Choosing new floors means you have a lot of decisions to make. One of those choices could be solid hardwood.
Choosing new floors means you have a lot of decisions to make. One of those choices could be solid hardwood. You might be wondering how this type of wood is prepared before being sent to where you can buy it. Here is some more information about this process!
Starting from the Forest
Most of the lumber used for making hardwood flooring comes from a forest that has been sustainably overseen. The different companies each have their methods for extraction, but they all want to collect the best wood that they can. The four most prevalent techniques are called selection and group selection, along with shelterwood and clear-cutting. After the trees have been cut down, the logs left behind need to be gathered up – then the logs are packed onto trucks and then shipped to the sawmill.
At the Mill
Once the trucks arrive at the sawmill, the logs are unloaded. Then the bark is stripped off before anything else can be done with them. Individual machines hold onto each log, and a grinder strips the bark off, much like how a fruit peeler peels an apple. Then another device called a scanner helps turn the logs over and picks the best face in which to start cutting. The spot that is chosen is typically the one that will yield the most hardwood after the cut is made. After that, the entire log is cut up into slices. After that step is done, the slices need to be graded. Depending on the grade of the wood, it could be set aside for different end-uses. Higher-grade wood is used for making floors, either solid hardwood or engineered hardwood.
Turned into Flooring
Finally, what is left is turned into planks and floorboards. Different species of wood are also split off from the main harvest. At the flooring mill, all of the wood is transformed into something else. The wood needs to be utterly dehydrated until it can be cut and shaped into board and planks. The bundles are transported to distributors who can then sell them to interested homeowners.
Hardwood Flooring from Jason Brown Wood Floors
At Jason Brown Wood Floors, our commitment to quality installation is clear in all that we do, which is why our customers consistently rate us as one of the top contractors in the region. We have been awarded Baltimore Magazine’s Best of Baltimore Award 4 times and have been proudly serving the Baltimore Area for over 16 years. If you’re ready to speak with someone about your hardwood flooring project, we want to hear from you! Contact us at 410-668-9131 or send us a message here.
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