What are the Best and Worst Types of Flooring for Allergies?

Here in Medford, NJ, we look forward to the spring time when the Garden State starts to bloom. As much as we enjoy the warm weather, we’re disappointed to wake up to the outdoors coated in a layer of pollen.

Whether your allergies are seasonal or all year round, you want to breathe easy in your home. The type of flooring you choose affects the air quality in your home. Some flooring types make it easy to remove allergens from your home. Other types of flooring trap allergens and release them into the air.

Some floors are high in volatile organic compounds, or VOCs. These chemicals can be released from many products in your home, including building materials like flooring. Products high in VOCs can irritate allergies. Flooring certified by the California Air Resource Board (CARB) are low in VOCs.

If you have allergies, it’s important to pick the right flooring to limit allergens in your home. We’re ranking common types of flooring from best to worst for allergies.

A person sneezing with yellow flowers in the background. Wikimedia Commons

Types of Flooring for Allergies, from Best to Worst

Best Flooring for Allergies: Prefinished Solid Wood Flooring

Prefinished wood flooring is sanded, stained, and finished at the mill, so there is no fumes or dust after the flooring is installed. Wood flooring is easy to clean and doesn’t store allergens.

Solid wood flooring actually improves the air quality in your home. As a tree grows, it takes in carbon dioxide and produces oxygen. When a tree is made into wood flooring, the wood still takes in carbon monoxide out of your home’s air.

Engineered Wood Flooring

Engineered wood flooring has the same benefits of solid wood flooring. It’s easy to clean up dust and other allergens. Like, solid wood, engineered wood removes and stores carbon dioxide from the air.

When gluing down an engineered flooring, some adhesives may irritate allergies, but it will dry and the smell will go away. During a glue down installation, we use a low-VOC adhesive that has a minimal smell that quickly disperses.

You should only buy engineered flooring that are CARB certified and from trusted brands. Between 2016 and 2019, the California Air Resources Board fined 15 companies for violations related to composite wood. We only sell flooring from trusted brands with a track record of safety.

Site-Finished Wood Flooring

After installing unfinished wood, the wood needs to be sanded, stained, and coated in finish. The sanding process creates a lot of wood dust. We use a dustless refinishing system, but even that will create some dust. We use water-based finish that dries with a minimal odor, but other finishes have a stronger odor that may irritate people with sensitivities.

Once the finishing process is over, site-finished wood flooring are easy to clean and great for allergies. Just like prefinished wood, site-finished wood will But if you have sensitivities to dust or strong odors, the process of site finishing a floor may be a problem.

Luxury Vinyl and Laminate Flooring

Luxury vinyl and laminate flooring are hard surface flooring products, so they are easy to clean to remove dust and allergens. However, it does not store carbon dioxide like wood.

You should only by luxury vinyl or laminate flooring that are CARB certified and from trusted brands. In 2016, Lumber Liquidators was fined $2.5 million by the California Air Resources Board for selling laminate flooring that was labeled as CARB compliant, but had high levels of formaldehyde. Avoid liquidator stores that sell store branded or non-branded flooring for suspiciously cheap prices.

A dog on a dirty carpet. Pixel-Shot – stock.adobe.com

Worst Flooring for Allergies: Carpet

Even in the cleanest of houses, carpet fabric traps common allergens. Pet dander, pollen, mold, and dust can cling to the carpet fibers. Stepping on the carpet releases allergens trapped in the fibers into the air.

Regular vacuum brushes and rollers don’t reach to the bottom of the carpet, so allergens and germs stay trapped into the fibers. According to research by microbiologist and immunologist Philip Tierno Jr., Ph.D., the average carpet contains 200,000 bacteria per square inch–4,000 times more than the toilet seat.

What is the Best Wood Flooring Species?

Customers in our showroom often ask, “What is the best wood flooring species for my home?” The species is the type of tree the wood flooring is made from. Each species has unique characteristics that create its own natural beauty and style.

The three most popular species of wood flooring are oak, maple, and hickory. These species of trees are grown domestically in North America, so they are generally the best price and most available.

