Custom Looks Among Engineer Hardwood Floor Brands
Hardwood flooring can completely transform the look and feel of a home. As an engineer in the hardwood flooring industry, you have the expertise to help homeowners design custom hardwood floors that match their unique style. From color tones to wood species to intricate patterns, the possibilities are endless when creating custom engineer brand hardwoods.
This guide will provide tips and inspiration to design eye-catching custom floors for your clients. We’ll cover popular styles, important considerations when selecting materials, common customization requests, and pro advice for installation and maintenance. With the information in this guide, you’ll be able to bring your clients’ dream floors to life.
The Rising Popularity of Custom Hardwood Floors
Homeowners today want floors that are as unique as they are. Custom hardwood gives clients an opportunity to put their personal stamp on their home décor. With so many species, colors, patterns, finishes and textures to choose from, custom floors can match any design aesthetic.
This demand for customization means new opportunities for hardwood brands and engineers like yourself. As you grow your business, specializing in custom floors can set you apart from competitors while delighting homeowners.
Benefits of Custom Engineer Brand Hardwoods
Recommending custom floors from leading engineer brands gives homeowners superior quality with more design flexibility. Some benefits your clients will enjoy:
Unparalleled Quality
Engineer brand hardwoods adhere to strict quality control for durability, stability and beauty. Customization options won’t compromise quality or structural integrity. Brands only use top-grade wood species and state-of-the-art manufacturing.
Exceptional Design Options
Leading brands offer more species, colors, patterns, textures, finishes and accessories than anyone else. This extensive catalog gives design freedom without sacrificing quality control. Even the most particular clients can get floors that match their vision.
Craftsmanship and Performance Guarantees
Reputable brands stand behind warranties for workmanship and wear for decades. Customers can purchase with confidence knowing their investment is protected. Many also have solutions like moisture warranties to handle the realities of daily living.
Brand Recognition
Specifying a top brand communicates quality and reliability to clients. Brands like Bruce, Shaw, Mohawk, Mullican, and Armstrong are recognized as the best in hardwood flooring. Custom options from an engineer brand make a bold “designer” statement.
The Customization Process from Start to Finish
Creating one-of-a-kind floors clients will cherish for decades starts with you. Follow this process when consulting on custom hardwood projects:
Gather Inspiration
Ask questions and listen to understand your clients’ vision aesthetically and functionally. Do they entertain often and want to make a statement? Have a busy family and pets that need durable floors? Gather magazine clippings, Houzz ideas, Pinterest pins, photos etc. to see what appeals visually. The more insights you gain upfront, the better the outcome.
Select Species and Grade
Choose a wood species and grade that aligns with your clients’ priorities around aesthetics, performance and budget. Understand growth characteristics, Janka hardness ratings, grain patterns and cost implications. This helps set realistic expectations around durability and maintenance needs.
Determine Pattern and Layout
The arrangement of boards and patterns create visual impact. Decide on widths, lengths, borders and designs that complement the home’s architecture. Scale and layout patterns properly to avoid issues with room dimensions. Mix colors and species for contrast and custom styles.
Pick Color and Finish
Select stains, finishes and special treatments aligned with the overall vision. Custom staining, smoking, fuming, aging and white-washing create dramatic and unique looks. Discuss sheen levels and performance implications to set the right expectations.
Confirm Order Details
Verify all specifications chosen for wood grade, species, cut, color, finish, treatments and installation patterns. Provide product samples showing custom stains and finishes for approval before order finalization.
Manage Installation
Oversee qualified flooring crews from layout through completion. Check that installation follows manufacturer and NWFA guidelines for approved products and proper technique. This protects warranties and ensures optimal performance.
Provide Maintenance Instructions
Share care recommendations for your clients’ specific custom floors for protection and longevity. This includes products to use/avoid, cleaning frequency and refinishing needs. Help homeowners understand required maintenance to avoid premature wear, damage or warranty issues.
5 Popular Custom Style Trends
Many custom looks never go out of style but remain beloved for years. Here are five top trends engineers can incorporate into special flooring projects:
1. Wide-Width Planks
Wide-width planks, especially engineered versions, create a dramatic fashion statement. Five to nine inches wide minimizes seams for a seamless look. Brands like Shaw, Mohawk, Bruce and Armstrong have wide-width collections to accommodate this custom trend. Use widths six inches or greater for modern, spacious aesthetics.
2. Distressed and Scraped Finishes
Timeworn, distressed wood communicates vintage charm with character marks like worm holes, cracks and knots. Wire-brushed scraping and soft distressing mimic Old World craftsmanship for relaxed rusticity. These will hide dents that occur in busy homes with kids and pets. Consider low-luster matte finishes to allow the wood’s natural beauty to shine.
3. Exotic and Alternative Species
Exotic species like Brazilian Cherry, Tigerwood, Santos Mahogany and Australian Cypress make unique style statements with rich colors and distinctive grains. Many brands offer domestic exotics with similar beauty as endangered rainforest species but more responsible harvesting. Bamboo and cork provide eco-friendly, attractive options as well.
4. Custom Colors and Staining
Special water-based stains, smoking, fuming, whitewashing and gray-washing create custom colors that make floors pop. This custom staining opens up endless possibilities for matching unique décor aesthetics. Use colors like deep espresso, coastal grays, Scandinavian white-washing or even black staining for drama.
