Happy New Year!

We had a great 2012, and we hope you did too! Now, bring on the new year!

The Best Hardwood for Radiant Heat Systems

Radiant heat systems have been around for years, but they are gaining popularity in homeowners that want to cut down on their energy consumption and save a little money in utility bills. However, floor radiant heat systems can really mess up a hardwood floor. These types of heat systems can cause your wood flooring to dry out quicker than other heating systems, which can lead to warping and buckling. Luckily, there are certain types of hardwood flooring you can install that are less likely to experience the negative side effects of radiant heat systems.

The key to using hardwood flooring over radiant heating systems is to choose a product that is very dimensionally stable. Dimensional stability is the measure of wood's tendency to shrink and swell as it gains and loses moisture. Because radiant heat systems pump heat directly through the floor, it's very important to find boards that are less likely to move around as their moisture levels change.

Low-Density
Domestic hardwood species with a lower density tend to have better dimensional stability than their more denser exotic counterparts. North American oak, American walnut, and American cherry are all great known for their natural stability.

Engineered Flooring
People prefer engineered flooring over solid hardwood for a lot of reasons — it's easy to install, it's versatile, it's light-weight — but what a lot of folks don't know is that it is also much more stable than solid flooring. These reasons combined make it a perfect match for radiant heat systems.

Narrow Boards
Fact: wide hardwood boards are inherently less stable than narrow ones. In fact, any board over three inches wide is frowned upon for installation over radiant heat systems. Stick to the industry standard: 2 1/4".

Quartersawn
We could go on and on about the differences between quartersawn and rift-sawn floors, but for this post you really only need to know one thing: quartersawn is more dimensionally stable. Done and done.

Questions? Read Radiant Heat Installation of Hardwood Flooring on our website or give us a call at 1-888-448-9663.

Fantastic Floor Presents: French Connection White Oak

Welcome back to your favorite hardwood spotlight series on the web, Fantastic Floor Presents! This week we're straying from the traditional format a bit and taking a look at not just a species of wood, but an specific line of flooring products. Namely, the White Oak French Connection from the Garrison Collection. Enjoy!

We've talked about white oak hardwood flooring before. A lot. But the French Connection line from Garrison is special. Why? For starters, there are fifteen styles to choose from in the series, making matching your floors to your current or planned design scheme a breeze. I mean, take a look at some of these beautiful examples:

Beautiful, right?

The flooring also comes prefinished, so the wire-brushed oil finish that gives the flooring its allure and luster is built right in to the boards — no onsite finishing required. And because the line is engineered, the boards are ready to go right out of the box. Engineered flooring is lighter and generally easier to install, meaning you can use French Connection White Oak flooring in any room and any floor of your home. It also features enhanced dimensional stability, making it less likely to bend and warp than standard solid white oak floors.

On a broader note, white oak hardwood is one of the most popular, beautiful, and durable hardwood flooring products on the market today. It's light tones and pale heartwood complement almost any design scheme and lend themselves quite well to different color finishes. It is also extremely resistant to wear. In fact, white oak hardwood used to be used as mine timbers and boat planks. That's pretty tough.

Want to learn more about the White Oak French Connection line at Fantastic Floor? Call us today at 888-448-9663 or send us an email at customer.service@fantastic-floor.com. We look forward to hearing from you!

Happy Thanksgiving!

We have a lot to be thankful for this year, and we hope you do too! From all of us here at Fantastic Floor, we want to wish you a Happy Thanksgiving! Now, get back to the table. That turkey ain't gonna eat itself!

Superstorm Sandy Victims: We're Here to Help!

