Presented every year by the Home Builders Association of Greater Tulsa, the Tulsa Parade of Homes features more than 100 homes across the Tulsa metro area, built by some of Green Country’s most reputable builders. This year’s parade features homes in Tulsa, Bixby, Broken Arrow, Catoosa, Collinsville, Coweta, Glenpool, Claremore, Jenks, Owasso, Sand Springs, Sapulpa, and Skiatook.

Renaissance is proud to feature our hardwood floors in this year’s parade in homes by these amazing builders:

• Abbey Homes
• Brian D. Wiggs Homes
• Brumble Construction
• Cobblestone Homes
• Concept Builders
• Coyle Custom Homes
• Dodson Building Group
• Executive Homes
• Farabough Homes
• Legacy Builders
• Old School Construction
• Scissortail Homes
• Briggs Construction
• True North Homes

The 2022 Tulsa Parade of Homes runs from June 18-26 from 1pm-7pm daily. Admission is FREE! For a map of the homes, pick up the Official Guide at your local participating QuikTrip, or better yet, download the Greater Tulsa Parade of Homes App, available at the Apple App Store or Google Play.

Don’t miss the opportunity to view some of the finest new homes in the Tulsa area—and be sure to look for our floors! See you there!

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The question is—should you jump on the wide plank bandwagon? Will it enhance the beauty of your home for years to come, or will it appear dated in a few years? Is wide plank flooring right for every space? If not, when should it be used? Let’s take a closer look at this design trend so you can make an informed decision about whether wide plank hardwoods are right for your next project.

What Is Wide Plank Flooring?

The most common width of most hardwood floor planks is 2 1/4 inches, although they can obviously vary a bit in either direction. From a design perspective, we consider wide plank flooring to be any planking wider than 4 inches. The trendiest plank sizes currently range between 6-10 inches in width, and a few even go as wide as 20 inches. The wider planks tend to have more knots in them, which can look exceptionally attractive in rustic spaces. However, when you use select grade planks with fewer knots, they can enhance the look of modern and contemporary rooms, as well.

The Pros and Cons of Wide Planks

Like anything else, wide plank flooring has both advantages and disadvantages, and you’ll want to weigh these before making a decision.

The pros:

• Adds visual interest to both modern and traditional spaces.
• Fewer seams help the wood floor tie in better with the rest of the room.
• Adds a sense of space and dimension.
• Adds to the appraisal value of the home.

The cons:

• The cost—wide planking is considerably more expensive than standard planking.
• Availability—despite being a popular choice, wide plank flooring is scarcer and must often be special-ordered.
• More humidity sensitive. Wide plank flooring can be more susceptible to cupping and crowning due to changes in humidity levels. It’s important to maintain optimal humidity levels at between 35-45 percent inside the home.

Factors to Consider When Deciding on Wide Plank Flooring

How do you know if wide plank hardwood floors are right for your space? When making a decision, you’ll want to keep the following in mind:

• The size of the room. Wide planks create an airy sense of space in larger rooms, but they can make smaller spaces look cramped.
• The overall vibe of the room. Rustic spaces do very well with wide planks, especially when they are made from reclaimed wood. However, the wrong grade or shade of wood can conflict with modern or contemporary looks. For these, make sure you use select grade wood with fewer knots—preferably in a lighter shade or whitewashed look.
• Your budget. Wide plank floors are expensive to install and require extra effort to maintain. Make sure you’re willing to spend both the money and the time.

Will Wide Plank Floors Go Out of Style?

Will your wide plank hardwood floors look dated in a few years? No one can predict the future, of course, but in our opinion, it’s not likely that this trend will prove to be a fad like other design trends. In fact, wide planks were the norm in colonial days, which is why many wide plank projects are made from reclaimed wood. So even if the trends change with the times, your wide plank floors will likely continue to look attractive for many years to come.

Whatever type of hardwood floors you decide to use, Renaissance Hardwood Floors is your flooring company of choice in northeast Oklahoma. If you’re looking to install wood flooring in Glenpool, Tulsa, Coweta, Claremore, Broken Arrow or other parts of Green Country, call us 918-298-4477 for a free estimate.

