Technical

Table of Contents


We Will Help You — Choosing Your Floor — Placing an Order

When Should I Order My Floor? — We Deliver — Proper Care

Flooor First Aid — Caring For Your Floor — Lifetime Warranty

How to Make a Claim


We Will Help You:

  • Design your Hardwood Designs floor by helping you decide on the wood type from our Texas Mesquite, Southern Pecan, and Antique woods, specifications, distressing, staining, and finishes.
  • Determine your square footage
  • Work with you directly or work with your architect, builder and designer, helping coordinate their efforts
  • Coordinate the delivery and installation with your builder
  • Set up the delivery directly to the job site
  • Recommend an installer in your area or give you the personal instruction to install the floor yourself
  • Guide you or your installer through the installation and finishing process with both written instruction and phone assistance
  • All we need from you to get started is an idea of your vision and an approximate square footage- we do the rest!

Choosing Your Floor:

Remember- we make one plank and one floor at a time, so each floor is custom to you and your home.

Every Hardwood Designs’ 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 Designs’ 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 Designs’ 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 Designs prior to purchase.

Placing an Order:

Generally, it takes us about 4-6 weeks to custom craft your Hardwood Designs floor, but please tell us about any special circumstances so we can work with you to accommodate your needs.

We require a 50% deposit via personal check or cashier’s check to get your order started, with the balance due prior to the floor being shipped.

When Should I Order My Floor?:

While we understand that job site conditions can sometimes affect your plans on when the floor will be installed, we at Hardwood Designs strongly recommend installing your floor as almost the last phase of your construction project. A good guideline to follow is that once you have the first coat of paint on your sheetrock, you can install your floors. Then we recommend covering them with either cardboard or a thin layer of plywood in order to protect your floor as you are finishing your project- applying the last coat of paint, installing baseboards and hanging lighting fixtures can now be done. Because nothing goes perfect on construction sites, accidents and or damage may occur to your new flooring no matter how many precautions are made, Hardwood Designs also recommends applying one final top coat to your flooring to insure your floor to look perfect. This final top coat can be done by any competent hardwood floor professional.

We Deliver:

We have proudly delivered floors to homes, commercial projects and historic restoration projects across America for over a decade.

We take extra measures to ensure that your custom crafted floor is delivered to you as perfectly as it leaves us. Each order is palletized and shrink wrapped to protect your flooring in route. We have shipped thousands of floors in this manner all over the world and each custom floor arrives perfectly to its destination.

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 Designs.

  • 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. 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. 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. 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.

Lifetime Integrity Warranty:

Hardwood Designs (HWD) warrants its products, in their original manufactured condition to be free from defects in lamination, assembly, milling and dimension. HWD products will remain free from these structural defects for life. This warranty is extended to the original purchaser of the goods and is not transferable.

This warranty excludes any indentations, scratches or surface damages caused by lack of proper maintenance, misuse, neglect, water, or abrasives. This warranty is extended to the original purchaser of the goods and is not transferable.

Important:

Wood is a hygroscopic material and will expand and contract with changing moisture conditions (seasons). Some minor separation between boards might occur during seasonal change. This is not considered a defect and is not covered by this warranty.

Warranty Exclusions:

