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The Weather Is Cooler.

While hardwood floors can be installed any time of year, fall temperatures often mean the crew can work with the windows open. This can be helpful for ventilating the chemical fumes associated with the staining and sealing process, especially if you’re planning to be home while the work is going on.

Scheduling Is Easier.

At Renaissance, we’ve got busy schedules most months of the year because our technicians are in high demand. But during spring and summer (peak building season), there’s an increased likelihood for wait times to schedule wood floor installations. In the fall, scheduling is a bit more relaxed, so we can usually get to your project sooner.

Your Home Will Be Ready for Holiday Entertaining. 

If you install or replace your hardwood floors now, they’ll be done in plenty of time for the holidays. It will give your home a whole new look for the season. Your guests will be impressed with your beautiful new floors, and you won’t have to worry about any last-minute projects before they arrive.

You’ll Get to Enjoy Your New Floors All Winter Long. 

Wood floors add a sense of warmth and comfort to any space. Getting the floors installed before winter sets in means you’ll get to enjoy your new floors now instead of later. As you cozy up by the fireplace or entertain friends and family this winter, you’ll be glad you took care of your flooring project this fall. (Plus, if you were putting it off till next year, that time is now freed up to focus on other projects!)

If you’ve been meaning to install new wood flooring or replace your existing floors, why wait? Call us now to get on the schedule and have a whole new look for your home before the holiday season. For a complementary quote on hardwood flooring installation or replacement in Tulsa, Oklahoma City, and surrounding areas, contact us here.

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In most cases, the answer is no–but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t take a few precautions. While wood floors will expand and contract naturally in response to changes in temperature and humidity, excessive levels can sometimes do damage. Let’s discuss this in a bit more detail and talk about what you can do to safeguard your hardwood floors this summer.

“It’s Not the Heat, It’s the Humidity.”

When it comes to hardwood floors, this saying couldn’t be more true. While wood floors can generally withstand the summer heat, it’s actually the high humidity that can do the most harm. Not only does wood absorb moisture from the air, but the warmer temperatures actually enable the wood to expand and absorb even more moisture. As the wood planks expand, they start pressing against one another, which causes them to flex. This is what often causes the symptoms like warping, cupping, squeaky floorboards, etc.

Now, in most cases, this behavior is normal, and as the temperature and humidity subside, your floors will relax and settle back into place. But in cases where they are exposed to extreme heat and humidity for an extended period, the boards may start to crack and even begin to come loose from the subfloor–and this is damage that won’t resolve on its own. You’ll have to get a hardwood flooring expert to come out and do repairs.

Tips to Protect Your Wood Floors in Summer

The good news is there are steps you can take to reduce the risk that your hardwood floors will take damage from heat and humidity. Keep the following tips in mind:

• Keep wood floors out of direct sunlight, if possible. Not only can the UV rays fade the wood over time, but direct sunshine adds more heat and makes the wood capable of absorbing more moisture. Consider keeping blinds/drapes closed on hot days.
• Maintain comfortable indoor temperatures. Keep the air conditioner running to maintain a consistent temperature–even when you’re not home. In most cases, this will be enough to keep excess humidity at bay since cooler air stores less moisture. If you go away on vacation, keep the A/C on; if you want to save electricity, at least make sure the thermostat is set below 75 degrees.
• Consider investing in a dehumidifier to help regulate the humidity levels in your home. For maximum protection for your floors, a dehumidifier will help maintain proper moisture levels in the air inside when the humidity soars outside. (For best results, try to keep humidity levels around 55 percent.)

If the summer heat and humidity do manage to cause cracking or permanent cupping to your hardwood floors, it’s important to leave repairs to the professionals to ensure the job is done right. Renaissance Hardwood Floors can give you a complimentary evaluation of the condition of your floors and let you know what needs to happen to restore them to their original condition—or if you wish, we can install a whole new floor for you. To learn more about how we can help, contact us today.

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At the same time, your choice of hardwood flooring for the kitchen is very important. Kitchen floors take a lot of wear and tear from constant foot traffic. There’s also a risk of scuffs, scratches, spills, etc. For best results, you want a floor that is durable enough to stand up to this extra activity. Let’s explore some of the best hardwood flooring choices to keep your kitchen looking its best.

What Kind of Wood Floor Should You Choose for the Kitchen?

