Not all hardwood floors are the same and not all hardwood flooring companies are the same either. Here are six things that you need to know before you purchase hardwood flooring.

1. Hardwood Flooring is not indestructible.

Before you consider purchasing hardwood flooring you must take an assesment of the type and amount of traffic that your location will have. Certain species of wood and finishes can mittigate potential damage to your floor from shoes, dirt and debris. Olympic Hardwood can discuss your options and determine what the best course of action should be for your circumstances.

2. The color of your flooring will not stay the same over time.

Depending on the type of wood, finishes and coatings of your hardwood may gain a darker patina over time when exposed to sunlight. This may necessitate the moving of large objects such as furniture or floor rugs periodicaly so that the flooring ages evenly. This process usually is rapid at first but will stop in about a year. Talk to us about what types of woods will experience this effect in the Arizona climate.

3. You need to purchase more wood than square feet in your area due to waste.

Typically a batch of hardwood will contain up to 5% defective wood which is industry standard, this will vary by manufacturer and grades. Some grades may have more tollerance for certain types of faults. Additionally because hardwood comes in lengths that may not match up perfectly some of the wood may need to be trimmed and discarded.

4. Samples do not always look like delivered product.

Nature is not an assembly line of identical products. This is why we love hardwood in the first place, because it is natural it will vary in both texture, patterns and color. Thus, you can not always rely on a small sample as being 100% indicitive of the final batch of hardwood in your purchase. Olympic Hardwood can discuss which manufacturers and product lines are more consistent.

5. Know how to clean before you need to.

Accidents happen, so know what to do to clean up minor messess. Know how to clean dirt and mud, know how to clean water and know how to clean drinks and food off of your hardwood flooring in advance. That way you can address the issue before it has time to soak into the wood and set. It is also important to know what processes you need to perform monthly and daily cleaning routines.

6. Not all hardwood companies have your best interest in mind.

At Olympic Hardwood we have one goal in mind, your complete satisfaction. We are not a lumber liquidator looking to offload a certain product line because it wont sell. We are not a manufacturer that will push to purchase their products even if its not exactly what your looking for. We are your agent looking to provide you with the exact right product based on your needs, your usage patterns, your environment and your budget. We use our knowledge of hardwood flooring products to find what you want in a colaborative process. We guarantee promptness and professionalism beyond any other company that you will deal with.