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This year’s Parade will feature three evenings of “Twilight Tours,” showcasing three Tulsa-area subdivisions where parade homes will remain open from 6-9pm. The Twilight Tours will take place in the following neighborhoods:

• Vale at Redbud, Monday, July 20
• Stone Canyon, Tuesday, July 21
• Estates at the River, Thursday, July 23

How to Find the Parade Homes

The Official Guide for the 2020 Greater Tulsa Parade of Homes is available at QuikTrip locations across the Tulsa metro area. You can also view download the guide online here. You can also download the Parade of Homes app, available for iPhone and Android, to view the guide and plan your route.

Renaissance is proud to have worked with many of the fine builders featured in the Greater Tulsa Parade of Homes, and our floors are featured in parade homes across the area. Come on out, and we’ll see you at the parade!

The post Greater Tulsa Parade of Homes is Back! July 18-26, 2020 appeared first on Renaissance Hardwood Floors.

One of the first decisions you’ll make when choosing hardwood flooring for your home—and one that stumps many homeowners—is choosing between light and dark hardwood flooring. Is one more preferable than the other? Is one more stylish? More durable? The best answer really depends on a number of factors, including room size, your décor and even your personal style. That said, if you’re undecided, answering the following questions should give you some sense of direction.

Do You Have Pets and/or Children?

Pets and small children can definitely have an effect on the long-term look of your floors. Pet toenail scratches show up more easily on dark hardwoods; so do scratches from scooted chairs or toys being dragged across the floor. If you’ve got little ones or furry family members living at home, you might want to go with a lighter shade to mask those inevitable scratch marks. If you do prefer a darker shade, we might recommend going with a hand scraped or distressed finish where scratch marks blend in more easily.

How Often Do You Clean?

Believe it or not, family housecleaning patterns can play a role in determining the shade wood floor that’s best for you. If you keep a neat and tidy home and you don’t mind cleaning your wood floors frequently, you might do very well with a rich, dark shade of hardwood. On the other hand, if you prefer a lower-maintenance home, you’ll probably enjoy a lighter color of flooring. The reason? Dark floors show every speck of dust and dirt. Lighter floors don’t.

What Does “Home” Feel Like?

This may seem like an abstract question (and it is), but what feelings come to you when you think about home? Do you envision a place that is warm and cozy, or bright and airy? Is it a quiet retreat or a gathering place for friends and family? The color of your hardwood flooring will play a large part in making your home feel like home to you. Generally speaking, dark, rich hardwood floors can make small rooms feel cozy and larger rooms feel more elegant. Lighter hardwoods tend to reflect the light and make rooms feel brighter, airy and more spacious. (One common home selling strategy is to put lighter floors into the bedrooms to make them feel larger.) Choose a shade of hardwood that you think will create the best sense of home as it feels to you.

What’s in Style Right Now? (And Does It Matter?)

Some style-conscious homeowners want a look that makes their home feel “current” in line with today’s design trends. So which is more in fashion right now—light or dark hardwood flooring? The answer is both. In 2019, designers are leaning toward the extremes of light and dark flooring, while the middle “brown” shades are less in vogue for the moment. That said, unless this is an investment property, you’re the one who is going to have to live with these floors after your fashion-conscious friends go home. Thus, we recommend choosing a shade that is more in line with your personal tastes. After all, wood flooring tends to be timeless, no matter which shade you choose. If you happen to make a style choice in wood flooring that isn’t “cutting edge” today, the good news is it probably will be in a few years.

Whether you prefer light or dark hardwood flooring, Renaissance Hardwood Floors provides unmatched craftsmanship in making sure those floors will stand the test of time. For a free estimate in Tulsa, Jenks, Glenpool, Bixby and throughout Green Country, give us a call at 918-298-4477.

The post Light or Dark Hardwood Flooring? A Quick Guide appeared first on Renaissance Hardwood Floors.

It might not even be that obvious. You might come to the end of moving day only to discover a whole series of scuffs and scratch marks on the floor that you swear were not there when you purchased the home. Either way, you’re barely a day in, and already your gorgeous wood floors are visibly damaged.

Thankfully, this nightmare is one that can be prevented. By implementing the following tips and tricks, you can safeguard your wood floors from damage during a move-in. Here’s what you need to know.

