Buyers Guide

Lead-Time Information

Our order fulfillment process has been carefully refined to ensure accuracy and a smooth experience from start to finish. Quality remains our top priority, which is why your shipping date is provided as an estimate. While delays are relatively uncommon, they can occur when crafting custom hardwood flooring. It’s crucial not to rush any step in the process, even if delays arise, as this ensures the best results. This same critical care applies to site preparation, acclimation, and installation after delivery. Any additional time and patience required are always worthwhile for achieving exceptional results.

Payment Terms

For stocked materials ready to ship, payment is due in full at the time of order. Payment is generally handled in a single transaction, or you may use more than one form of payment and split the cost between them. (e.g., paying partially by check and the balance by credit card). For made-to-order materials, a 50% deposit is required when the order is placed, with the remaining 50% due upon completion. In some cases, payment terms may be adjusted by percentage or number of payments, and we’ll inform you if this applies to your order. Accepted payment methods include cash, check, wire transfer, debit card, and select credit cards. For credit card payments, we’ll provide a payment authorization form that can be completed digitally using a PDF editor or printed and filled out by hand. Return the completed form as a PDF or JPG in response to our email, or call us to provide payment details over the phone, if preferred.

Easy Nested Bundles

Our hardwood flooring is packaged in nested bundles, meaning each bundle includes a representative range of the floor’s available lengths. This simplifies staggering end joints during installation and avoids the need to open multiple bundles of specific lengths. Single-length flooring is less common, except for herringbone or certain mosaic patterns, which are precision-cut to specific lengths.

Shipping Options

We use a reliable network of LTL (Less Than Truckload) freight carriers to efficiently ship our products nationwide. Transit times typically range from 2 to 12 days, depending on distance and proximity to local freight terminals. LTL carriers, also known as ‘Common Carriers,’ operate by sorting and transferring loads at various terminals between the origin and destination, similar to how the postal service functions. These delivery drivers service a particular route where 20-30 stops a day is not unusual, limiting their time at each.

Upon arrival at your local terminal, the carrier will call you to schedule curbside delivery by a tractor-trailer. Unloading is required at delivery. Without a forklift on-site, the easiest method is to back a pickup truck or utility trailer to the tractor-trailer and transfer the bundles (approximately 80 lbs each) manually. From there, you can move the vehicle closer to your home or garage for unloading. Alternatively, you may choose to pick up the shipment directly from the terminal, where a forklift will load your vehicle. This option can minimize labor if the terminal is nearby, as it eliminates double handling of materials. Two people can usually unload a full pallet (around 1,000 sq. ft.) in about 20 minutes. Doing this ourselves thousands of times, it’s not as daunting as some fear. It is work however, and the people unloading must be capable of handling the approximate 80lb bundles safely. It’s often the crew of the general contractor or flooring installer that will handle this task, but homeowners along with their family or friends routinely manage this task just the same. We suggest having a minimum of two people for every 1,000sf to ease and shorten the time of unloading. Damage in transit with LTL shipping is infrequent and minimal if it does occur. Shipping with independent trucks in comparison has proven exceptionally safe. Read below to learn more.

If desired, we can arrange shipping via an independent truck through our freight forwarder. This option is ideal for larger orders, longer lengths, limited-access locations, or for those who prefer direct point-to-point delivery without intermediate handling. Independent drivers typically have faster transit times, averaging 1–2 stops per day, and are often willing to assist with unloading. While this option costs slightly more, many contractors and homeowners find the added convenience worthwhile. Costs for independent trucks are estimated in advance but finalized once bids are received from available drivers at the time your order is ready to ship. You’ll have direct contact with our freight representative and/or driver while your order is in transit.

Understanding Acclimation

Acclimation can’t be determined by some prescribed period of time. Acclimation is complete when the moisture level of the wood flooring is in balance with the humidity level in your home, and the moisture content of your subfloor. Our hardwoods are kiln-dried to a moisture content of 6%-8%, shooting for 7%, and the relative humidity in equilibrium with that is approximately 50%, which is the National average. Ideally, you want to consistently maintain this relative humidity in your home to be in balance with your wood flooring, which is easily done in most homes manufactured within the last 30 years. If you maintain a consistently higher or lower relative humidity in your home, acclimation will allow the wood to expand or contract as needed before rather than after installation. If using this option, please be aware that some variations can develop as the wood changes dimensions to reach equilibrium. In either case, your installer needs to confirm through testing that everything is in balance before installation begins.