This week, we’ll discuss the differences between the different species and how to select the best style for your home.

Oak Wood Flooring Species

Oak is the most popular choice for wood flooring, and for good reason. It is grown plentifully in North America, so it is a great option on a budget. Additional materials needed for your project, like transitions, stair treads, and moldings, will be readily available and at a lower price as well.

There are two kinds of domestic oak: red oak and white oak. Red oak has warm, pink, undertones while white oak has cool, green undertones. Red oak is more common, but white oak has gained in popularity as cool colors became a design trend. Flooring products may not specify red vs. white oak once the flooring is stained, since the stain covers the natural undertones.

The most popular stain colors for oak are butterscotch or gunstock. The appearance of these colors will very between manufacturers, but most will have some version of gunstock.

Oak is a popular choice for busy homes and high traffic rooms like your kitchen or living room. Oak has a Janka score–the measure of how hard a wood is–of 1290-1360. Some think that a harder wood will be more durable, but oak is a classic for a reason. The grainy lines create beautiful designs and helps disguise any scratches on the finish.

Oak is the classic choice, which is why you’ll sit it in many older homes and historically preserved buildings. That’s because oak is built to last! Oak floors in many historical buildings have lasted for centuries. The Old Barracks museum in Trenton asked us to install oak gunstock flooring when they were doing renovations.

Maple Wood Flooring Species

Maple is more uniform in appearance than oak or hickory, with minimal color variation and grain lines. Depending on the grade, it may have lots of black mineral streaks, or it may be a clean grade with almost no black at all. Cleaner grades are popular in formal rooms, like dining rooms.

You’ve probably seen maple at your local basketball court or gym floor. Maple is a popular choice for sport floors because of its density that bounces balls well, and its uniform appearance, which makes it easy to paint logos and isn’t distracting to audiences. We installed maple flooring at the Pemberton Borough gym.

Hard maple is the type of maple used for flooring, as other types of maples are too soft. Maple is slightly harder than oak, with a Janka score of 1450. However, because it lacks the grains and color variation of oak, wear and tear can be more noticeable. Dark stained maple is especially prone to showing scratches.

For maple floors, you’re usually better off with prefinished flooring instead of site-finished flooring. Because of its density, maple doesn’t absorb stain very well and the uniform appearance can show sanding and finish lines more. Factory finished maple floors can achieve beautiful, consistent stain colors, so you’ll find many good prefinished options.

Hickory Wood Flooring Species

Hickory is a wood with tons of character. The beauty of hickory is the contrast of the light wood with the black mineral streaks. Hickory is a statement piece in your home design, since the high character floor will catch the eye.

Hickory has a Janka score of 1820, so it’s the hardest of the popular domestic options. But more importantly, the high character and contrast hides wear and tear well.

The black mineral streaks give hickory a rustic look, so it’s popular in rustic designed homes, like log cabins. It is often paired with a handscraped finish for even more character. A stain color gives a more subtle beauty, with the stain reducing the contrast between board colors.

Visit our showroom to see oak, maple, hickory, and more species of wood floors!

Home Design Inspiration: Natural Border

Last month in Marlton, our job supervisor Anthony and his crew installed this Bruce Dundee 3/4″ x 2 1/4″ Dundee Oak Strip “Cherry” CB218 with a custom Bruce Dundee 3/4″ x 2 1/4″ Dundee Oak Strip “Natural” CB210 border.

They also installed Bruce 3/4″ x 2 1/4″ Dundee Oak Strip “Butterscotch” CB216 in the upper hall with complementary custom stair treads.

Contact Dan Higgins Wood Flooring for your custom flooring installations.