Make Sure the Floors are Clean First

Your floor’s number one enemy on moving day is not always heavy furniture. It’s actually a lot smaller, in the form of dirt, dust, sand and gravel. When workers or friends are busy maneuvering furniture—even if they’re being careful—their boots and shoes can scoot across the floor, grinding those tiny grains of dirt and sand into the planks and causing scrapes and scratches. So before you bring in a single box or piece of furniture, get those wood floors spotless. Go through with a soft broom or brushless vacuum (NO BEATERS) and get all traces of dust and dirt off the floor. This one step can reduce your risk of floor damage by more than half.

Use a Doormat and Cover Walkways

Once you’ve cleared the floor of dirt and sand, the next line of defense is to keep as much dirt and sand as possible from coming in on people’s shoes during the move itself. You can accomplish this with a two-step process:

1. Set doormats in front of all entrances (and make sure people use them); and
2. Lay protective coverings across all major walkways. (Some professional movers will lay down plastic for this purpose, but you can also accomplish this goal with strategically placed area rugs and runners.)

Be Careful with Wheels

Wheels and casters make heavy furniture easier to move, but that doesn’t mean they can’t damage your wood floors. Quite often, dirt and sand get lodged in these wheels and are ground into the floor the same as with the bottom of people’s shoes. Also, a caster stuck in the sideways position can do as much damage as dragging a furniture leg. Always utilize casters and wheels carefully, and go ahead and lift furniture whenever possible. When using a dolly, use one with inflatable rubber wheels rather than hard, solid rubber.

Lift. Don’t Drag or Scoot.

This one is just common sense: A furniture leg dragging on the floor is just asking for trouble. So is scooting any large piece with a heavy base, like a cabinet or large appliance. Always lift these pieces rather than drag or scoot them across the floor. If lifting is just not feasible for some reason, invest in some reusable gliders and put them under the legs before scooting.

If you do happen to get a few scratches on your wood floors during moving day, it’s not the end of the world; most scratches can be repaired by a trusted professional. If you live in Tulsa, Jenks, Catoosa, Glenpool or other places in Green Country, we are always happy to come out and evaluate the damage and give you a fair estimate for repairs. Give Renaissance Hardwood Floors a call at 918-298-4477.

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Where to See Renaissance Floors in This Year’s Parade

Our floors are featured by more than a dozen Parade of Homes builders, appearing in subdivisions in Tulsa, Broken Arrow, Bixby, Sand Springs, Jenks, Glenpool, Claremore, Collinsville, Owasso and others. Look for our floors in homes by these builders (NOT a comprehensive list):

• Yorktown Builders
• Dodson Building Group
• Old School Homes
• Concept Builders
• Cobblestone Homes
• 1st Choice Quality Builders
• Castlerock Homes
• Executive Homes
• Timber Creek Properties
• Mike Fretz Inc
• Homes by Classic Properties
• Tradition Homes
• Artisan Home Builders
• Amian
• Abbey Homes
• Legacy Home Builders
• Graystone Homes
• Ruhl Construction
• Spartan Homes

Homes along the parade route are open from 1pm-7pm daily from now through Sunday, June 23. For more information and access to this year’s guide, visit the Tulsa Home Builders Association website. We’ll see you at the parade!

The post Check Out Renaissance Floors at the 2019 Tulsa Parade of Homes appeared first on Renaissance Hardwood Floors.

Held at the River Spirit Expo at Expo Square, the show will feature more than 500 exhibitors. You’ll find a huge array of the latest products for your home, yard, garden or home improvement project. If you live anywhere in Green Country and plan to make any updates to your personal castle, this expo is not to be missed!

What to Expect

Along with more exhibits than your eyes can take in, the expo includes fun events for the family, as well as opportunities to give back to the community. Reasor’s will be back selling flowers to benefit Food for Kids, an outreach of the Community Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma. And you can also catch food hacker Todd Wilbur and a number of great local chefs showing off at the Oklahoma Natural Gas Cooking Stage!

Here are the specifics:

• WHAT: Tulsa Home & Garden Show 2018
• WHERE: River Spirit Expo at Expo Square, 4145 E. 21^st St. in Tusla
• WHEN: March 8-11, 2018
• Admission is $10 for adults, $9 for seniors. Hours of operation can be found here.

