Hand-scraped flooring, Distressed hardwood flooring, handscraped flooring, distressed flooring, handscraped, distressed, custom hardwood flooring, radiant heat systems, northern red oak, southern red oak, ash, cherry, hickory, maple, white oak, wild pecan, ash hardwood flooring, cherry hardwood flooring, hickory hardwood flooring, maple hardwood flooring, northern red oak hardwood flooring, southern red oak hardwood flooring, walnut hardwood flooring, white oak hardwood flooring, wild pecan hardwood flooring, concrete, below grade, most commercial and residential applications   Hand-scraped flooring, Distressed hardwood flooring, handscraped flooring, distressed flooring, handscraped, distressed, custom hardwood flooring, radiant heat systems, northern red oak, southern red oak, ash, cherry, hickory, maple, white oak, wild pecan, ash hardwood flooring, cherry hardwood flooring, hickory hardwood flooring, maple hardwood flooring, northern red oak hardwood flooring, southern red oak hardwood flooring, walnut hardwood flooring, white oak hardwood flooring, wild pecan hardwood flooring, concrete, below grade, most commercial and residential applications Installation Q&A: Hand-scraped flooring, Distressed hardwood flooring, handscraped flooring, distressed flooring, handscraped, distressed, custom hardwood flooring, radiant heat systems, northern red oak, southern red oak, ash, cherry, hickory, maple, white oak, wild pecan, ash hardwood flooring, cherry hardwood flooring, hickory hardwood flooring, maple hardwood flooring, northern red oak hardwood flooring, southern red oak hardwood flooring, walnut hardwood flooring, white oak hardwood flooring, wild pecan hardwood flooring, concrete, below grade, most commercial and residential applications Product catalog: Hand-scraped flooring, Distressed hardwood flooring, handscraped flooring, distressed flooring, handscraped, distressed, custom hardwood flooring, radiant heat systems, northern red oak, southern red oak, ash, cherry, hickory, maple, white oak, wild pecan, ash hardwood flooring, cherry hardwood flooring, hickory hardwood flooring, maple hardwood flooring, northern red oak hardwood flooring, southern red oak hardwood flooring, walnut hardwood flooring, white oak hardwood flooring, wild pecan hardwood flooring, concrete, below grade, most commercial and residential applications About Howell: Hand-scraped flooring, Distressed hardwood flooring, handscraped flooring, distressed flooring, handscraped, distressed, custom hardwood flooring, radiant heat systems, northern red oak, southern red oak, ash, cherry, hickory, maple, white oak, wild pecan, ash hardwood flooring, cherry hardwood flooring, hickory hardwood flooring, maple hardwood flooring, northern red oak hardwood flooring, southern red oak hardwood flooring, walnut hardwood flooring, white oak hardwood flooring, wild pecan hardwood flooring, concrete, below grade, most commercial and residential applications Contact us:Hand-scraped flooring, Distressed hardwood flooring, handscraped flooring, distressed flooring, handscraped, distressed, custom hardwood flooring, radiant heat systems, northern red oak, southern red oak, ash, cherry, hickory, maple, white oak, wild pecan, ash hardwood flooring, cherry hardwood flooring, hickory hardwood flooring, maple hardwood flooring, northern red oak hardwood flooring, southern red oak hardwood flooring, walnut hardwood flooring, white oak hardwood flooring, wild pecan hardwood flooring, concrete, below grade, most commercial and residential applications  
     



 Home > Choosing your floor  
 
 

 


|step one|
Let us help you select the right floor for your next project.
This section of the site is designed to help familiarize you with Howell Flooring's extensive line of hardwood flooring products -- available in a variety of wood types and usable in a host of residential and commercial applications, including over radiant heated systems. Howell Hardwood Flooring comes in three product categories - Unfinished Engineered, Prefinished Engineered, and Lumber Solids. We also have access to engineered hand scraped and distressed flooring.

What's the difference?
In a nutshell, there are two main differences. The engineered products are made of cross-plied sheets of wood, and are designed for specific sub floor applications. The lumber solids are all one piece of machined lumber. Each has its advantage from a structural and an aesthetic perspective. The prefinished, hand scraped and distressed products already have a stain and finish on them. The unfinished engineered and the lumber solids are finished on site.

Know what you need?
If you know what you need, click now for pictures and further information about products in each category.

Points to consider in choosing your floor.
 If you are interested in hardwood flooring, but have questions about which product(s) would be best for your application, consider the points listed below before going to Step 2 of the Floor Navigator. Please feel free to contact us for additional information:


What products are right for your sub floor application?

Engineered Hardwood Flooring is principally designed for a glue down installation over a concrete subfloor. It may also be glued directly to existing wood floors, well-bonded vinyl, particle board, plywood and gypcrete. Engineered flooring does not need to be climatized to its environment and it is recommended that the floor be installed at the end of the construction process. See installation instructions for further details.

Solid Lumber Flooring is uniquely designed for a nail down installation over a CDX grade plywood or OSB (Oriented Strain Board) subfloor. It should not be installed over particle board, fiber board or pressed wood. Since solid lumber flooring will be slightly affected by fluctuating levels of humidity, care should be taken to allow for the product to acclimate before installation. See installation instructions for further details.

What is the approximate cost and value?

Regarding value, several builders have remarked that their Howell floors are one of the most complimented features in their personal homes. A little more per square foot could make a lot of difference in the value of the overall home. Red oak remains popular around the country, but choosing a different wood can really set your project apart.

Regarding cost, consider the total cost of all the components of the hardwood floor in deciding which product type is best for you. The major areas are:

1) The cost of the sub floor.
If your project is a new construction then you could have some options, which will influence the overall flooring cost. For example if there is a construction choice between a concrete sub floor and a wooden sub floor, the concrete sub floor will cost between $4 and $9 per foot less than a wooden sub floor.

2) The cost of the actual hardwood flooring.
 Lumber solids are about 75¢ per foot less than unfinished engineered products. Prefinished engineered products are about 50¢ per foot more than an unfinished product. Other factors affecting the cost are wood type, grade and width. Contact us for additional information.

3) The cost of installation.
This includes installing, sanding and finishing for the unfinished engineered and lumber solids. For the prefinished floors, only the actual cost of installing the product applies.

What is the look you desire?

1) Would you like a custom floor that has some unique features?
If you choose an unfinished engineered or lumber solids floor, you choose the color of the stain, if any, and the gloss level of the finish. You have options in the width of the boards themselves. You can have a square edged product or a beveled edge. The combination of these choices gives you the ability to truly customize your floor.

2) Is the convenience of not having to sand and finish your hardwood floor an advantage?
If you are remodeling, you may not want to work around the sanding and finishing processes required in an unfinished engineered or lumber solids. If the Red Oak in the popular colors with a medium gloss level is appealing to you then our prefinished engineered flooring might be just right for you.

3) Do you want a certain wood for color, grain pattern, or character?
Look in Step 2 of this Navigator for pictures. Call us for samples.

We believe after choosing the right floor for your application, you will find your Howell Floor to be of real aesthetic and economic value. When you contact us with the information asked for in Step Four (Final Checklist), we will work up a delivered price for the floor you have chosen.