Choosing Your Floor

Every Hardwood Design Co job is custom. Samples are meant to give you a general idea of color, grain, and distressing methods applied to various species of wood. Wood is a natural material and therefore no two pieces are the same. We use natural oils that are meant to highlight the differences in color and grain. Every piece of wood will vary to some degree in color, hardness, and grain pattern. Our samples are NOT meant to cover the range of color expected in a project. Samples are not meant to serve as examples of the quantity or degree of character in a finished product or as being representative of a certain grade of material. Natural color variations are not considered in the grading of unfinished material or in finished products. Sapwood and heartwood are not considered in the grading of unfinished material or in finished products.

Wood color changes with exposure to sunlight, therefore samples and your finished flooring project should be expected to change over time due to this. Wood floors will naturally undergo this change in color when exposed to the ambient light in a home environment. Generally colors become richer and grain patterns more harmonized. The effect will vary by species. Our custom distressing methods are all hand applied by individual craftsmen in our facility. Each artisan has their own methods and every board that they work on is different. This uniqueness is what set our products apart from the large manufacturers who use mechanized processes. This difference will reflect in the finished product. You should not expect all of the flooring planks to be just like your sample. The production of samples differs slightly from the production of a large job. A typical job takes 6 to 8 weeks to produce while most samples are completed when requested (usually within a few days). You should expect slight differences in color, distressing, and finish texture due to this.

The images on this website are provided for reference only and should not be used as the sole basis for choosing a particular style of flooring. Wood is a natural material that contains naturally-occurring variations in color, texture and grain pattern. Accordingly, every piece of Hardwood Design Co flooring will have a unique appearance. Showroom samples and photographic or electronic reproductions such as the images on this website may not accurately or fully represent the full range of color, texture and grain variations which may occur in the product itself and some products may not be exactly as illustrated. Customers should view actual product samples before making a purchase decision.

As Hardwood Design Co products are constantly being improved and expanded, please note that product availability and specifications are subject to change without notice. Customers are advised to confirm all product specifications with Hardwood Design Co prior to purchase.

Proper Care and Maintenance

Proper care and maintenance will help ensure your hardwood floor always looks its best, while making sure your investment continues to appreciate in value. Here are some care and maintenance pointers from Hardwood Design Co.

• Once a week or so, vacuum, sweep or dust mop your floor. Do this more often if you think it's needed. Make sure your vacuum head is brush or felt. A wand attachment is preferable. Don't use vacuums with beater bars or hard heads. A hardwood floor swivel-head mop with a microfiber cover also works well to eliminate fine particles of grit and dirt that can act like sandpaper on hardwood floors.
• Spills and tracked-in dirt should be wiped up immediately. For spot cleaning, use a cleaner specifically intended for a hardwood floor with your selected finish, according to the manufacturer's directions Periodically, as necessary, thoroughly clean your floor with a cleaner specifically intended for hardwood floors with your selected finish, according to the manufacturer's directions.
• Never clean or wet mop with water. Water can permanently damage your floor.
• Never apply wax treatments to a urethane-coated floor.
• Never use any of the following products (or products similar in nature) on your floor: ammonia-based cleaners, acrylic finishes, wax-based products, detergents, bleach, polishes, oil soap, abrasive cleaning soaps, or acidic materials such as vinegar. Many of these products can pit or etch your floor's finish and inhibit the effectiveness of recommended maintenance products.
• Interior and exterior doormats are a good idea at all entrances to collect dirt and moisture and prevent them from being tracked onto the floor.
• Area rugs cut down on wear in front of the kitchen sink, at "pivot points" and in high-traffic areas. Use rugs made of a breathable material to prevent moisture entrapment. Don't use rugs with solid rubber or vinyl backings.
• Don't damage your floor with shoes that have heel taps or sharp objects protruding from the sole such as rocks, exposed nails and gravel.
• Avoid walking on your floor with spike-heeled shoes. If you must, be sure to properly maintain your spike or stiletto high heels to minimize potential damage from the steel heel support.
• Keep animal nails trimmed to minimize finish scratching.
• Don't roll or slide heavy objects directly on your floor. When moving appliances or heavy furniture, lay a solid protective covering on your floor and gently "walk" the item across it. Carpet or cardboard doesn't adequately protect against surface compression scratches.
• Use furniture leg protector pads under all furniture and make sure to keep them clean and well maintained.
• Replace hard, narrow furniture rollers with wide rubber rollers.
• Keep the relative humidity in your home between 35% and 55%.
• Protect your floor from direct sunlight. Use curtains and UV-resistant film on large glass doors and windows.

Floor First Aid

• For spots caused by food, water or animals, use a cleaner specifically intended for hardwood floors, according to the manufacturer's directions.
• For grease, lipstick, crayon, ink and rubber heel marks, use a cleaner specifically intended for hardwood floors, according to the manufacturer's directions.
• For chewing gum and candle wax, apply ice in a sealed plastic bag to the top of the gum or wax deposit. Wait until the deposit becomes brittle enough to crumble off. After removal, clean the entire area with a cleaner specifically intended for hardwood floors with your selected finish, according to the manufacturer's directions.
• For minor abrasions and scratches, use a touch-up kit specifically intended for hardwood floors, according to the manufacturer's directions, to make minor repairs.
• For chips, broken edges and gaps, use a touch-up pen or fill stick specifically intended for hardwood floors, according to the manufacturer's directions.
• For deep scratches and gouges, individual boards can be replaced, as necessary.

Caring For Your Hardwood Floor

Caring for your new Hardwood Floor with the Bona Hardwood Floor Car Cleaning System is as easy as 1... 2... 3...

1. Vacuum, Sweep or Dry Mop: The best method of removing dirt, dust and grit from your floor is by using the Bona Microplus Dusting Pad. You can also vacuum with a soft brush attachment. If using the Bona MicroPlus mop to dry mop, remove any loose dirt or grit after dry-mopping by either vacuuming it clean or rinsing with water and wringing out the mop pad prior to cleaning the floor with Bona® Swedish Formula® Hardwood Floor Cleaner.
2. Spray: Lightly mist a 4' X 6' area of your floor or directly mist the cleaning pad with the Bona Swedish Formula® Hardwood Floor Cleaner.
3. Clean: Using a slightly dampened, well wrung-out Bona MicroPlus cleaning pad, thoroughly clean the floor surface using your Bona MicroPlus mop. Finish one area before moving on to the next.

When your mop pad becomes soiled, rinse with water, thoroughly wring out the pad and continue cleaning with Swedish Formula® Hardwood Floor Cleaner. When the mop pad becomes excessively soiled, launder and replace with another clean mop pad. Continued use of excessively soiled pads may cause streaking. Your Bona MicroPlus cleaning pads are reusable and washable.

Do not use any fabric softeners, dryer sheets or bleach on your MicroPlus cleaning pad, as these products will diminish the natural cleaning characteristics of the microfiber.

When a spill occurs, soak up the liquid right away. Mist the area with cleaner, and wipe with your Bona MicroPlus mop or a MicroPlus Floor Cloth.