Generally speaking, harder woods like white oak or maple work best for kitchens because they are denser and more resistant to wear and tear. Softer woods like pine or walnut might feel better under your feet (or look better in the context of the entire home), but they are also more likely to sustain damage. There’s no right or wrong answer–just more or less risk. You must decide whether to trade off comfort for durability and be willing to exercise more care if you choose a softer wood.

What Kind of Wood Finish Is Best for Kitchens?

Some finishes work better than others for kitchen floors. Gloss and semi-gloss finishes can yield an attractive high-polished look, but they also show scratches and scuffs very easily, so many people don’t like them for kitchen floors. For kitchens receiving lots of use, a natural matte finish is usually best. Better yet, if you prefer a more textured look, distressed floors are excellent for hiding scratches and scuffs.

Additional Tips for Protecting Wood Floors in the Kitchen

Regardless of the type of wood flooring and finish you decide to go with, the following tips for care and maintenance will help keep your kitchen floors looking their best:

• Clean spills immediately. Even leaving a spill for a few minutes can cause unwanted moisture to absorb into the wood.
• Use protective rugs/pads under the stove, sink, and other high-risk areas. These are places where spills and splatters are most likely to happen. A strategically placed rug provides added protection against damage while adding support for your feet.
• Clean floors regularly. Use a brushless vacuum or a soft dry mop on the floor at least once every few days to remove crumbs and dirt that could grind into the kitchen floor.

When choosing hardwood flooring for the kitchen, you want to be sure it’s expertly installed and finished for best results. The expert craftsmen at Renaissance are here to help. For a complimentary quote on wood floor installation in Tulsa, Broken Arrow, Bixby, Glenpool, Oklahoma City, and throughout Green Country, call Renaissance today at 918-298-4477.

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We typically think of wood flooring in general as timeless, in part because it’s durable, and in part because we’ve been using it for centuries. But not all wood floors last as long as you think. Like anything else, certain design trends go in and out of style. Sometimes, hardwood floors succumb to wear, tear, and the elements, especially if they’re not taken care of. If you truly want your wood floors to last for generations, the following four tips should steer you in the right direction.

1. Aim for Hardwoods Rather than Softwoods

Hardwoods are more durable than softwoods, so it’s no surprise that they tend to last longer while being more resistant to wear and tear. Cherry and pine may have the look you love, but they generally don’t last as long as harder, denser species like oak, maple, or walnut. For a good all-around hardwood that’s affordable, white oak is one of the most popular choices.

2. Stick with Natural Styles and Shades

Trendy colors and styles are just that: trends. That means they will eventually appear dated. Gray floors are extremely popular, for example, but wood doesn’t naturally come in gray–so eventually, we can expect gray floors to go out of style as design trends change. Natural wood tones, on the other hand, never seem to go out of style. You can go with light or dark stains, but stay with the natural, neutral look–think of wood that looks like wood.

3. Avoid Laminate Wood Floors

Laminate wood floors aren’t made of wood at all; they are only made to look like wood. And while manufacturers are getting better about making laminate flooring appear more realistic, it doesn’t change the fact that laminate wood doesn’t last like solid wood does. Don’t choose laminate flooring if you want your floors to be timeless.

4. Keep It Simple

If you’re going for a timeless look, less is typically more. Busy patterns and multiple shades can really make your home stand out today, but those patterns don’t always age well. Parquet and herringbone floors go in and out of fashion, and they’ve seen several seasons of popularity–but they definitely aren’t popular all the time. To choose hardwood floors that never lose their overall appeal, aim for simple, clean lines and traditional designs.

Whether you prefer the most current trends or a more timeless look, Renaissance Wood Flooring has the expertise, craftsmanship, and proven track record to make sure your floors are installed to last. For a free estimate on hardwood floors in Tulsa, Broken Arrow, Jenks, Sand Springs, and other parts of Green Country, give us a call at 918-298-4477.

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In a word, yes. Let’s talk about why you need to think about hardness versus softness when choosing your wood flooring materials.

The Janka Hardness Scale

When talking about wood types for floors, you’ll often hear references to the Janka rating of different species of wood. Specifically, the Janka Hardness Scale is based on a test that measures how much force in pounds per square inch (PSI) is needed to embed a .444-inch steel ball into the wood up to half its diameter. Almost every type of wood used for floors or furniture has been measured using the Janka Scale, with ratings that range from the low 300s to over 4000. The higher the Janka rating, the harder the wood.

