Choosing a floor for your home is an important one, as it is the foundation of your interior look. Generally, it is the most used and seen item and the one that will last the longest in your home. You want to get it right! Here we give you some of the essential information you will want before purchasing the perfect floor.
They are both made with real wood, and both can be either prefinished or finished onsite. However, solid wood is just as it states: is a solid piece of wood and can be used in any room including powder rooms (the only exception is usually 3+ piece washrooms) as long as it is above ground. Engineered hardwood flooring is made with wood layers that lay perpendicular to each other. This creates greater stability and less expansion and contraction than solid wood. Engineered can be used below grade making it perfect for basements.
They are both made with real wood, and both can be either prefinished or finished onsite. However, solid wood is just as it states: is a solid piece of wood and can be used in any room including powder rooms (the only exception is the washroom) as long as it is above ground. Engineered hardwood flooring is made with wood layers that lay perpendicular to each other. This creates greater stability and less expansion and contraction than solid wood. Engineered can be used below grade making it perfect for basements.
longer production time as stains and finishes require proper drying / curing times. Finished on-site is also extremely more difficult to repair especially when it comes to board replacement. Finished on-site finishes aren’t usually as strong or flexible as many of the pre-finished products that integrate products such as aluminum oxide and also aren’t as protective against UV-damaging rays that will discolour the floor where many of the prefinished finishes have UV-retardants. While many prefinished manufacturers offer custom-staining, finished on-site is the most flexible for achieving a custom colour.
Broadly, there are 3 types of sheen. High gloss, which has the most shine and reflects the most light, semi-gloss, which is some shine and reflects some light and matt finish or flat, which has the least shine and reflects the least light. The less shine you have, the less you will notice small imperfections that are common with normal wear and tear. Most sheen choices are based on personal preference.
Yes, hardwood in the kitchen has become the norm. Hardwood is much easier on your legs than most surfaces. There are a few facts you should know before proceeding.
Washrooms can receive hardwood but we usually recommend powder rooms only as most hardwood is not impervious to moisture and usually 3+ piece washrooms experience high amounts of moisture. However, there are many other options beyond tile that Darmaga Hardwood offers including water-impervious vinyl products that are textured and appear just like hardwood. Come in to our showroom and we’ll show you some options.
Yes, hardwood floors are a product of nature & will change in appearance over time. Some facts to consider:
Both children and pets put much more stress on your floors than you might think. Dropping toys and your pet’s play will eventually create damage. Area rugs and keeping pets nails trimmed will help reduce the damage. Looking for a floor that is a harder wood (such as oak) rather than a softer one (such as pine) is recommended. Also, hand-scraped flooring is a good option, this is a floor that will hide or camouflage minor damage. Come to the showroom and let our sales staff educate you and show you the many options you have.
Some hardwoods can be installed all 4 ways; others need to be installed more specifically. Here are the four primary methods of hardwood floor installation:
When we do the install we can assure you are getting the right application for your floor and it will be installed with quality materials.
Quality standards can vary greatly depending on the factory or country of production. You are making an investment into your home, and using inferior nails or adhesive will have an effect on the look and longevity of your floors performance.
At Darmaga, we use only the highest quality North American made products to make sure your floor installation stands the test of time.
When considering durability of your floor you need to think about the traffic in the area in which you are putting the hardwood. This is will dictate how durable you really need it to be. Durability is mostly based on the hardness of the wood, which is measured by the Janka Scale which tests the force needed to embed a steel ball half way in the wood.
Yes. Hardwood flooring is a natural product. Therefore, you should expect there will be natural color variations in the wood. Although lower grades of flooring will have a larger number of character blemishes, you can expect color variations in all grades.
Hardwood floors add value and beauty to your home, but as with any major home improvement, you can expect some measure of inconvenience and disruption. There are some preparations you must make before the installation can proceed, to ensure a satisfactory result:
The point of acclimating wood flooring before installing it is to allow the moisture content of the wood to adjust to “normal living conditions” at the site – that is, the temperature and humidity conditions that will typically be experienced once the structure is occupied.
Thus, it does no good at all, in fact; it is likely harmful to store wood flooring at the jobsite under conditions that don’t reflect those normal environmental conditions. Some wood flooring may already be at the proper moisture content when delivered. To allow it to sit at the jobsite under excessively humid conditions will only cause the flooring to absorb unwanted moisture or in the case of overly dry conditions lose required moisture content.
The key message is not that acclimation is good; rather, installers need to understand the dynamics of water and wood and make educated judgments about when and how much acclimation is required. To do so requires knowing what the moisture content of the flooring is at the time of delivery and what its expected moisture content will be “in use”.
Industry practice is to usually lay flooring with the length of the room or towards the major light source. In some cases a change in flooring direction may be required from room-to-room and is a very common practice. There is also the ability to lay on a 45-degree angle - our sales staff can work with you to help you decide which is most appropriate for your space, however it is ultimately up to you as to what look you prefer.
Yes, for two reasons: First, to protect you against accidental injury - using a company that does not have proper insurance coverage leaves you open to being investigated by the Ministry of Labour & / or personally sued the injured party if there is an accident. Secondly, in case they cause damage to your house that they will have liability insurance to cover the damage. At Darmaga the installers are covered with both workers compensation (WSIB) and liability insurance. No worries for you or us.
Underlayment is a layer of material which is usually installed on top of a subfloor that provides a surface suitable to receive a new floor covering and may act as a vapour retardant and or sound absorption prior to installing a floor.
The use of quality underlayment is critical to a successful installation and to protect your hardwood floor from moisture issues evolving from your subfloor, especially with concrete subfloor.
At Darmaga we use quality underlay to offer you the security and confidence in your floor installation. If you are going to lay something inferior it is not only a waste of time and money on the product but also on the entire investment of your floor.
No. If you are purchasing flooring from a company and having your own contractor install the flooring you want to make sure your installer is a professional. You will want to ask what their warranty is. Keep in mind, if there is any concern of factory defect in the product, a floor laid is a floor accepted and will usually void any manufacturer’s warranty. If you are buying flooring on a supply and install basis, you want to make sure the company warrants their installers work and the installers are qualified.
At Darmaga we have industry recognized installers and we fully warranty the work. We work with the installers and the manufacturers so there is no back and forth for the homeowner, if there is a problem (unfortunately that sometimes happens) we resolve it and make it right…immediately.
The 3 most common trim moldings are:
You must expect there will be noise created by the installation process; unless arrangements are made in advance, the installers must do all their cutting in the general area of the installation.
Children and pets are intrinsically fascinated by the activity surrounding the installation process; and must be kept away from the workspace.
You should expect a clean, professional, floor laying expert who respects you and your home. There should be minimal discussion as he sets to his work at hand with the objective of laying your floor quickly and up to standard. For his breaks and lunch he may leave, sit in the room he is working or sit outside. When the install is complete the floor should be broom swept.
Repainting of the baseboards and ¼ round can be expected after our work is complete.
70 Newkirk Road, Richmond Hill, ON L4C 3G3
Showroom: Mon-Fri: 8 am - 5 pm | Sat: 8 am - 4 pm
Warehouse: Mon-Fri 8 am - 4 pm | Sat: 8 am - 3 pm