This is done by using a calibrated moisture meter and averaging out moisture content readings taken from multiple pieces of wood flooring and various areas of the subfloor. With a hygrometer, measure the relative humidity in different areas of the home and average those readings as well. Compare the MC & RH to ensure conditions are suitable to begin. We can provide detailed instructions and charts if needed. We also recommend the addition of a central humidifier to the HVAC system to help maintain a consistent relative humidity throughout the year, especially in colder climates. A central humidifier will reduce heating costs, make your home more comfortable, and ultimately relieve your flooring and all other real wood in your home from the stresses of seasonal movement. Contact us for further information, or consult an HVAC professional for details and pricing.

Underlayment Information

Common roofing felt that many use beneath hardwood flooring is a vapor retarder that slows the transmission of moisture from one side to the other, as intended to allow a roof to breathe. If the area beneath your hardwood flooring is an unfinished basement, crawl space, or any other space that may harbor moisture, we recommend using an underlayment that is a vapor barrier instead. The tar applied to the roofing felt can also be an irritant to some. Most are not likely to notice it, but some complain of a constant petroleum smell that can cause headaches and nausea, especially when the temperature is up, which increases off-gassing. If you’re not concerned with moisture from beneath your subfloor, you can use red rosin paper, which is a paper bag material with a wax component to it instead of tar. It is also a vapor retarder but is made for hardwood flooring. If there is a concern of moisture being wicked up from beneath, use a vapor barrier instead, such as Aquabar or similar. The brand or composition of the underlayment isn’t terribly important as so long as it’s a true vapor barrier. Even a 6mil visqueen works fine.

The other thing you can use is a sound abatement underlayment which is part of the building code in places like New York City, to reduce ambient noise transmission from one level to the next. This offers the same benefits in a multilevel house if you wish to mitigate noise between levels. With activity spaces often being on the main floor and bedrooms being on a second floor, this appeals to a lot of people. Common types are made of dense felt, cork, or a dense foam, in different thicknesses, and come in rolls just like roofing felt or red rosin paper. Sound abatement underlayments are rated based on standardized testing to provide an idea of how effective each option would be at minimizing noise transmission. We used a sound abatement underlayment in one of our buildings, and it made a real appreciable difference. These can also be used in conjunction with a vapor barrier underlayment in case you want protection from both moisture and noise. Paper or plastic underlayments should be overlapped by a few inches as you roll out the material, and tape across those seams occasionally, so everything stays in place during installation. Sound abatement underlayments which are much thicker are not overlapped but seemed together with tape.

Professional Installation

Your purchase of hardwood flooring represents a considerable investment in your home. We recommend contracting an NWFA certified member installer if you wish to have your flooring professionally installed. Doing so provides the best assurance that the correct procedures are followed, which is critical to the success of your project. Directions are available by request should you wish to understand the process and know what to expect as the work is completed.

DIY Installation Support

Our precision milled and pre-sanded wood flooring is a popular choice with DIYers wanting to install and finish themselves, without the hassles of poorly fitting joints and needing to drum-sand the floor. Our recommended penetrating oil finishes are not only beautiful and easily serviceable, they are the ideal type of finish for DIYers to apply. We can provide site preparation, acclimation, installation, and finishing instructions, as well as tool suggestions and help with questions.

Our Pre-Sanded Flooring

Hardwood flooring mass-produced at 300′-400′ per minute can only maintain so much of a machining tolerance. In fact, what is considered acceptable by industry standards is less than most would hope for. In running our flooring orders individually at 25′-35′ per minute with diamond tooling, we are able to maintain high precision machining tolerances. As a result, the vast majority of the joints between our planks will meet perfectly flush or generally within a few thousandths of an inch, equal to not more than a few sheets of writing paper. Mass-produced hardwood flooring traditionally requires coarse sanding across the flooring with a drum sander, referred to as cross-cutting to level all the planks, before sanding with the rows using progressively finer grit paper to remove the coarse cross-cut sanding marks.