It was just a few short weeks ago that Superstorm Sandy devastated the Northeast, and people in communities affected by the storm are still trying to put the pieces back together. At Fantastic Floor, we want to do everything in our power to help Sandy victims rebuild their homes and get their lives back on track. In that spirit, we're excited to announce some of the ways in which we're doing our part in helping people affected by the massive storm:

Freight costs can be one of the most expensive aspects of purchasing new flooring. Large floor remodeling or replacement projects often require hundreds of pounds of hardwood, and getting those boards from the manufacturer to the work site often costs a pretty penny. This is a legitimate expense, but it's also one that can prevent homeowners from getting the new floors they want in a timely manner. In our opinion, that's unacceptable. For a limited time, Fantastic Floor is offering free shipping to all victims of Superstorm Sandy. There are enough expenses you have to worry about during these tough times; shipping and handling shouldn't be one of them.

In addition to free shipping, Fantastic Floor is also offering deep discounts on some of our most popular hardwood flooring products. We feature one of the largest selections of hardwood flooring in the country, and we're prepared to offer Sandy victims discounts on as many different varieties as we can. Discounts and availabilities vary - call a Fantastic Floor representative today to learn more.

One of the hardest things to find when shopping for replacement hardwood flooring is an honest answer. Most companies want to sell you whatever flooring variety they're trying to move. Not us. At Fantastic Floor, we're dedicated to finding you the hardwood floor that fits your lifestyle and your budget. No high-pressure sales talk here. Just honest answers to all of your hardwood-related questions.

We're dedicated to helping all of our friends affected by Sandy. Call us today at 1-888-448-9663 to discuss your hardwood flooring replacement needs, or learn more at Fantastic-Floor.com.

Don't forget to vote!

"The continuing health and vigor of our democratic system depends upon the public spirit and devotion of its citizens which find expression in the ballot box.
- Franklin D. Roosevelt

'Nuff said!

Our Top Green Certified Hardwoods

As you well know, Fantastic Floor takes a strong stand on environmental practices in the timber industry. We pride ourselves in selecting only legally harvested hardwood flooring products. We're certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) and require our suppliers to be the same. We believe selective harvesting in tropical forests can be a benefit to local economies, and we're firmly opposed to the real source of Amazon deforestation - forest clearing (or clear cutting) for farming and ranching purposes.

That said, we often get asked if we have a favorite green-certified hardwood flooring product. While everyone at Fantastic Floor has a personal favorite, we all agree that the following five hardwood varieties are the best-of-the-best. Enjoy!

1. Brazilian Cherry
Also known as Jatoba, Brazilian Cherry is the most popular exotic hardwood flooring material in America. It features reddish-brown heartwood and beautiful dark striping, giving the wood eye-catching depth and contrast. It is also incredibly durable, featuring a Janka hardness rating of 2,350 lbs. and a density of 800 KG/m3.

2. Ipe
Ipe is the toughest exotic hardwood flooring material you can find. It has a cell structure so dense that it boasts a Class A fire rating, the same class of fire-retardant materials as steel. Its density makes it naturally resistant to moisture and wood-boring insects. It's also quite beautiful. The natural variations in color give the wood an eclectic yet sophisticated look.

3. Purpleheart
For those wanting a one-of-a-kind hardwood flooring material that is also green-certified, look no further than Purpleheart. With its deep purples and rich browns, Purpleheart flooring is definitely one of our most talked about hardwood varieties. It also has a high level of durability, with a density of 1,057 KG/m3 and a Janka hardness of almost 2,000 lbs.

4. Tarara
Tarara hardwood flooring is a colorful exotic that features bright yellow and orange heartwood with streaks of brown, red, black, and even purple. It has a tight, irregular, interlocked grain pattern and has hardness and density ratings similar to other durable exotic hardwoods.

5. White Oak
White Oak has been a standard flooring material in U.S. homes for years, and for good reason. Its light, crisp tones and complementary deep brown heartwood make it suitable for nearly any flooring purpose. Its versatility is matched only by its durability - a Janka hardness rating of 1,360 lbs. and a density of 900 KG/m3.

What is your favorite green-certified hardwood flooring material? Leave us a comment and let us know!

Questions? Contact us today to speak to one of our knowledgeable flooring representatives. We look forward to hearing from you!