Ask the Expert: The Ins and Outs of Wood Floors - Remodelista
Not so long ago, when I was desperate to replace the linoleum floor in our rental house kitchen with a wood one, my designer friends suggested calling local floorer Donald Williams of Donald Williams Floors in Calistoga, CA. French oak floors from Exquisite Surfaces by Donald Williams Floors in the home of Napa interior designer Patricia Adrian-Hanson. Photograph by Sean Dagen Photography. RM: How do you advise clients on choosing a color?DW: The problem with picking a color is that folks are reluctant to relinquish control with natural products in which the color is intrinsic to the wood. They’ll pick a stain, then I’ll show them another piece of red oak in the same stain and it will look different. A Douglas fir floor at Radio Restaurant in Copenhagen. RM: What about staining with color?DW: The stain provides the color and the finish goes on top of the stain to protect it and the wood. The floor may not last long because the color may get walked off. Photograph by Anders Hviid. Samples of oak with different colored finishes at Heritage Salvage in Petaluma. RM: What are the most popular woods? DW: Over half of the wood flooring used in the US is oak, maybe even two thirds. Oversized rustic oak planks from Cheville Parquet. RM: Requirements for laying down a wood floor?DW: You should have a subfloor that is flat, clean, and dry. Wood expands and contracts as humidity and temperature vary. RM: Why is that?DW: Manufactured products are easy to work with generally because they’re more stable than wood. In terms of engineered wood, you want a thick wear layer so you can sand in the future. RM: Thoughts on the return to favor of herringbone and chevron floors?DW: They’re like a tweed jacket–they never go out of style. Joseph Dirand’s new apartment in Paris features chevron floors; photo by Simon Watson for the NY Times.