3 Myths about “Green” Wood Flooring, Busted

Now that the weather is finally starting to feel like spring, we can start going outside and enjoying the outdoors. It reminds us of the importance of protecting nature. Many of our customers have questions about how their flooring affects the environment. Here are three common misconceptions we hear about how wood flooring affects the environment:

1. Hardwood flooring is bad for trees.

Photo of oak tree by Leif Knutsen via Wikimedia Commons

Humans have certainly had a negative impact on forests over time. But in recent history, we’ve been doing a much better job at taking care of trees. In the 19th century, many North American forests were heavily depleted, partly by irresponsible logging. At the start of the 20th century, forest conservation policies came to the forefront. US forestland stopped decreasing in 1920 after two centuries of decline. Since the 1940s, forest growth has been exceeding harvest, so we’re actually growing more trees than we are cutting down. Most lumber comes from US and Canadian forests, and both countries comprehensive forestry management policies. Much of the production has switched from harvesting public lands to privately owned and managed forests. These companies have an interest in growing at least as many trees as they cut–it’s how they can continue their business. US forests have more trees now than they’ve had in 100 years, and responsible forestry will help continue that trend.

2. Floors must be certified to be environmentally friendly.

Several different organizations certify flooring on the environmental impact of flooring production or how the flooring effects indoor air quality.

FloorScore and GREENGUARD are independent organizations that certify products by measures the emission level of specific volatile organic compounds (VOCs). The most common certification to measure VOCs is the California Air Resources Board (CARB) certification. CARB-compliant materials meet tight limites for formaldehyde emissions. Flooring must meet the CARB requirements to be sold in California, so most flooring sold in the US meets these requirements. FloorScore, GREENGUARD, and CARB certificiations do not measure the environmental impact of flooring production.

The Forest Stewardship Council is an international organization that sets criteria for environmental, economic, and social standards. They accredit other groups as certification bodies. There are many different kinds of certification for different parts of production and distribution of products. Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, or LEED, uses a combination of criteria for both environmentally responsible production and air quality control. Many levels of LEED certification are available.

There is no one certification that tells you everything you need to know about a manufacturer’s environmental practices. When purchasing flooring, research the manufacturer’s commitment to sustainability and how they implement that in their production process.

3. Bamboo flooring is more environmentally friendly than other wood floors.

Bamboo forest. Photo by Bernard Gagnon via Wikimedia Commons

Bamboo is advertised as a “green” floor because bamboo plants grows very quickly, while traditional wood flooring species like oak take longer to mature. However, tree growth is just one step of the process. Bamboo is more like a grass than a tree, so it can’t be made into flooring like a traditional hardwood. It is cut into strips and glued together with formaldehyde-based glue, or made into a pulpy mixture with the glue and formed into planks. This also makes bamboo flooring impossible to sand and refinish, so once the finish wears, the grass-and-glue mixture will end up in a landfill. Traditional hardwood floors can be refinished to last for centuries.

 

Have more questions? Contact Dan Higgins Wood Flooring.

When the “Best Price” for Floors is Actually the Worst

You’ve probably seen your share of poor work done by contractors, and wonder why people would hire someone to do that type of work. Unfortunately, those contractors continue to get work every day by selling on price alone. In the home improvement industry, you will get what you pay for. We cringe every time we hear someone say they got a “better” price somewhere else. They always mean “lower price”, and there is a big difference between the two. Here’s the situations when the “best price” is actually the worst price:

It’s not for the whole job.

Some contractors will bait you by showing a ridiculously low price, leaving out many of the costs associated with the job. The price given may be for just the product, while only giving a per-square foot price for installation. Unless the room is bare to the subfloor, the quote should also include the price for removing and disposing of the current flooring. Trim and transition pieces should also be accounted for. If these costs are not factored into the quote, you’ll either have an unfinished job or be surprised by a ballooning budget at the end. You need real numbers based on your costs to have the work done properly, so that you can budget and make an informed decision.

It’s for the wrong product.

The wrong product at the right price is still the wrong product. Big box stores will sell “house brands” or “private label” brands, which are the lower quality “leftovers” of flooring manufacturers. We install flooring from nationally-recognized brands backed by their manufacturers. Some contractors will install the cheapest flooring they can find so they can underbid the competition, not knowing or caring if the flooring is right for your home.

It’s not from a reputable company.

A job left unfinished by a contractor

Anybody can claim they can install flooring: how do you know the quality of their work? That “great” price won’t be so great when you have to pay another company to fix the work. Do some research before choosing an installation company. Check project photos and reviews on sites like Google, Facebook, and Houzz. Make sure the installer is licensed to work in your state.

