We like to educate our customers whenever we can, it helps ensure everyone’s on the same “wavelength.”  Below are guides that some of our distributors have provided for your knowledge:

From the Armstrong’s Hardwood Flooring Guide: Solid Solid wood is just that – one piece that is milled from lumber. It comes in a variety of widths, from 2-1/4″ to 5″ wide. It also comes in different thicknesses: 3/4″ is standard, but you can also find “thin profile” solid that is 5/16″ thick. Keep In Mind: 5/16″ thin profile solid wood can be installed directly over concrete; 3/4″ can’t. All urethane coated floors can be recoated as needed to renew the surface of the floor. This is more economical than sanding and refinishing. All solid hardwood can be sanded and refinished if needed (required every 15-20 years). Moisture and extreme temperature changes can cause solid wood to shrink and expand, potentially causing gaps between boards during colder or dryer seasons.
Engineered Engineered wood is real wood, but instead of one solid piece it consists of three to 10 thin layers of wood, called plies, that are assembled and glued in a cross-ply construction.  Due to its multi-ply structure, engineered wood is much more stable than solid wood and is less susceptible to shrinking and expanding with changes in temperatures and humidity. The top layer of wood can range from 1/16″ to 1/6″ thick. Overall board thickness ranges from 1/4″ to 3/4″. Keep In Mind: Engineered wood with a top layer thinner than 1/10″ cannot be refinished; however, it can be recoated to renew the surface of the floor. Engineered wood can be installed directly over concrete and can also be installed below ground level.
Site-Finished vs. Prefinished Prefinished A pre-finish, or factory finish, creates a no muss, no fuss installation. These floors are warranted to last longer than site-finished floors–typically 15 to 25 years, versus three to five years.There’s no dust from sanding, no fumes from chemicals, no waiting for the finish to dry. This is because factory applied urethane finishes are much tougher and longer lasting than site-applied finishes. With all the color choices available in pre-finished hardwood flooring, there’s no need to custom stain site-finished floors to get just the right look for your home. If you like the look of site-finished flooring, but want the durability of prefinished flooring, choose a product with a square end and edge. Site-Finished Advocates of site-finishing like the fact that the floor can be sanded after it’s installed to even out any imperfections.  However, on-site sanding and finishing can produce heavy fumes, messy dust and significant waiting time from when the floor is laid until it can be enjoyed. Site finishing also gives you the widest selection of stain colors to choose from.In addition, labor costs for on-site finishing may drive up your installation costs. Keep in Mind: Prefinished floors are warranted for a longer time period than site finished floors.

From the Johnson’s Hardwood Care And Maintenance Guide

Preventive Maintenance: starts with temperature control. If you are comfortable it is right for your floor.  Temperatures should be kept between 60 to 80 degrees F. and the relative humidity should be between 35 – 50% at all times.

Long term Maintenance: depends on how well you maintain your floor on a regular basis. When high traffic areas begin to show wear and become delustered (this will be noticed by a white cast and dulling of the shine), it may be time for a fresh coat of finish to be applied to your floor to enhance the longevity and beauty of your investment.  Both Basic Coatings and Bona Kemi have systems to recoat your floor with high quality urethane finishes.

Use exterior and interior doormats at all entrances to collect dirt and moisture and prevent it from being tracked on to the floor. Do not use rugs with rubber or vinyl backing. This is to prevent staining and entrapment of moisture. Area rugs are recommended at all pivot points and within high traffic areas such as kitchen sinks and hallways. Use only non slip pads recommended for use on wood floors.

Routine Maintenance: vacuum, sweep or dust mop your floor once a week or more if needed. The vacuum head should be a brush or felt attachment. Make sure to vacuum interior doormats and shake debris from exterior doormats regularly. Do not use a vacuum with a beater bar head.

Use furniture leg protector pads (felt or indoor outdoor carpet type) under all furniture that is placed on your new floor.  Do not wear shoes having heel taps, spikes, cleats, rocks, gravel or sharp objects protruding from the sole. Make certain to keep them clean and well maintained. Chairs with plastic casters should be replaced with rubber caster wheels. Make sure to keep pets nails trimmed. Make sure to remove any metal or hard plastic caps that are on the bottom of the legs prior to applying furniture protectors. Do not roll, or drag heavy objects across your floor.

Spills, pet accidents, or tracked in dirt should be cleaned immediately. The sooner a mess is removed, the easier it is to clean up and prevent tracking.  The above procedures and products will help maintain the shine of your beautiful wood floor. . Never clean or wet mop with water! Water may permanently damage the floor. We recommend Basic Coatings Squeaky Clean or Bona X floor Care Systems for regular cleaning and removing grease and smudges from your floor. Do not use harsh abrasive cleaners, bleach, ammonia or vinegar based cleaners, wax or acrylic polishes, or oil soaps.