Hardwood Designs’ warranties do not cover indentations, scratches, defects or damages caused by the failure to follow all of the manufacturer’s installation procedures. Responsibility for inspection and approval of wood floors falls to the consumer and installer prior to permanent installation. The installer is the final inspector of the product. Hardwood Designs is not responsible for labor costs associated with the repair or replacement of visually defective planks after the floor is installed. In addition, prior to installation the installer should make certain that the subfloor is properly inspected for moisture conditions according to the NWFA guidelines. The guidelines should also be consulted for installation over radiant heat floors. Hardwood Designs’ warranties do not cover indentations, scratches, defects or damages caused by improper maintenance, insufficient protection, misuse or improper alterations of the original manufactured product. Hardwood Designs’ warranties do not cover damages caused by the use of oil soaps, liquid or paste wax products or other household cleaners that are not recommended maintenance products. Hardwood Designs warranties exclude non-factory applied finishing including, but not limited to refinishing. Hardwood Designs warranties do not cover indentations, scratches, defects or damages caused by negligence, water, insects, pets, spiked or damaged heel shoes, vacuums with beater bar heads, furniture, appliances, casters, falling or dropped objects or construction traffic. Hardwood Designs warranties exclude indentations, scratches, defects or damages caused by neglect or abuse including, but not limited to, failure to take proper precautions to protect furniture legs and feet with protective pads and properly functioning casters or improper protection during the construction process when moving heavy objects or sustaining heavy traffic. Hardwood Designs warranties do not cover defects and damages caused by manmade or natural disasters including but not limited to, leaking or broken plumbing, fire, flood, earthquake or standing water during or after construction.

No warranties apply to any product or products designated as off-goods or goods sold “as is”.

The Following Items Are NOT Covered By Warranty:

  • Damage caused by negligence, accidents, misuse or abuse.
  • Damage caused by vacuum cleaner beater bar or hard heads.
  • Damage caused by appliances, furniture and casters.
  • Damage caused by cutting from sharp objects.
  • Damage caused by flooding, fire, and other natural disasters and Acts of God.
  • Reduction in gloss, scratches or indentation due to sand or other abrasives, pets, insects, construction traffic, or failure to maintain the floor as required.
  • Color, shade or texture variations between samples or replacement flooring and the actual material.
  • Color variations between flooring and/or samples and other flooring or wood products, which you wish to match (e.g. cabinets, stair railings, trim, etc.).
  • Changes in color due to exposure to sunlight and age.
  • Deficiencies related to subfloor/floor assemblies, subfloor preparation materials, and fasteners including, but not limited to, uneven subfloor surfaces, floor deflection or voids in the subfloor.
  • Noises (squeaks, etc.) associated with anything other than manufacturing defects of the flooring.
  • Naturally occurring wood characteristics such as variations in grain, color, mineral streaks and knots.
  • Natural expansion and contraction resulting in separation between boards or damage caused by low or excessive humidity.
  • Products designated "off-goods" Such products are sold "AS IS."
  • Commercial installations of residential products.
  • Construction or installation-related damage.
  • Floors damaged or adhesive breakdown caused by subfloor moisture or water damage, including but not limited to, broken or leaking water pipes, flooding, wet-mopping spills or weather conditions.

IMPORTANT: YOU AND YOUR INSTALLER ARE RESPONSIBLE TO INSPECT FLOORING PRIOR TO INSTALLATION. WE ACCEPT NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR LIABILITIES, CLAIMS OR EXPENSES, INCLUDING LABOR COSTS, WHERE FLOORING WITH VISIBLE DEFECTS HAS BEEN INSTALLED.


How to Make a Claim:

In the unlikely event that any portion of your floor should fail, with respect to any of the provision of this warranty, Hardwood Designs, at its sole option to the original purchaser, will repair, refinish or replace such portion with the same product or another product of equal value at no cost to you. In the unlikely event that Hardwood Designs is unable to correct the failure after a reasonable number of attempts, Hardwood Designs will refund, if requested, the purchase price for that portion of the floor that fails. This provision does not cover the removal or replacement of cabinets and other fixtures. To file a claim, first contact the Hardwood Designs retailer where the original purchase was made. If the retailer is unable to satisfy the claim, they will place you in touch with our offices. Please include your contact information, the date of purchase, and name of retailer and installer and the sales invoice or receipt. Hardwood Designs reserves the right to have a designated representative inspect the floors and remove samples for technical analysis.

This writing is the complete and exclusive statement of the warranty, and is in lieu of all other express and/or statutory warranties. Hardwood Designs assumes no liability for incidental or consequential damages. This warranty gives you specific legal rights that may vary from state to state.