Looking for unfinished maple source

Looking to do around 1,000sq of maple. I've read that maple doesn't stain well, so I'll just have someone sand it and then I'll seal it. Can anyone recommend a source of unfinished maple? I found someone on eBay from Canada that was quoting really low prices, including shipping, but I wonder if that is a good idea.

Also, the last time I put down a wood floor, frequently I was wanting to put a new tongue or groove on the ends of a plank. Is that advisable to do, now that I have a router?

Thanks,
Rob

 

Unfinished maple flooring should come tongue and groove and end-matched, too, you would not need a router. You can also explore pre-finished maple flooring options. Lower grades have more character, showing some knot and mineral, and cost less. Factor in cost of refinishing, and you may be pleasantly surprised to find that prefinish is a better deal. Quality finishes are applied in a controlled environment where there is nothing that can get in finish. Finish is UVB baked. Typically, additives like aluminum oxide are added to provide a scratch-resistant and durable finish with a warranty, something which can not be achieved with an onsite finish.

 

Thanks for the reply. I should add that I did put down a nice Bruce 3/4" hardwood at my last house. You are correct, that the alluminum oxide finish is tough to beat. However, my wife and I didn't like how the corners were knoced off and the space that remained between the boards, just inviting dirt to collect. So we would like as flat of a surface as possible.

I imagine that a finish done in house leads to a flatter finished product, with less gaps between boards.

 

Sanding boards onsite will allow you to get a flatter floor. Gaps between boards are usually due to failure of installer to test for moisture content of subfloor and flooring (no greater difference than 2% if installing plank & no greater than 4% difference if installing 2 1/4" strip) and failure to acclimate the wood to temperature and humidity in rooms where wood is to be installed. Install 8# minimum roofing felt over subfloor as vapor retarder.

Temperature and humidity should be kept constant year round. Wood tends to expand & contract as temperature & humidity levels fluctuate. Temp at around 70 degrees & humidity between 35-55%. If installing over a crawl space, it should be dry and soil covered with vapor retarder, overlapped & taped and run up sides of block foundation & taped. If installing over basement, it should be dry.

Good milling by the manufacturer should produce straight boards that do not result in gaps between them when installing and boards that do not have corners knocked off.