Buyers Guide

First, carefully measure where your hardwood flooring will be installed. Simply multiply width x length of each room or area in inches, then divide by 144. Record the answers for each, then add them together to determine how many square feet you have to cover. Next, is to determine a percentage of overage to add to your order.

The more divided the overall space is the more overage you will need, to account for usual cutting waste. At a minimum, we suggest adding a 5% overage if the space is essentially undivided. In most cases, where multiple rooms or areas are being covered, we suggest adding a 10% overage. Adding a 15% overage or more is needed for diagonal installations, pattern work, or selective sorting for specific color, character, or lengths.

Your flexibility to be creative and/or selective during installation is proportional to the overage that you account for, beyond what is needed for usual cutting waste. You do not have to increase your overage beyond what is necessary, but it does provide an opportunity for those who want to customize or further refine the appearance of their installed hardwood flooring.

Our usual lead-time for the production of most made-to-order hardwood flooring from lumber on-hand is 3-4 weeks for unfinished, 4-5 weeks for pre-finished, and 5-6 weeks for textured and pre-finished. Depending on the options selected and how full the production schedule is, the lead-time quoted when an order is placed may range from 1 week less and up to 2 weeks more than usual. Over 90% of our orders processed fall within these ranges. Orders involving very difficult specifications or lumber not on-hand, may require longer lead-times. In any instance, we will always provide the most accurate time range we can, with updates available during production, upon request.

Our order fulfillment process has been carefully developed over time and prioritizes quality and accuracy above all else. To help ensure the best possible outcome, our lead-time is always provided as an estimate as outlined above. While delays aren’t frequent, they can occur when crafting made-to-order hardwood flooring as each project is unique. To avoid compromise it’s essential not to rush the process, and this is equally important for site preparation, acclimation, and installation, beyond your order’s production. Any additional time and patience needed to achieve exceptional results is always worthwhile, and is the best means of ensuring your ultimate satisfaction.

For any stocked hardwood flooring ready to ship, payment is due in full at the time of order. This is usually handled in a single transaction, however the cost may be divided between different forms of payment if helpful (e.g., paying partially by check and the balance by credit card). Simply let us know what your needs are.

For our made-to-order hardwood flooring and millwork, most orders will require a deposit of 50% when the order is placed, with the balance due upon completion. In some cases, payment terms may need to be adjusted to align with specific project phases, usually resulting in payments being more incremental. This will be explained fully if applicable to your order.

Accepted payment methods include, cash, check, wire transfers, debit card, and select credit cards. For payment by debit or credit card, we’ll provide a payment authorization form that you can complete digitally or print and complete manually. Return the completed form as a PDF or JPG, or request that we call you for payment if you prefer to provide that information by phone.

Our random length hardwood flooring is packaged in nested bundles, meaning each bundle includes a representative range of the floor’s available lengths, not to exceed 80lbs each. This simplifies staggering end joints during installation, without the need to have many length divided bundles open at a time. Single-length flooring is also available for herringbone, chevron, and other mosaic patterns, which we precision-cut to specific lengths, and pack into smaller bundles.

We offer two different methods of shipping. One is with a common carrier, which is how most less-than-truckload (LTL) freight shipments are transported. Second is with smaller private trucking companies or owner-operators. Please read below to understand the differences between these options, and see the unloading suggestions that follow. Feel welcome to reach out with any questions.

To understand this option, think of how companies such as FedEx and UPS operate from many terminals across the country, but instead of transporting individual packages, these common carriers transport palletized freight. These are ground-based shipments that are unloaded, sorted, and reloaded at terminal locations along the way. When the shipment arrives at the destination terminal, we require the carrier to call and schedule delivery by appointment, which is often given as a time window rather than a specific time. The shipment is then loaded onto a 53′ tractor-trailer and the local route driver that covers that area should arrive within the time window provided. Delivery is generally curbside and must be unloaded upon arrival, which is primarily the reason for the appointment. Unloading is generally handled by the general contractor or installer, although homeowners often unload as well. These route drivers typically average 20-30 stops a day, limiting their time available at each without the carrier charging additional fees. While at one stop, the driver is often preparing for their next stop. This shipping method is usually the lowest cost option, and we believe is best suited for single pallet shipments of approximately 1,000sf or less. It is not uncommon however for clients with larger orders to select shipping by common carrier as well. Transit times generally range from 2-10 days depending on the destination and it’s distance from the nearest terminal. Delays are not frequent, but are possible. A tracking number will be assigned to your shipment that you can use on the carrier’s website to track the shipments progress.

This method involves contracting small trucking companies or owner-operators that are available in the area to pick up an order when it’s ready to ship. They may also pick up another shipment or two nearby, if they are to be delivered to the same general area as the other shipment(s). This helps in sharing the cost of transport. Whether carrying one, two, or three shipments, they are traveling directly from the origin area to the destination area without the shipment(s) ever being unloaded, sorted, and reloaded along the way. That means the only people who handle your flooring after we load it are you or your team at the time of delivery. This shipping method accounts for faster transit times, fewer delays, and extremely safe transport without the need of dockworkers to handle the shipment possibly multiple times. This method is particularly well suited for larger shipments, long lengths, and limited access delivery locations, requiring a smaller truck. These drivers can allow more time at a stop, and may offer to assist in unloading as well. If so, we recommend providing a gratuity. While this shipping option generally costs more than with a common carrier, many contractors and homeowners find the benefits very worthwhile. The cost for private trucking can only be estimated in advance, but can be finalized when the order is ready to ship and bids are received from the available drivers wanting the load. This is handled by our logistics partner and a dedicated representative will be in contact with you and the driver directly, from the time the shipment is picked up until the time of your delivery to ensure you are well-informed.

The easiest means of unloading your shipment is with a forklift if you have one onsite during your construction project. If not, unloading manually is easily accomplished with our hardwood flooring in uniform nested bundles. We transfer bundles by hand frequently, and it takes two people about 20 minutes to downstack 1,000sf. To help minimize risk of damage or injury, have one person on each end of a bundle. The priority when your shipment arrives is to first remove it from the truck, so the driver can move on to their next stop. Then, you can proceed with distributing the bundles into the home.

Unloading by the bundle should only to be done by those capable of climbing in and out of a truck while carefully lifting and transferring bundles of hardwood flooring that weigh up to 80lbs each. Have two such people available for every 1,000sf to unload. We would suggest six people to manually unload 3,000sf for example. Bundle sizes vary based on width and length selections, but an average bundle is 6″ wide x 4-1/2″ tall x 96″ long, weighing up to 80lbs each. These bundles are stacked onto full length hardwood pallets, then the bundles are plastic wrapped and securely strapped to the pallet.

For delivery by common carrier which is generally curbside, we suggest backing up a pick-up truck or utility trailer to the back of the tractor-trailer. Your shipment should be directly accessible from the back of the truck. Ask the driver to cut the bands, and you can begin transferring the bundles of flooring to your vehicle. Afterward, you can pull your vehicle into the garage or up to a door, and distribute the bundles into the areas where the hardwood flooring will be installed. With private trucking, they may be able to position their vehicle where you can unload directly into your home.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.