Hurst Hardwoods


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Old 03-04-11, 07:26 AM
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Hurst Hardwoods

I'm shopping around for unfinished red oak flooring and came across Hurst Hardwoods. Anybody have any experience with them? I've emailed them for information on their milling and kiln information since their website doesn't say anything about it. My greatest fear at this point is getting such horrible planks that my DIY-skills won't be able to handle it.

Oh, here's another one: Emerald Hardwood Floors. Anybody have any other dependable online sources they know of?
 
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Old 03-04-11, 09:05 AM
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IMO, this is something you should buy local. Plus you can talk to someone face to face. Why do you want to buy online?
 
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Old 03-05-11, 09:19 AM
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Buy locally and open a few bundles for inspection prior to accepting it. The planks should be structurally sound (no splits, cracks, broken tongues, etc.) and true (the should not bow or twist inordinately on long pieces). Select the grade of wood depending on the look you want. Clear Grade has a minimum of variation but tends to look a little synthetic in my opinion. Select Grade has more variation but is still quite uniform. #1 Common grade will offer more natural variation (knots, streaks, worm holes, etc) and will require a little more filling. I would stay away from #2 common unless you want a rustic look. If you choose a darker stain, I would consider #1 common or a mix of #1 common and better because I personally think the natural variation in the wood is attractive. Again, buy locally and inspect. Quality milling can be easily seen by looking at the boards. Lastly, acclimate the wood in the rooms it will be installed in for 72 hours. This will allow the moisture content in the wood to equalize with the moisture content of your home. You should also test the moisture content of the wood versus the subfloor just prior to install. There are specific requirements for the percentage difference between the two depending on the area you live in. In general the subfloor moisture content should not exceed 12% and the difference between the new wood and the subfloor should be within 2-4%. Check these numbers for your area. Once you've established that the wood is well milled by inspecting it, this will make much more of a difference to the final install than the specific brand of wood.
 
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Old 03-07-11, 09:14 AM
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Thanks for the replies. It turns out there's a dependable supplier locally after all. My earlier searches didn't turn up much. So it looks like I will be able to get everything locally. I hadn't really given local companies much thought initially, figuring that any "web" company would be able to give me much better prices. Well, wrong.

Moral of the story: call the local people, too.
 
 

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