Big box companies hire the lowest-bidding contractor, who will work as fast as he can because he gets paid by the square foot. Then when an issue arises with an installation, the store can point the finger as the contractor to avoid responsibility. While writing this article, we received a call from a customer who had a “friend” install their wood flooring for them. When it came time to finish the job at the doorways, he left the job site and never came back. It’s a story we hear time and time again. We offer a lifetime installation warranty, so we stand behind our installations.

Get a free in-home quote from Dan Higgins Wood Flooring.

6 Shopping Tips for Your DIY Wood Flooring Project

Ready to start your DIY wood flooring installation project? Before you start shopping, check out these tips to get your project started off right.

1. Pick the right product.

The type of flooring–solid wood, engineered wood, laminate, or LVT–that can be installed in a room depends on many variables: type of subfloor, grade level, moisture levels, and other factors. Make sure you have all of the information you need before you start shopping.

2. Evaluate installation methods.

Depending on the type of product, your flooring may need to be nailed down, glued, or floated. Floating a lock-and-fold floor is generally considered the easiest of the three methods, since the floor snaps together and does not need to be adhered to the subfloor. Nailing or gluing flooring is more difficult, so consider a professional installation if you’re not an experienced DIYer.

3. Allow for waste.

If your room is 150 square feet, you can’t just buy 150 square feet of wood. Every product is packaged differently, so the amount of square footage per carton varies. Plus, some boards will need to be cut to fit the room. Generally, a do-it-yourself will need to allow for more waste than a professional flooring installer. Factor in a 5-10% waste factor when calculating square footage needed for your project. Then, round up to the nearest carton.

4. Factor in extras.

When calculating your project budget, don’t forget the additional materials and tools that will be required for the job. For a nail-down installation, you’ll need to buy or rent a floor nail gun–we let our customers borrow a nail gun at no charge. You will need some additional supplies: vapor barrier, foam, staples, glue, putty, or others. We offer many of the supplies needed for a flooring installation, so you can order all of your supplies together.

5. Check the manufacturer guide.

Most flooring manufacturers have guidelines that must be followed for installation. If those guidelines are not followed and there’s a problem with the flooring, the manufacturer will not cover the floors under warranty. Before you decide on a product, read the manufacturer guide to make sure you’ll be able to meet the requirements to be covered by the warranty. Most manufacturers have the warranty information available online.

6. Consult the experts.

Need help with your DIY flooring installation? Contact us at Dan Higgins Wood Flooring for all of your do-it-yourself hardwood flooring needs.

 

 

5 Kitchen Wood Flooring Myths, Busted

Too many customers visit our showroom wishing they could put wood flooring in their kitchen but thinking they can’t. The myth that hardwood flooring can’t be used in the kitchen keeps many people from picking a beautiful and practical flooring option. Here are five of the myths we hear about wood flooring in the kitchen.

Myth: Flooring in the kitchen has to be waterproof.

Fact: This myth comes from the confusion between overall moisture levels and occasional spills. Kitchens will, of course, experience the occasional spill. Spills that are cleaned up immediately will not damage your hardwood floors. Limited water damage to hardwood flooring can usually be solved by replacing effected boards. If a tile is damaged, you will likely have to replace a large area, if not all, of the flooring. Some homeowners think they need “waterproof” flooring to protect against a flood. However, most types of flooring–including tile–will not hold up to a kitchen flood.

Myth: Hardwood is too hard to maintain in a kitchen.

Fact: All that is required for cleaning hardwood flooring is floor cleaner and a dry mop, along with a broom or vacuum. We do not recommend using any “refreshers” or wet mops to clean hardwood floors. Hardwood floors are as easy, if not easier, to maintain as other popular kitchen flooring types.

Myth: You need an extra “hard” flooring in a kitchen.

