hardwood floors difficult to maintain?
Not at all. In many cases they are as easy or easier than carpet, ceramic tile, laminate or vinyl.

What do I use under my furniture to protect the floor from scratching?
Felt protector pads should be used in place of the hard metal or plastic buttons found on the legs of your furniture to prevent damage to the floor.

1) What rooms are right for hardwood floors?

You name it! We offer wide variety of products and today’s installation methods open up your entire home to the beautiful possibilities of hardwood flooring. Our Engineered wood products are right for any room – below-grade, on-grade and above-grade. These floors are made of all-wood strips that are precision-engineered together to give them added dimensional stability for use throughout the home. Our Solid wood floors are unstained and untinted to let nature’s true color shine through. Because they’re solid wood, these floors are susceptible to the effects of moisture and changes in temperature, making them good choices for rooms on-grade and above-grade.

2) Isn’t hardwood flooring expensive?

It’s all relative. With proper care and maintenance, a hardwood floor will last virtually a lifetime – which means you don’t have to replace it unless you grow tired of it…which, in our humble opinion, isn’t very likely. Our floors also enhance the value of your home. Homes with hardwood floors tend to command higher selling prices – and they often sell faster. What other floor types can you say that about? Carpet? Vinyl? When you consider all the lasting value of a ABC Floor Designs hardwood floor, it’s actually more an investment than an expense.

3) Isn’t there a lot of care and maintenance involved with a hardwood floor?

Only if you consider sweeping or vacuuming when needed a lot. You do need to wipe up spills right away. But then, you’d do that with any floor, right? Once in a while, you’ll probably want to go over your floor with a approved hardwood floor cleaner. That’s about it. There are some dos and don’ts you’ll want to pay attention to.

4) What’s the difference between Solid wood and Engineered wood flooring?

Our Solid hardwood floors are just that – strips or planks of wood that are solid top to bottom. We don’t stain or tint our Solid floors, so the colors nature gave them come shining through. Our Engineered hardwood floors, also available in strips and planks, are made by laminating three to five layers of hardwood to one another in a cross-banded manner. The top layer is a premium hardwood. This type of construction gives the flooring the dimensional stability to counteract wood’s natural tendency to contract and expand with changes in temperature and humidity.

5) What’s the difference between a single strip floor and a Multi-Layer floor?

Both of these flooring types are of the Engineered variety, meaning they are both comprised of layers of solid wood, also known as plies, that are laminated together for added dimensional stability. Both have a premium hardwood top layer. The main difference between the two is the number of layers. A single strip floor has three layers – a bottom layer, core layer and top or wear layer, which is of the selected species of wood. A Multi-Layer floor can have from five to eight plies in its composition again with a premium hardwood wear layer.

6) What are square-edge, bevel-edge and eased-edge designs?

These terms describe the edges and ends of a hardwood floor’s boards, AKA the edge profile. The edge profile for you is, basically, a matter of personal taste. Square edges are flush and butt up tight to one another for a seamless look. Bevel- and Eased-edge have a slight angle on the top edge of the plank or strip. These edge profiles add a bit more drama and tend to hide minor imperfections where the boards meet. You can also feel these edge profiles as you walk on the floor barefoot. Bottom line, it’s all about what looks right to you.

7) How do I decide between a Pre-finished and an Unfinished hardwood floor?

These days, most floors installed are of the Pre-finished variety. Our Pre-finishedfloors have nine layers of UV-cured Acrylic Urethane, including Aluminum Oxide in both base coats for added wear protection. That means they’re as tough as they come. Plus, our Pre-finished floors can be installed and enjoyed in the same day. Our Unfinished floors are beautiful, too. And, because they are unfinished, you have the flexibility of matching color on site. They do, however, take a bit longer to install and finish on site. There’s also more dust and finish fumes to contend with.

8) What is Aluminum Oxide?

Aluminum Oxide is a metallic chemical compound we add to the two base coats of our High-wear UV-cured Acrylic Urethane finish for added durability.

9) Are hardwood floors a good idea for high traffic areas?

Most definitely. We’ve gone to great lengths to make our UV-cured Acrylic Urethane finishes extra tough – and easy to clean – to help our floors stand up to traffic in the kitchen, bath, doorways, hallways, mud rooms and so on. You need to consider, though, that hardwood species vary in hardness. The harder the wood, the better it is for high traffic areas. If you’re thinking about hardwood flooring for areas that see lots of heavy use, chat with one of our customer care representatives about the best hardwood for you.

10) I have pets. Are hardwood floors a good idea for me?

Pets present a challenge…but not a huge one. If you keep your pet’s nails trimmed, floor scratching shouldn’t be a problem. Plus, our UV-cured Acrylic Urethane finishes are pretty darn tough.

11) Should I expect color variations in my hardwood floor over time?

Yes. Over time, wood changes color, typically darkening. Some woods change more than others. This is natural and part of the charm of real wood. The wood is gaining its “patina.” To make sure your hardwood floor ages uniformly – and gracefully – move your furniture, area rugs and mats around from time to time.

12) How do I decide which installation method is right for my floor?

This depends on the type of floor you want, where you want it and the type of subfloor it will be installed on. The basic installation methods are nail-down, stapled, glue-down and “floating,” (installation without nails, staples or glue). It’s best to talk to our customer care representative at 1-877-784-4222 for advice on the right method for you.

13) Can I install a hardwood floor myself?

Hardwood floor installation is a skilled trade that requires talented hands to produce the best possible results. We use highly skilled craftsmen who install our floors day in and day out. They not only do it right, they know how to avoid the headaches and hassles even the handiest of homeowners can run into. Best bet – if you really want to DIY it, talk toour customer care representative at 1-877-784-4222 to see if its worth it.

14) Can hardwood floor be installed over my existing floor?

It depends on the type of wood floor you choose. Our Engineered floors can be installed over existing floors such as ceramic tile, vinyl and most other types. Solid wood floors have some limitations in this area. Best to talk to our customer care representative at 1-877-784-4222 about whether or not it’s a good idea to install the floor you want over the floor you have.

18) Are hardwood floors environmentally friendly?

Wood is a recyclable and renewable resource. A number of our wood floors are partially comprised of recycled wood. Typically, when trees are harvested for wood floors, replanting and other forest management techniques, as outlined by the Forestry Stewardship Council, are employed to help promote the health and productivity of these forests.