Just for context, among the most common types of wood used in wood flooring…hickory wood is on the higher end of the spectrum, with a Janka rating of around 1820. White pine is one of the softest, with a rating of about 420. (Most evergreen varieties are softwoods.) White oak, the most common type of floor we install, is around 1335, and this is considered an all-around good range for hardwoods in general. Maple woods tend to be a bit harder, and cherry tends to be softer. And of course, if you want an exceptionally hard floor, you can go with one of the more exotic (read: expensive) species like rosewood or ebony, which are in the 2000-3500 hardness range. You don’t have to know the exact Janka rating to determine whether a wood type is right for you, but it gives us a nice frame of reference.

Pros and Cons of Using Hardwoods

As with anything else, there are benefits and drawbacks to choosing hardwood floors versus softwoods. On the plus side, hardwood floors are more durable and can withstand heavier traffic and use without showing scratches or damage. They’re also generally easier to clean and are more resistant to stains and mold, and they can also be refinished several times throughout their lifespan. The biggest negative is that hardwoods tend to be more expensive to order and install. Generally, the harder the wood, the higher the cost.

Pros and Cons of Using Softwoods

There are usually two reasons people choose softer woods for their floors: the appearance and the price. Softwoods tend to be lighter in color and texture, which may be important to the overall design of the space. They are also more affordable, mainly because softwoods grow faster and are therefore more available. Because softwoods are more easily replenished because they grow faster, many people also choose them because they are a more eco-friendly, sustainable wood choice. However, the biggest drawback (as you might guess) is that softwoods don’t hold up as well against wear-and-tear. They are more prone to scratches and dents.

Choosing The Wood Floor That’s Right for Your Home

Ultimately, deciding on a wood type for your wood floors will depend on the amount of traffic you have in your home, your budget, and your personal aesthetic. If there are kids or pets in your home, hardwoods may be a much better choice than softwoods, because they’ll stand up to more abuse with less damage. However, if appearance is more important than flexibility and durability—and if your floors don’t have to support a lot of traffic—softer wood floors may be the way to go. The most important thing is knowing what your needs and priorities are; there’s never a one-size-fits-all answer to choosing your hardwood floor material.

Whether you choose a harder or softer species of wood for your new floors, the experts at Renaissance have the experience and skill to make sure it’s installed correctly. For a free estimate for your next hardwood flooring project in Tulsa, Broken Arrow, Catoosa, Claremore and other parts of Green Country, give us a call at 918-298-4477.

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It’s More About Tint than Color

One of the most common misconceptions (understandably so) is the idea that red oak is red and white oak is white. By extension, therefore, red must be dark while white is light. In fact, neither is entirely true. White oak isn’t really white—it has more yellow and brown undertones, and it’s actually darker than red oak. Red oak does have red undertones to it, but it typically shows up more pink than red in unstained wood. And as you can see in the image above, both red and white oak can be stained light or dark so they look very similar! (Red oak is on the left.) So when you’re choosing between them, you need to think more in terms of tints and hues than actual colors or light/dark. If you’re going with a natural, unstained look—or using a lighter stain—you’ll definitely notice the warmer yellows in the white oak versus the reddish highlights of the red oak. If you use a dark stain, red and white oak can actually look similar to each other.

White Oak Is Harder than Red Oak

White oak is dense and has a Janka hardness scale rating of 1360. Red oak is more porous and has a hardness rating of 1290. Thus, white oak holds up slightly better against heavy traffic and is a little more spill-resistant than red oak. That’s something worth considering if your home sees a lot of activity and foot traffic.

Red Oak Has a More Prominent Grain Pattern than White Oak

If you were to place a plank of red oak next to a plank of white oak and compare them, you’d see that the red oak has a pronounced grain pattern, while the white oak pattern is more subdued. Thus, white oak floors have a smoother, more uniform look, while red oak will show more texture and depth.

Which Oak Flooring Is Right for You?

Both red oak and white oak are excellent all-around flooring choices for most homes. The choice really comes down to your needs and your preferences. If you need the durability of hardwood, or if your space would look best with a more uniform look, white oak is probably the choice for you. If you prefer wood floors with stronger grain and texture, or if the reddish tint matches your home’s aesthetic better, you might go with the red oak. Whatever your choice, you want to get the best grade of wood your budget will allow—and you want it to be installed by trained experts to ensure beauty and longevity.

Still uncertain which flooring type you prefer? We’re always here to help. For a free in-home evaluation and quote, call Renaissance at 918-298-4477—or if you prefer, stop by our Glenpool showroom and let us show you some options.

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