5 Great Examples of Hardwood Floors
Posted by Aaron Schaalma
1. Existing Maple Floor with Added Brazilian Cherry
This floor was a lot of fun to work on. It started when the home owner decided to get rid of the carpet that was in their family room. They already had existing maple floor in the kitchen and dining room, and in their great room they had Brazilian cherry. At first they weren't quite sure if they wanted to put maple in the great room too. So after some consideration they decided to go with Brazilian cherry, so what I ended up doing was using my track saw to straighten up the existing maple floor in the kitchen in preparation to lay the boarder.
Once I laid out the boarder I didn't really like the look of the maple board next to the maple floor so I decided to invert it making the Brazilian cherry boards up against the the maple floor giving it a distinction between the two areas. Sanding Brazilian cherry is a bit different than most woods because of its oiliness and hardness. With the hardness of the wood I had to sand it down well making sure all scratch marks had been removed giving the sealer a great surface to be applied on. I then had to use a sealer that would give it color and also not react too much with the oiliness of the wood. Once it all came together the end results where a one-of-a-kind custom floor.2. Old Floor with Boarder
This project started when the home owner pulled the carpet back and saw they had hardwood floors underneath. They where really excited thinking they have this really nice floor that's just waiting to be refinished! Once they removed the carpet, and to their sad surprise there where pieces of flooring missing all over the place. There were also two different types of flooring, one part white oak and the other maple. So what I decided to do was add a border all the way around the perimeter.
They had also put new heating vents in the floor and seeing as they decided to have me put a boarder around the room I suggested that they go with wood vents that get installed in the floor and then sanded and finished, making them blend in with the hardwood floor. The first thing I did was make my repairs in the field of the floors with old maple and white oak flooring so I could mark out my areas to make the cuts for the boarder. I got the boarder all cut and then I installed American walnut against the maple floor and then maple boards against the walnut.
Once I had it all installed and sanded the floor, I decided to do to make the boarder really stand out, and to keep the Walnut from fading over time I decided to stain it ebony. This really gave it that pop I was looking for.
3. Loft Dance Floor
This project was a very interesting one, because its not too often that I get to do a hardwood floor in a barn. The owner who had this old barn decided to gut it down to just the large beams, and the lower level of the barn was a big open area that had many tables. They installed random white and red oak flooring with beveled edges. So I went in there and sanded the floor with my muti-disc sander taking out small imperfections from milling the floor. They wanted an old look to the floor, so I went with a penetrating oil finish. This gave the floor an old look and feel, and it will do very well in the inconsistent climate the flooring is in. This was one of the most interesting jobs I've ever done!
4. Rustic Hickory Floor
This floor is a random width hickory floor, meaning that there is no specific pattern that the different widths are laid. There are a few unique things about this hickory floor. When I install wood flooring I never like to dead end wood floors when around fireplaces and other areas that can be bordered by flooring.
Also the home owner wanted just a little extra something when you walk in the door that would be a great welcoming entrance. Medallions can add a nice touch to certain areas. A medallion can add a very nice change to just strip hardwood and you can have a medallion made into just about anything you can imagine.
5. Dark Stained Red Oak Floor
This floor used to be natural in color but the home owner was doing a kitchen remodel and liked the dark floor look. She had a very specific color in mind and showed me pictures of the color she wanted. After playing around with mixing different stain colors I was able to get one that was exactly the color she wanted!
To get a dark stained floor to look great it takes a lot of patience and precision, because the darker you go the more scratches show up. I got this floor flat and scratch free. The contrast of the dark wood floors and white cabinets is stunning.
As you can see, there are many different choices when choosing to have a new floor installed or having it refinished. If you ever need a floor refinished or installed contact me, Aaron Schaalma, by phone (920) 279-7871 or email aaron@signaturecustomflooring.com for all of your hardwood flooring needs.
