We’re None of Us Perfect: How to Handle Width-Variation Complaints

In many ways, the rise in popularity of prefinished hardwood flooring has been a godsend for the wholesale hardwood flooring industry — the ease of installation and reduced labor costs associated with prefinished products have allowed thousands, if not millions, of cost-conscious homeowners to enjoy the great look and durability of solid hardwood flooring without breaking the bank.

That said, there are a few downsides that are unique to prefinished hardwood flooring, and width complaints are near the top of the list. Customers used to seeing hardwood floors that were finished on site — where the natural gaps between the planks can be filled in the finishing process — may flip when they see the unavoidable small gaps in a prefinished installation: “Surely these planks are defective! They must be all different widths!”

As with most customer-service challenges, managing the customer’s expectations is key. Make sure the client is educated about the special characteristics of prefinished hardwood flooring before the job starts. Explain that that natural expansion and contraction of the wood will make some small gaps unavoidable. If this is a problem, recommend a solid hardwood flooring product with a beveled edge, which will make the gaps less noticeable.

Finally, if the presence of small gaps (typically no more than 1/16”) is really a deal breaker, gently suggest that the customer might be happier with an unfinished wholesale hardwood flooring product that can be finished on site to whatever level of glassy smoothness the customer might desire.

Contact Wood Monsters today to learn more about solid hardwood flooring’s expansion and contraction abd further ways to minimize it.

Wood Monsters Featured Product: Cypress

Welcome back to our regular blog series, Wood Monsters Featured Product. This week we're shining our spotlight on one of our favorite prefinished hardwood flooring products: Cypress.

Cypress hardwood flooring features a wide range of colors: white, cream, yellow, brown, red, olive, tan, copper, and many more. The combinations of colors in Cypress flooring make it visually engaging but also quite versatile - you'd be hard-pressed to find a color scheme or home decor that wouldn't look great paired with a Cypress hardwood floor. Cypress flooring also has unique and interesting grain patterns and tree markings. Though quite random, the markings fit together nicely once installed.

Cypress hardwood from Wood Monsters is also one of the more durable flooring materials you can buy. Cypress already has high Janka hardness and density ratings, and our prefinished materials are engineered with high-density fiber technology. This combination of strength and density means your flooring will experience little buckling, warping, or cupping, and will be more resistant to dents, scratches, and wood-boring insects.

Contact your Wood Monsters representative to learn more about our prefinished Cypress hardwood flooring, or visit www.WoodMonsters.com.

Wood Monsters Featured Item: African Walnut

Welcome once again to our continuing blog series, Wood Monsters Featured Items. Last time, we told you about a great engineered hardwood flooring product, Hand-scraped Pacific Walnut. This time we’ve got a solid walnut product to share with you; African Walnut Hardwood Flooring.

Like all hardwood flooring, African walnut has a warmth and feel that carpet and tile can’t match. African Walnut hardwood flooring has an additional advantage: its remarkable, dark heartwood.

African Walnut hardwood flooring has a natural deep brown, almost black color coupled with an extraordinarily even and subtle grain pattern. This gives it a luxuriant, but very neutral appearance that will fit well with almost any design scheme or color palette.

African Walnut’s darkness, density and uniform texture mean that it’s able to take a high luster, for an elegant, piano-like finish that will complement any library, study, formal dining room or any room where a smooth, even shine is desired. And its durability and resistance to decay mean that it will continue to impress for a lifetime if properly maintained.

African Walnut hardwood flooring from Wood Monsters is one of the highest-quality flooring products you can find. Contact Wood Monsters today to learn more.

Wood Monsters Featured Item: Solid Prefinished African Walnut

Wood Monsters is proud to feature dozens of high-quality hardwood flooring products, but with so many options, picking the right species and style for your flooring project can be overwhelming. That's why we've started this blog series - to showcase some of the most popular and highest-quality hardwood flooring products we carry and offer enough information to allow you to make an informed decision. This week we're featuring one of our most popular exotic hardwood flooring lines: solid prefinished African Walnut. Enjoy!

Wood Monsters carries the Elegance line of solid prefinished African Walnut hardwood flooring. This narrow, solid smooth flooring line has a distinguished look perfect for dining rooms, living rooms, libraries, halls, and studies. The wood's color is a dark brown and it is nearly uniform in texture, which adds to its versatility. The dark tones, high luster, and uniform look make it compatible with nearly any design scheme.

African Walnut is not just a pretty face - it's also one of the most durable species of hardwood flooring you can find. It is naturally resistant to decay, has high hardness and density ratings, and has good dimensional stability. If you're looking for an attractive hardwood flooring option that will last for decades, look no further than solid prefinished African Walnut.

Questions about this species? Contact Wood Monsters today to find out more about solid prefinished African Walnut hardwood flooring.