With our flooring, due more to the precision milling than the actual sanding, cross-cutting will not be necessary. Many customers over the years have said they did no sanding at all but simply due to variances in a usual subfloor, they most likely have some joints that are not entirely flush. We inform our customers to be prepared to do some light sanding, such as with a vibrating refinishing sander. They are easy to use and clean up after. These sanders are commonly found where tool rental is offered, along with the sanding pads. When installing a relatively small quantities such as a single room, many customers have used a random orbit palm sander where needed. If you are only applying a clear finish, this typically works fine. If you intend to stain the floor, however, you will want to lightly abrade the entire surface just prior to staining to ensure it takes evenly. This is when the rectangular refinishing sander is very helpful. The dust from these sanders tend to stay on the floor and can be easily vacuumed, unlike drum sanders, which blow dust into the air.

Sustainable Forestry

Pennington Hardwoods and its affiliated companies view the preservation of forest lands paramount to the wellbeing of all ecosystems and the future of our industry, which we’ve long been invested in. We only purchase lumber harvested in full accordance with the law from those who follow the guidelines of the Sustainable Forestry Initiative. This requires protecting the integrity and biodiversity of the forest by managing and nurturing new growth in a manner that preserves soil, air, and water quality, as well as fish and wildlife habitats. The benefit of these long-standing and widely accepted practices account for the US having considerably more forestland today than existed 100 years ago before the adoption of responsible forestry management practices. In having proven so effective, locally sourced timber products are the greenest of all building products. Beyond timber production, the creation of our flooring and millwork utilizes essentially 100% of the inbound lumber, with downfall utilized to create electrical power, heating fuel, animal bedding, mulch, and other recovery products.

Common Care & Repair

CARE INSTRUCTIONS

Preventative maintenance is a term more common to commercial floor care than residential, but the importance in either application is equal. Proper care and maintenance considerably lengthens the intervals between necessary renovation operations, such as re-coating or complete refinishing. Follow these rules to help preserve the life and beauty of your hardwood flooring.

1: Keep abrasive debris off of the floor. Use dirt trapping walk-off mats outside all exterior doors and finer mats inside. Abrasive debris being tracked onto and across the floor can and will cause damage to the finish. Protective rugs at key locations such as in front of a sink or a food prep area can also help guard against spot wear and spills.

2: Vacuum regularly, as often as you vacuum carpets. Frequent use of a wood floor dust mop that can be used dry for dust only or with a PH neutral spray wood floor cleaner to dissolve and remove anything sticky or other dirt that cannot simply be swept away is also advised. We recommend Bona Wood Floor Care dust mops and cleaners. Never wet mop the floor or use products that contain waxes or polishes, such as Orange-Glo or similar.

3: Hardwood flooring is photosensitive. Some species will darken and some will lighten over time with exposure to ultraviolet light. The change in appearance is completely natural and should be anticipated. Rugs, particularly those in areas of direct sunlight, should be moved regularly to maintain a consistent patina across the surface of the flooring.

4: All furniture should have protective covers applied to the feet to prevent damage to the floor. Felt is preferred to the plastic type glides, as debris seems to become more easily embedded into the plastic. It is important to never slide furniture, particularly heavy furniture, across your floor as the concentrated load can leave marks in the finish and possibly the wood itself.

5: Spills should be tended to immediately. Liquid spills should be absorbed with a cotton cloth or paper towels until the area is completely dry to prevent the liquid from funneling between the boards and being absorbed into the wood. Once dry, clean the area with a wood floor cleaner to remove any residue the spill may have left behind.

6: Concentrated loads refers to objects that you may not consider to be particularly heavy but exert a great deal of force by the load being concentrated to one or more small points. Spike heel shoes and pets claws as examples can leave indentations in a wood floor. Avoid subjecting the wood flooring to these concentrated loads by wearing suitable shoes, trimming dogs claws and not sliding or rolling heavy furniture or appliances without first protecting the floor.

COMMON CAUSES OF DAMAGE
Rolling or sliding furniture and appliances over your floor can scratch the finish and leave indentations even in the hardest of woods. High heel shoes which concentrate weight to a small point or other shoes which may have small rocks or debris embedded in the tread can scratch the finish and leave indentation marks. Dogs, if large enough, are also capable of scratching the finish and leaving indented claw marks. Heavy or pointed objects dropped on the floor are another source for scratches and indentations. In realistic conditions nearly all wood floors exhibit some of these marks but overall still remain quite beautiful. These issues are merely superficial and do not affect the structural integrity of the wood. In most cases, these issues can be easily remedied the next time the floor is sanded and finished. Some actually preserve the natural worn character, which are like memories that they don’t want erased. The most common cause of serious damage to a real wood floor is water. Whether from leaking pipes, fittings, fixtures, or water coming in from outside, serious problems can result from wood absorbing excessive moisture. Other than flooding, fire is about the only other cause of catastrophic damage to wood flooring, but flood or fire damage concerns extend well beyond just the wood floor.

