Reclaimed Heart Pine with Circle Saw Marks and Hit-Skip Face

Reclaimed and Rustic Planking:

Most of our Reclaimed and Rustic Planking is finished on the jobsite. We only apply a gentle buffing and then apply finishes to this planking to preserve the natural character of these floors after installation. The floor is prepared and finished in Natural or with Stain before the top coats are applied. Open checked knots and other features are normally not filled with our True Plank but this service can be provided.

Handscraping and Other Treatments:

Custom Handscraping:

Ward Hardwood Flooring provides custom treatments of our Reclaimed & Rustic Oak - long length; wide planking and other flooring on the jobsite or in our warehouse as needed. While there are many prefinished choices for handscraped hardwood flooring; none match the authentic beauty of our custom handscraped planking. The level of intensity of handscraping and other distress features are our customers design choices. We prepare sample panels to aid in the selection process. Once the treatment has been selected your floor is matched to the customer’s sample. These elements include;

Eastern White Pine - Handscraped with a Light Brown Stain

1. Pillowing
2. Edge Scraping
3. Digs and Chatter
4. Distressing
5. Circle Saw Marks
6. French Bleed & Scraping
7. Level & Intensity of Scraping
8. Wire Brushed

Traditional Unfinished Strip Flooring:
We typically provide full machine sanding of strip flooring products we install. All overwood is rough sanded flat; cracks and knots etc. are then filled and “finish sanded” with finer grits as needed. The floor is prepared and finished in Natural or with Stain before the top coats are applied.

Staining:
Standard stain colors come in over twenty earth tone colors as well as white and pastel colors. The wood grain is first conditioned or “popped” with water in most cases. Wood Bleach is also used in some cases for white based stains on strip flooring projects.

Stenciling:
Custom Stenciling adds another level of artistic choice to wood floors. Checkered patterns, borders and other painting of wood add charm to both new floors and refinishing of existing floors.

Choices in Sealer and Top Coats:

Ward Hardwood Flooring provides both specialty Glitsa Swedish Finish and Waterlox Tung Oil Finishes in addition to Polyurethane and Waterbased Urethane Finishes. Swedish or acid cure finishes are considered the gold stand for extreme durability in the industry. Waterlox tung oil and resin coatings provide a hand rubbed look that absorbs to lock out water that is easy to maintain.

Oil modified Polyurethane Finishes provide a durable value engineered price for our customers. Urethane resins have been improved to provide good durability and will has for years with appropriate care.

Rustic White Oak - Handscraped with a Light Brown Stain

Waterbased Polyurethanes are quick drying and provide a low VOC alternative that cures very quickly. Customers appreciate the convenience of being able to move back onto their floors in a shorter time and being able to stay in the homes while finishes cure. Recoating will restore the sheen to these products as needed.

Oil & Wax systems are used in European countries but are not as popular for our customers. We have had great success with osmo Polyx Hardwax oil products. This green solvent-free liquid wax is a true green product that dries quickly and is easier to maintain than your grandmothers waxed floors.

Factory Prefinished Flooring:
There is a vast number of choices in the prefinished flooring market today. Strip and plank flooring comes in both solid and engineered in a variety of stain colors. Also prefinished Parquet flooring continues to be a niche market in the US. Aluminum Oxide currently is the factory finish of choice. Offering extended limited warranty on it durability it has all but replaced UV Set Polyurethane. Oil & Wax finishes once a popular offering from Bruce Hardwood Flooring is all but a thing of the past. Vinyl impregnated wood flooring products sold for commercial applications also have a limited market. Prefinished Handscraped flooring likewise is represented with a great number of offerings in the marketplace. Every major carpet manufacturer has acquired wood flooring subsidiaries that are featuring solid and engineered handscraped options.