Canoak Flooring Ltd. ~ Top Quality Hardwood Floors at Factory Direct Prices

<BODY> If you are seeing this, you browser does not support frames. Please go to one of these sites and download one: <p> <a href="http://home.netscape.com/computing/download/index.html">Netscape Navigator Download</a><br> <a href="http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/">Internet Explorer Download</a> <p> Why is wood a better value for the money than carpet, tile, or vinyl?<br> Wood is a natural product, is aesthetically pleasing, flexible in design, structurally sound and hypoallergenic. Its exotic features are unmatched by any other floor covering. <p> What other advantages does wood flooring have?<br> Wood is an insulator, has excellent acoustics, is appraisable, and increases the resale value of your home. <p> My family has members who have problems with allergies. I have seen the precautionary labels on carpet advising the buyer that the carpet may increase such problems. How does wood flooring compare?<br> Wood flooring is hypoallergenic and will not contribute to an increased allergic response. <p> Isn’t wood flooring difficult to take care of?<br> Not at all! With the finishes and new cleaning products and accessories now available on the market, wood flooring is more easily maintained than carpet on a day-to-day basis. <p> Why do wood flooring products vary in color and shading?<br> Wood, being a product of nature, will have characteristics such as grain, knots, pin holes and many other beauty marks of nature. Each piece of flooring will react differently to stains and finishes. This is what gives wood flooring its warmth and differentiates it from processed flooring products. <p> Which is better, prefinished or site-finished hardwood floors?<br> The answer is “it depends”. Both have situations for which they are most appropriate. Site-finished floors have a smooth, more traditional surface, while prefinished floors have small grooves, known as micro-bevels between each board. The installation process is much more involved with the site-finished floors; following installation, the floor is sanded smooth, and three coats of high quality finish are applied, with 24 hours drying time and a light sanding between each coat. With a refinished floor, you install it and use it right away. There is no smell or fumes as there are with the site-finished floor. Site-finished floors are generally less expensive, while the finish will likely last longer with a prefinished floor. <p> Why do the prefinished floors at Canoak all have micro-bevels?<br> The micro-bevels are present on all high quality prefinished hardwood floors. This is done because if the wood was cut at a 90 degree angle, you would risk peeling back the finish or even slivers of wood each time you walked across the floor. <p> How long can I expect the finish on my new hardwood floor to last?<br> Groleau prefinished floors sold by Canoak have a finish of aluminum oxide, the best material known for finishing hardwood floors. There are seven coats of finish, cured with ultraviolet light. This remarkable process allows Groleau to offer a 25 year wear-through warranty on the finish. If the finish is worn out after 25 years, it can then be sanded and refinished. The finish on a site-finished floor, by contrast, is top quality oil-based or water-based urethane; three coats or four coats in the case of oil-based and water-based finish respectively. This finish can be expected to last for 15 years. <p> Which is better, solid hardwood or a manufactured floor?<br> Nothing is better or more beautiful than a solid hardwood floor. Solid hardwood is just that - solid. The same product all the way through. It can be sanded and refinished countless times, and with proper care will outlast any home. Manufactured floors, on the other hand, are plywood with veneer glued on top. An expert refinisher may be able to sand and refinish one of these once - but one wrong move and there is a gouge through to the plywood. Manufactured floors generally have only about the same life-expectancy as a carpet, and then must be replaced. <p> How long from the time I place my order will it take for my floor to be delivered and ready for installation?<br> Canoak Flooring Ltd. carries an inventory of over 100,000 square feet of hardwood. Most items are available for delivery immediately. Custom orders usually take no more than three weeks for delivery. Site-finished floors should be placed in the premises in which they are to be installed a week to 10 days prior to the start of installation, in order that they may acclimatize themselves to the level of humidity present. Prefinished floors do not need the acclimatization period, as they come wrapped in plastic. One day in order to warm to room temperature is sufficient time on the premises. If you are in a hurry, you can always find an installer with not much work to do and who can do your installation immediately, however good installers are in high demand, and it may take two weeks to a month to schedule your job. <p> What is the best thickness for a hardwood floor?<br> ľ” solid hardwood is the minimum thickness that is appropriate in the Winnipeg climate. Winnipeg has a climate that is very dry in the winter and quite humid in the summer. Wood, being a natural product has a tendency to shrink slightly in dry conditions and expand in humid conditions. Wood strips that are ľ” thick are dimensionally stable, meaning they will withstand these changes throughout the year quite well. Thinner hardwood strips are still available, being manufactured for coastal regions which have higher humidity year-round, but they are not appropriate for use in our climate in the middle of the continent. <p> Can I put rugs on my hardwood floor?<br> Place throw rugs in entries, in front of the kitchen sink, and other highly trafficked areas to avoid the accumulation of dirt. Avoid rubber- backed rugs and move and rotate rugs on a routine basis to prevent discoloration of hardwood floors. <p> Is it true that cleaning with vinegar and water is the best for hardwood floors?<br> The problem with vinegar is HOW MUCH - if some is good, more is better? Absolutely not with vinegar! Vinegar is acidifying, and more than ˝ cup to a gallon of water will instantly dull your beautiful floor. Canoak Flooring does not recommend vinegar if you want to maintain that beautiful luster on your floor. Also DO NOT use ammonia, Fantastik, Formula 409, dishwashing detergent, powdered all-purpose cleaner, Endust, Pledge, Mop'n Glo, Murphy's Oil or other polishes. Try products that are specially formulated for your hardwood floor - we have some of the finest products on the market available for purchase in our showroom. <p> Why am I getting cracks in my wood floor?<br> Cracks are a reaction to humidity, or the lack of it, and are happening constantly in your wood floors. Tiny cracks between the edges of boards may appear when dry conditions are produced by your heating system. This can usually be reduced by installing a humidifier. With a proper balance of moisture in the house, both family and floors benefit from a healthier environment. <p> How much moisture in the air is too much for my wood floor?<br> The relative humidity is the ratio of the amount of water vapor actually present in the air at a certain temperature to the greatest amount possible at the same temperature. 35% to 55% is recommended for maximum performance of hardwood flooring. <p> What does Kiln Dried mean?<br> Wood dried in a kiln oven by means of artificial heat with controlled humidity and air circulation. Manitoba's unusually dry climate requires a lower degree of moisture content in the wood than other parts of the nation to minimize joint cracking. Hardwood floors that are not kiln dried are not good value, no matter how low their price. </BODY>