Sponsored by the Tulsa Home Builders Association, the Tulsa Home & Garden Show has been a local tradition since 1949. We are proud to be part of that tradition! We invite you to visit us at the Renaissance Hardwood Flooring booth, located at Booth #1243. We’ll be around all weekend, and we’d love to meet you!

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If so, here’s a suggestion for you: Think about starting sooner, rather than later. Here are a few reasons why.

Schedules Fill Up in the Spring and Summer

The spring and summer months are “prime time” for contractors—it’s when they get busiest. By contrast, many contractors have more openings in the winter months, and most indoor projects can be done year-round with no problem. If you wait until April or May to call the contractor, you could find yourself on a wait list, depending on how busy he is. If you call sooner, chances are he can fit you in before the rush.

Supplies Are More Available

As the year progresses, shortages of supplies become more common as demand for materials sometimes exceeds the supply. The winter months are when your construction materials are most likely to be available—and possibly even at discounted prices. Getting started now puts you ahead of the rush.

This Year May Be Exceptionally Busy

The construction industry is booming right now, and a recent report by Marketwatch predicts that the demand for new construction homes may increase by double digits in 2018. Many home builders in the Tulsa area use the same contractors you do, which means you will likely be competing with these builders for time on the calendar. The later you wait to begin your remodeling project, the more likely it is that you could be waiting even longer. Booking the contractor now might help you “skip the line.”

If your home remodeling project includes new hardwood flooring, we’d love the opportunity to talk to you. Renaissance Hardwood Floors serves the entire Tulsa metro area, including Jenks, Glenpool, Sand Springs, Broken Arrow, Bixby and more! Just call us at 918-298-4477 for an appointment. We’d be glad to help.

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Just as styles in the world of fashion are always changing, so do our style choices when building a home. While hardwood flooring in general is always in vogue, we’re always coming up with fresh ways to create chic new looks that match the times. As new home starts in Tulsa continue their upward climb this year, we’re observing some specific and interesting trends in what builders and homeowners are asking for. Here are a few standout trends for Tulsa wood flooring that we’ve been seeing in 2017.

Gray Is Here to Stay—For a While, at Least

When gray-stained wood floors first started appearing a couple of years ago, most people swore it was little more than a passing fad. Not so fast: Gray floors are now more popular than ever, and they’re consistently at or near the top of our orders month after month. Gray floors add an unusual touch of elegance to any home, and they work well with almost every color scheme. Don’t expect to see this trend fading anytime soon.

Bolder Colors and Contrasts

With the exception of gray floors mentioned above, neutral is out, and bold is in. These days, basic brown and tan floors are taking a back seat while customers choose stains that are either very dark or very blonde. Dark floors add a great sense of contrast with light or white furnishings, and lighter floors can make a room feel lighter, larger and more open. If you don’t want gray, chances are you want it light or dark—not in the middle.

Wide Planking

Not only do wide planks make your room look larger, but they also add a sense of richness to your home décor. With open-concept floor plans in high demand, it comes as little surprise that wide planks continue to be very popular in 2017. They’re an excellent choice if you’re trying to create the impression of space and luxury.

Distressed Flooring

While satin finishes remain a consistent choice among Tulsa builders and homeowners, a growing number of people are calling for the “distressed” look. (Think of it almost like buying pre-damaged, hole-y jeans at one of those trendy boutiques—only for flooring.) We get frequent requests for hand-scraped finishing and beveling techniques to give brand-new floors that “lived on” look—or even to make them appear like reclaimed wood.

Creative Patterns

Another way people are making their wood floors stand out is with a nearly infinite variety of creative planking patterns. Herringbone flooring (similar to parquet, but with longer planks) is a popular pattern;  installing the planks diagonal can also add style and visual interest to any room. Or, let us create a customized pattern that’s unique and original to your space. The possibilities are endless.

While there’s something to be said about creating a “timeless” look, modern homebuilding trends tend to last a bit longer than seasonal clothing fashions. Any of these wood flooring trends for 2017 are likely to continue over the next several years, and they’re great choices for adding both elegance and resale value to your home. Here at Renaissance, we do all our stains and finishes by hand, and we use only the highest quality wood to ensure your floors last for many years to come. To learn more about current wood flooring trends in Tulsa, give us a call at 918-298-4477.

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