Replies

1. 
   AlanMikkelsen | Dec 02, 2004 06:11pm | #1

   We did the same thing last year and went with No. white oak.  A lot of the prefinished brands have a slight groove where they fit together and this can cause dirt to lodge in the grooves.  I think the sand and finish old fashioned boards is the way to go. 

   Alan & Lynette Mikkelsen, Mountain View Farm, est. 1934,  Gardens & Fine Woodworking, St. Ignatius, MT

2. 
   triplenet | Dec 02, 2004 06:35pm | #2

   Steve,

   We installed about 3500 SF of #2 cherry and red oak in our new home. Cherry is softer and more prone to scratching and denting. We used oak in the higher traffic areas. We thought we wanted white oak, but the color of the red was much more pleasing to us. White seemed to have a greenish cast, no matter the color of stain compared to red.

   Years ago I installed some prefinished flooring in a commercial building. Never again. The cost is higher and the grooves at the edges area pain to clean. The only advatage is that the installation is quicker and neater.

   I also tried some laminate floor in a duplex. I feel it is a temporary look and will propably have a short life due to wear.

   Bob

3. 
   user-5880422 | Dec 02, 2004 06:46pm | #3

   Personally, I prefer 3/4" T&G flooring that is unfinished, but I don't enjoy the process of installing it and finishing it. Finishing is a hard, dirty, miserable job, but the results you get are really over the top, so in my book it's worth the work. Just plan on moving your family out for a couple of days.

   insofar as the choices you laid out, it's pretty much a personal preference issue. All of these species are excellent floor materials. A more important decision to make is what grade you will purchase if you go with unfinished floors, there is quite a big price difference between 'select & better' and lesser grades, but if you don't mind doing a little extra finishing work you will still get excellent results.

   Installing unfinished floors is not a big challenge, just rent yourself a pneumatic floor nailer and user a hell of a lot of fasteners when you lay it down. The prefinished material usually does have a small chamfer on either side, the chamfer makes the discrepencies from a less than tight fit less noticeable. I don't much car for it myself, it does collect dirt over time.

   As far as the actual finish goes, if you ask 10 people you'll get 15 opinions so do the research and decide for yourself. Personally, I prefer water-based finishes like Bona's Mega, which is a one part system that is very forgiving in application and super tough in the wear and tear department. I also like how water-based finishes are clear and white, as opposed to the slight ambering you get with oil finishes. In terms of application, water-based finishes are hands down winners to apply, you can get a sealer coat and 2 finish coats down in a long day and be done with it, while oil finishes require at least 8 hours to dry between coats. Plus, you get no VOCs from water systems, meaning no odors and nothing harmful for your family.

    

1. 
   RonInOttawa | Dec 03, 2004 10:25pm | #9

   With respect to the edge chamfers---I actually had a flooring salesman tell me that the grooves were there to collect the dust and grit hat would otherwise be ground underfoot and mar the finish! Supposedly, you were supposed to vacuum regularly and pull the grit out of the grooves. He just gave me a blank look when I asked him how the dust and grit knew they were supposed to go into the grooves as opposed to randomly sitting wherever they wanted on the floor.Regards,Ron

4. 
   douglas2cats | Dec 02, 2004 06:46pm | #4

   You might also want to look at Brazilian Cherry (don't think it's actually a cherry at all). I've never actually seen a whole floor, but a previous neighbor who was a contractor gave me some leftover BC flooring from a job he did. It's a tiny bit darker than regular cherry but looks real nice. It's a lot harder/denser than cherry and will probably hold up better over time.

    

1. 
   Pondfish | Dec 03, 2004 09:57pm | #8

   Brazilian Cherry = Jatoba.  It is very hard, contains silicates and is very red. 

   Something like Jatoba would make a good border or accent.  If I were installing a wood floor (instead of inheriting the white oak ones from the previous owner), I would plan on having a border design to the floor.  More work, but it is a huge difference.

   Last, go for hi gloss.  Satin finishes look dull on floors.