5. Geometric Patterns
Herringbone, chevrons, basketweave and parquet patterns add lovely visual texture and interest. Contrasting species, stains or inlays create definition with lighter and darker woods. Borders and perimeter outlines frame patterns elegantly. Brands have proprietary patterns they can adapt to any dimensions.
Best Practices for Specifying Custom Flooring
Follow these best practices when consulting on custom hardwood projects as an engineer:
Select Engineered over Solid Wood
Engineered wood resists moisture damage and is more dimensionally stable through seasonal humidity changes. This prevents gapping and buckling, especially important for custom floors. The plywood base also allows wider widths, exotic species and durable finishes not possible with solid wood.
Recommend Products Approved for Custom Staining
Some warranties exclude custom finishes unless products are approved. Verify chosen species and grades accept custom stains before finalizing orders. This protects homeowners’ investments and prevents issues down the road. Provide them with care instructions for their specific floors.
Increase Board Lengths in Small Spaces
Minimize seams in smaller rooms with boards up to 12 feet long. Fewer seams create the illusion of more space. Long boards also highlight dramatic patterns and custom finishes better compared to choppy short planks.
Adapt Layouts and Patterns to Architecture
Follow the lines of the home and room dimensions when laying out planks. Adjust widths and patterns to fully cover spaces with minimal cuts rather than forcing rigid dimensions that don’t fit. This prevents unsightly filler pieces and gaps cutting into patterns.
Incorporate Borders and Inlays
Define custom patterns and styles with borders in contrasting colors or wood species. Borders contain flooring visually and highlight special patterns as focal points. Inlays and mixed-material medallions make lovely accents for stair landings and entryways as well.
Allow Extra Lead Time
Custom hardwoods require more production time to hand select woods and create special finishes. Confirm time estimates and explain longer lead times to clients so they can prepare. This also builds in buffer if additional modifications are needed before final approval.
Answering Client Questions on Customization
Clients will likely have lots of questions when considering custom floors. Here are some common inquiries with guidance on how to answer:
What customization options are available?
Reputable brands offer multiple choices for species, widths, colors, finishes, distressing, accessories and proprietary patterns that can be adapted to any space. The extensive portfolio allows completely tailored floors aligned with your clients’ vision.
What are the benefits of custom staining and finishing?
Custom colors and finishes mean no two floors are exactly the same. Special water-based stains, fuming, smoking, whitewashing and gray-washing open up new possibilities. Custom finishes make bold statements and can match unique décor aesthetics in ways standard colors cannot.
How do custom floors impact resale value?
While neutral floors appeal to more buyers, custom wood adds special designer appeal. Unique species, patterns and colors communicate quality and sophistication. Emphasize choosing more versatile over polarizing options and quality brands that will still appeal to future owners.
Can custom floors be refinished?
Yes! Unlike carpet or tile, hardwoods can be refinished multiple times, restoring their beauty for years. Advise clients to refinish custom floors professionally and have extra stain on hand for touch-ups. With proper care, custom wood will become heirlooms passed down through generations.
Why choose an engineering brand for custom floors?
Engineer brands mean higher quality materials, warranties and performance. Reputable brands have extensive customization options beyond big box stores and stand behind warranties decades down the road. Their products are manufactured to last with proper care and maintenance.
Maintaining Custom Hardwood Flooring
Help clients protect their investment with proper maintenance recommendations:
Allow Floors to Acclimate
Advise allowing floors to acclimate to a controlled climate before installation and at least five days afterwards before heavy furniture placement. This allows moisture levels to stabilize and prevent damage.
Add Protective Mats and Furniture Pads
Use protective mats under rolling chairs and pads under heavy furniture legs to prevent scratches and dents. Advise lifting rather than sliding furniture into place after initial installation.
Maintain Ideal Conditions
Share ideal temperature (60-80°F) and humidity (30-50%) ranges for floor health and to prevent seasonal movement and checking. Dehumidifiers and humidifiers help maintain proper conditions.
Use Recommended Cleaners
Verify brands used for custom floors and avoid steam mops or excessive water. Many brands have specific products formulated to clean and renew urethane finishes while being safe for wood.
Remove Grit Quickly
Grit under furniture and foot traffic is the main cause of scratches and wear. Advise frequent dust mopping and vacuuming to lift out abrasives before they damage floors.
Reapply Protective Finishes
Depending on traffic, have clients reapply protective floor finishes every 3-5 years to renew the urethane wear layer and water resistance as it dissipates naturally over time.
Refinish on Schedule
To keep custom floors looking like new long-term, periodic sanding and refinishing will be needed approximately every 5-10 years for residential floors. This removes scratches and restores custom stains and finishes to their original glory.
Conclusion
Specifying custom hardwood floors allows you to play designer and create showstopper floors unique as your clients. Leading engineered brands offer outstanding woods, proprietary patterns and special finishes that can redefine a home’s aesthetic completely. By following the tips in this guide around material selection, specifications, installation and maintenance, you’ll be able to deliver jaw-dropping floors that become cherished for generations.
The world of custom hardwood flooring offers almost endless possibilities. Bring your creativity and let discerning homeowners’ dreams come to life! They’ll enjoy the quality, performance and beauty of custom engineer brand floors for years of enjoyment.