TOUCH-UP & FILLER SUGGESTIONS
To touch up small areas of exposed bare wood on your stained and pre-finished floor, Minwax Stain in 1/2 pint containers or Minwax Wood Finish Stain Markers are easy to apply, and available in a variety of colors. To touch up scratches that appear white on your polyurethane pre-finished floor, a Mohawk Clear Finish Marker works well and will return the scratch to clear. If you wish to fill small voids like pin-holes, or checks in the character of your pre-finished floor, Woodwise Pre-finished Wood Filler in 7.5oz containers is easily applied by hand and available in a variety of colors.

Warranty & Conditions

INSPECT ORDER UPON RECEIPT
A due diligence inspection of your order is required upon receipt to confirm that everything is correct and accounted for. If any aspect of your order is in question, do nothing with the material and contact us immediately so we may address your concerns. As customary with many building materials, installation, alteration, or expiration of a 30 day claims period constitutes irrevocable acceptance of the products provided. Customer satisfaction is our top priority and we’ll correct any problem when given this opportunity.

STRUCTURAL WARRANTY
Pennington Hardwoods provides a lifetime warranty to the original purchaser that its products in their original manufactured condition will be free from manufacturing defects in drying, milling, dimensions, or grade in excess of the tolerances or guidelines defined by the National Wood Flooring Association. If something is not right with your flooring, stop installation and contact us immediately for a resolution. We will exchange any affected portion of an order that was not installed or altered, with apology.

PRE-FINISHED WARRANTY
For our UV cured polyurethane finish, Pennington Hardwoods provides a 30-year limited warranty to the original purchaser for residential applications. Subject to the adherence of recommended care instructions, Pennington Hardwoods warrants that the polyurethane finish will not peel or separate from the wood, and will not wear through to bare wood from normal use within the warranty time specified. Should this happen, contact us for replacement of the affected portion upon verification of the claim.

WARRANTY LIMITATIONS
This is the complete and exclusive Pennington Hardwoods statement of warranty which applies to any portion of the product deemed defective, with a limitation of liability not to exceed the cost from Pennington Hardwoods for that portion. Problems resulting from dropped objects, concentrated loads, improper site preparation, acclimation, installation, climate control, care procedures, or other conditions outside our control are not covered, but feel welcome to contact us for help in determining a practical solution.

GENUINE PRODUCT OF NATURE
We strive for excellence in our products, but the very nature of real wood ensures that not every piece is perfect in the sense of being exactly alike. The irregularities that exist are entirely normal and are precisely what makes real wood flooring so appealing. Nature’s beauty ensures that no two boards are exactly the same. This results in a naturally attractive floor with genuine character and warmth, which cannot be duplicated in artificial materials. If your preference is perfect consistency, real wood flooring is not your best choice.

CUTTING CLEAR OF DAMAGE
This is not uncommon in real wood flooring and is factored into the overage needed to account for cutting waste. Loss due to damage or defect exceeding 3% is covered and that material can be exchanged. However, a 6′ long board containing a small problem area for example, does not warrant a full exchange. Due diligence requires cutting clear of that area and utilizing the remainder. This is easiest at the ends of rows where the flooring is commonly cut anyway. No loss has exceeded 3% when this procedure is followed.

WOOD CAN CHANGE IN COLOR
Almost any wood will change in color or tone to some degree over time, with exposure to UV light. Some will lighten and some will darken, but usually at a slow enough rate that most won’t notice the change until an area of the floor that has been covered is uncovered. This is normal, and the same happens with fabrics, paint, and many other surfaces. Minimizing UV light exposure can slow or lessen changes to the color and tone, but many woods are considered more attractive after their patina has naturally mellowed with age.

Thanks For Your Interest

Thank you for taking time to review our Buyer’s Guide. We believe that providing comprehensive and detailed information here, throughout our website, and from our expert AI chat assistant Woodrow, is crucial in helping you make an informed and confident decision. Your satisfaction is our priority, and we are committed to ensuring that you have all the resources you need to choose the perfect hardwood flooring for your home. If you have any further questions or need personalized assistance, please don’t hesitate to reach out. We would be glad to help, and thanks again for your interest.