5. 
   Yotie | Dec 02, 2004 11:49pm | #5

   Steve:

   Went through exactly what you are about to a year ago...we went with 3 1/4" white oak though....we bought the unfinished, I installed it, and then we had it sanded and finished.  We also have two young kids and the sand and finish was pretty disruptive....if I had to do it over again, I would install the pre-finished and not deal with the sand and finish.  That being said, the sand and finish is probably a prettier floor IMHO.....my understanding is that pre-finished floors now come in square edges, as well as in bevel edges.  Just my 1 1/2 cents..........

   Don

1. 
   user-5880422 | Dec 03, 2004 06:23pm | #6

   yeah, you are right about the non-beveled edges on some of the newer products. I think it's fair to say that that stuff is really unforgiving in installation with regard to tight edges and square corners when you have details sections.

   The only other good thing that can be said about unfinished floors, in addition to the super nice finished product, is that you only have to do it once (at least with most homes).

6. 
   Oily | Dec 03, 2004 09:44pm | #7

   I did about 1000 sq feet of 3/4 inch T&G No. 1 Common white ash and am very pleased with the results.  Gives a very light colored floor, but the No. 1 grade adds some color and interest.  Better grades were not much more expensive, but were pretty bland white wood.  Ash seems to be a bargan right now, too.  I paid $2.10 per square foot.  Installation approached fun (and justified a whole range of new tools); finishing is a pain.  I used a rented Square Buff sander (giant vibrating pad sander)--not very fast, but largely foolproof- dust goes pretty much everywhere.  I also used Diamond floor finish (water base) and am pleased with the looks and ease of use.  Neighbors used a "Swedish" finish applied to the new red oak they had installed and had to evacuate the place for a couple days while it dried (acid cured urethane- I think) and outgassed formaldehyde!!

7. 
   Ardito | Dec 04, 2004 12:11am | #10

   My neighbor has Cherry floors and has color variation now where they used to have a area rug.  The sun has "darkened" the Cherry and where the rug was is now lighter. 

   I would stay away from Cherry for that reason alone.  Plus, why would you spend all of that money for a floor that will dent easily?

   Go with Oak or Maple and forget about it. 

   Cheers!
   Dark Magneto

8. 
   lee2 | Dec 04, 2004 04:48am | #11

   Steve: A suggestion.Buy FAS white oak, Red oak or cherry which ever you prefer. Mill yourself to random widths and lengths and put down as planked flooring and fasten with screws and contracting plugs. Looks great and is different than run of the mill manufactored flooring. I have it in my house and I always get compliments. Just a suggestion.  Lee2

9. 
   DennisS | Dec 04, 2004 07:27am | #12

   Steve -

   I've never lived on a cherry floor - but we have some friends that put it in their kitchen and dining area a year or two ago. They have a large bay window with a low sill at the end of the dining area that results in a lot of raking light across the floor. You can see every little indentation from chair legs and whatever .... indicating to me that it's not terribly durable. But this was a prefinished flooring material. Perhaps if you install it unfinished and have a professional finisher put down a more durable coating your mileage will vary.

   ...........
   From Beautiful Skagit Co. Wa.
   Dennis
10. 
    Pondfish | Dec 04, 2004 04:50pm | #13

    Steve,

    If you want cherry floors, don't use NA cherry.  Brazilian "cherry" (Jatoba) is fine and costs less than plain old cherry. 

    Brazilian cherry is one of the hardest woods available so don't worry about it being too soft.  On a scale of 1-10, where red oak is a 5, Jatoba is about an 11.  The downside is the your tools will dull quickly and they better be sharp to begin with when working with this stuff. It also isn't as light sensitive as NA cherry, and it finishes beautifully.

    Paul

1. 
   SK32 | Dec 06, 2004 06:10am | #14

   Thanks for all the replies. My wife and I really appreciate the help. Now on to the fun!

                                                                Steve

1. 
   AlanMikkelsen | Dec 06, 2004 08:58pm | #15

   Here's a No. 1 white oak floor......Alan & Lynette Mikkelsen, Mountain View Farm, est. 1934,  Gardens & Fine Woodworking, St. Ignatius, MT