3/4 hardwood is true milled hardwood , laminate flooring is a photographed image of finished hardwood and cannot be refinished whereas some engineered products can be refinished. How many times will depend on the thickness of the veneer, or top wear layer, and finding someone knowledgeable enough to handle the work.

You’ll find some retailers will say yes. However, those that have dealt exclusively in hardwood flooring for some time will say no. In recent times some of the big box stores and adhesive manufacturers have been advocating this procedure. Only time will tell if it’s a viable procedure, I would rather find an alternative.

If moisture conditions are acceptable, and the concrete tests for less than 3 Lbs Moisture per 1000 square ft Via Calcium chloride test ,or hardwood manufacturer specs , The most widely used applications are floating engineered flooring types. Floating floors are available in the click together or lock and fold style that require no gluing. More traditional 3/4″ solid hardwoods on concrete can be accomplished with the addition of a plywood subfloor, used as a nailing base over the concrete. However, this raises problems with door entries and other items. Overall vertical height of the new floor will increase by. I prefer to install locking, Floating engineered on Concrete , And to steer clear of any below grade application here in the rainy northwest. Concrete floors can test within spec at certain time then if a gutter downspout Breaks and directs water under the concrete floor you could have a problem.

I need to inspect to see if it is true particle board , Or OSB
If true OSB YES If true particle board NO

Today’s prefinished hardwood floor finishes are vastly improved and are finished in controlled settings. Many offer more than six coatings whereas a normal site finished (sanded in place and finished) floor would be two or three. Prefinished warranties are exceptional but cannot be passed on from the original owner. There are advantages and disadvantages of both. Nearly all solid prefinished hardwood floors are beveled to some extent. On the other hand, a site finished hardwood floor that has been installed in it’s raw unfinished form, then finished, will have a flawless uniform appearance upon completion. However, maintaining the appearance requires close attention to climate control during seasonal changes.

No. You should never wet mop your wood floor. Standing water left after wet mopping can dull your finish, damage the wood, and leave unsightly discoloring. If you happen to spill water on your floor, clean it up as quickly as possible. If massive amounts of water leak out onto the floor, such as a dishwasher that has leaked, it might damage the floor to the point where it would need to be replaced.

It is very easy to clean a Pre-finished hardwood floor. Simply dust mop, sweep, or vacuum (vacuum should have rubber wheels so not to scratch the floor). And the beater brush needs to be off .Most flooring dealers also sell cleaning kits, which come with a mop as well as an approved cleaner. If you are not sure which cleaner is appropriate for your floor, contact your local dealer for assistance.

Many steps can be taken to help reduce scratches on a wood floor. First, you can put throw rugs down in any high traffic areas such as in entryways, in front of your sink or refrigerator, or down a highly traveled hallway. One of the best things you can do is dust, sweep or mop on a regular basis to keep any dirt or debris from collecting on the surface or the floor. You can also put felt pads under the legs of any chairs or tables.

Pre-finished flooring has a great advantage over unfinished flooring. Both floors install exactly the same, however, once the pre-finished floor is installed you’re all done. The only thing you have left to do is move the furniture back into the room and enjoy. An unfinished floor requires sanding and then the application of urethane. This can take an extra couple of days labor with an incomparable amount of aggravation. Pre-finished floors also have an incredible finish warranty usually consisting of 10-25 years depending on the brand of flooring.

Solid 3/4″ Hardwood flooring cannot be installed below grade (below the soil line) or over concrete. When a solid product encounters moisture it reacts very negatively. Therefore, a laminate or engineered flooring must be used. Engineered flooring is constructed by fusing 4-plys of material together to form a product with unprecedented strength and durability. An engineered product is very similar with the exception that they usually have a real wood layer on top of the constructed core.

They do have their different scales of hardness that you will find by referring to the Janka Hardness and Stability Chart. Some of the more popular species of wood that are used for flooring are Hard Maple, Red Oak, Cherry, Ash, and Birch.then the exotic species found on my West valley hardwood link like Brazilian cherry ,Tatajuba,south American pear ,etc

Although your floor should look similar to the sample in the showroom, there are certain instances when your floor might look slightly different. For one if the sample has been finished for long time it gets its petina or Darkening effect from the sun , Unless the finish or the windows have a UV resistance the hardwood floor will darken , Also as a tree grows and matures, over approximately 60 years, it absorbs minerals and other essential elements, which can change the color and appearance of the wood. Even wood from the same tree can show signs of variance. For instance, “younger wood” closer to the outside of the tree will be lighter than the wood from the center portion.