Fact: While a softer wood species, like walnut, is not recommended for high-traffic areas like the kitchen, all wood flooring will dent when heavy objects like pots and pans are dropped on it. Nearly any type of flooring you put in the kitchen will be damaged when hit with a heavy object. Like with limited water damage, single boards of wood flooring can often be replaced when dented. When tiles crack, replacing the cracked tile is much more involved and usually most costly.

Myth: Hardwood flooring in the kitchen needs to go under the cabinets.

Fact: As a rule, we do not install wood flooring under kitchen cabinets. The most obvious reason is that by installing under the cabinets, you’d be paying for square footage that you’ll never see. Some customers worry that they may change their cabinet layout and not have flooring under it anymore. However, any flooring that was under the cabinets will look very different from the rest of the flooring, since it wasn’t exposed to the same light. Plus, if there is water damage to the flooring, it is very difficult to repair any flooring that’s underneath the cabinets. Some kitchen contractors prefer to have the floors installed wall-to-wall before installing the cabinets to make the cabinet installation easier, but it is not necessary.

Myth: Hardwood is more expensive than tile.

Fact: While the product price is often higher for hardwood flooring than tile, installing tile is much more labor intensive. The total project cost is usually higher for installing tile.

Kitchen Hardwood Flooring Installations

Still not convinced wood floors are a great choice for the kitchen? Take a look at these photos of wood floors we installed in our customers’ kitchens.

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Want see more wood floors in the kitchen? See more on our Idea Board.

Spring Mirage Hardwood Flooring Rebate

Starting April 3rd, 2017, Mirage Floors is offering  a $0.50 per sq. ft. rebate on hardwood flooring purchases. The sale includes all species, colors, and widths of Mirage Classic, Mirage Engineered, and Mirage Lock products.

 

Dan Higgins Wood Flooring is a Mirage Floors Elite Maestro Dealer. As Elite Dealers, we provide the full range of Mirage products and services.

The rebate sale runs through May 27th, but our installation calendar is already filling up with customers who want to start their spring cleaning with new hardwood floors.

See our selection of Mirage Products in our showroom.

For more information, contact us.

For complete rules and information, visit Mirage’s Website.

Before & After: Old Barracks Museum

We’re lucky here in New Jersey that we are surrounded by American history. The Old Barracks Museum in Trenton is one of those historical gems. The Barracks were built in 1758 to house British soldiers during the French and Indian war. During the Revolutionary War, General George Washington and his troops crossed Delaware river to surprise the Hessian troops staying in the Barracks. Now, the Old Barracks Museum serves as an educational museum as well as an event space.

Photo courtesy of the Old Barracks

Photo courtesy of the Old Barracks.

We installed Armstrong Prime Harvest 3/4″ x 5″ oak wood flooring in “Gunstock” in their Founder’s Room event space.

Before

After

The newly renovated room looks great and will be home to many exciting events in the future.

 

Photo courtesy of the Old Barracks

Thank you to the Old Barracks for use of their photos.

Renovating your space? Contact Dan Higgins Wood Flooring.

Before & After: Changing Colors

Our supervisor Anthony and his crew installed an IndusParquet 3/4″X 3″ solid Brazilian cherry flooring. Last year, we installed the same flooring for this customer in the next room. Here are the transitions between the rooms:

Yes, that is the SAME flooring product! Because wood is a natural product, it changes color over time as it exposed to light and oxidizes. Depending on the species of the wood, the wood may lighten, darken, or yellow over time. As you can see, Brazilian cherry is a very photosensitive species and darkens drastically after it’s installed. The new floors will eventually darken to the same color as the older flooring within the first year.

So that the floors light, darken, or yellow evenly, avoid keeping large area rugs or pieces of furniture on the floors during the first year, or move them around periodically to expose the areas underneath to sunlight. If you do end up with some light or dark patches, you can move the furniture or rug and the patch will, depending on the species of wood, “catch up” as it’s exposed to sunlight, so the color will be even again.

When shopping for flooring and comparing samples, ask how old the sample is and what colors changes should be expected. This is especially important for exotic species like Brazilian cherry, which change color drastically.

Have questions about flooring? Contact the experts at Dan Higgins Wood Flooring.