Floors

Wood Flooring

Solid Hardwood flooring is an excellent choice for most applications. In addition to the beautiful look and feel of the real wood, solid hardwood will last the test of time. Since this flooring is solid wood, it can be re-sanded and sealed as many times as necessary over the life the building. Solid wood flooring also has the health benefit of not off-gassing (unlike vinyl flooring). Hardwood flooring is not suitable for areas where moisture is present such as bathrooms and entryways (and in some cases kitchens).
In addition to selecting the type of flooring you will also need to choose the floor finish. Pre-finihsed floors come with a finish already applied to the flooring and require less work to install. This means that there will be a small recess between each piece of flooring .
If you are looking for a completely smooth floor then you will want to go with the ‘sand and finish’ option (pictured here). This requires more labor when installing the flooring as all of the sanding and finishing will take place during install.

Engineered Hardwood flooring is an excellent choice for most applications. In addition to the beautiful look and feel of the real wood veneer, engineered hardwood will not warp as it is laminated onto a plywood-like base. One drawback of engineered hardwood is that it can only be resurfaced 2-3 times due to the thin veneer. Hardwood flooring is not suitable for areas where moisture is present such as bathrooms and entryways (and in some cases kitchens).
In addition to selecting the type of flooring you will also need to choose the floor finish. Generally speaking, engineered hardwood comes pre-finished. Pre-finished floors come with a finish already applied to the flooring. This means that there will be a small recess between each piece of flooring (as show above). It also means that it will require less work to install. If you are looking for a completely smooth floor then you will want to go with the ‘sand and finish’ option. This requires more labor when installing the flooring as all of the sanding and finishing will take place during install. If you are looking for the 'sand and finish' look you are probably better off with a solid hardwood rather than engineered.

Softwood flooring is an great choice in specific applications. In addition to the beautiful look and feel of the real wood, softwoods such as douglas fir and cedar can be used as the subfloor and finish floor in open-beam lofts. One drawback of softwood is that it is not suitable for high traffic areas as it easily dents and shows wear faster than other options.

Vinyl Plank flooring is one of the more economic options. It is very durable, though it has a shorter lifespan than other options. Vinyl flooring is suitable for areas where moisture is present including bathrooms and entryways. The drawback of vinyl flooring is that it does have an off-gassing potential and ultimately creates a large amount of plastic garbage at the end of it's relatively short lifespan.

Tile flooring is one of the most durable options. It is an excellent choice for areas with high traffic or where moisture may be present such as bathrooms and entryways. While it's hardness is a testament to it's durability, this can also be hard the body in living room areas. When laid over a concrete slab, tile flooring is a great choice if you are planning to integrate radiant floor heating into your design.

Unfinished Concrete flooring can be a great option where the structure is built on a slab. This is an extremely durable floor with a more industrial look that ages naturally over time. Depending on the size of the slab, expect to see small cracks develop (this is the natural state of a concrete slab). Additionally, an unsealed floor will be more susceptible to staining. If embraced as the 'character' of the floor, this can be a beautiful option. We suggest using rugs in main areas as the rigid surface of the floor can be hard on the body. Concrete flooring is a great choice if you are planning to integrate radiant floor heating into your design.