Your Questions: Simply Answered

We have compiled answers to most questions you may have about the products, services and brands we offer as well as about wood flooring in general. You may also find very helpful information about wood flooring on our expansive FLOORING 101 page.

If you have a question that is not posted here, please feel free to Email or call us toll-free during business hours at 1-800-674-8088, we are always happy to answer your questions and ease your concerns.

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Do you offer installation service?

Of course we do.

We offer installation only in the states of New York, New Jersey and North Carlina. Our installers are NWFA certified, insured and extremely knowledgeable. We only install what we offer in our showroom; hardwood, laminate, bamboo, vinyl and cork floors. Our crew does not install ceramic tiles, carpet or sheet vinyl. We do not offer sanding and refinishing services.

Should you need installation service outside of our territory, please call us and we will help you find the right installers through the National Wood Flooring Association of America's website. It's easy and only takes a few minutes.

Why can't I see prices on your website?

We are not an online store and most of our reputable brands have a strict policy against displaying prices on the internet. We can give you a quote over the phone or via email once we have verified that you are in our territory and can sell you the brand you want.

Why can't I process my order online?

We believe that a flooring project requires much more than just a click. There are so many different types of flooring that can be quite confusing to the consumer who is browsing samples online!

Purchasing a floor that may not be suitable for your project can be costly and time consuming to return and exchange. When you call us, we review your project one on one and advise you on the best option for your application. We can send you samples as well to make sure your you know what you're buying. We do our job to make yours as smooth as it could possibly be. We also review promotions and sales events you may not be aware of. This process has proven extremely successful in making sure all mistakes are eliminated for your own safety and peace of mind.

Do I get the full warranty when I buy my floors from Verion Floors?

Of course; we are an authorized retailer with a showroom that includes displays of every brand name we sell. When you buy your floors from us; you are guaranteed the full warranty posted by every manufacturer. Even our clearance items still have its full warranty intact. You may call any manufacturer displayed on our website and check the warranty for your convenience and peace of mind.

There are so many options of flooring; how do I know which one is right for me?

Wood floors come in various styles and shapes. What decides your options is where the floor will be installed. For example, if you're finishing a basement, your options are limited to certain engineered, laminate or vinyl floors. If you need flooring for the first floor and above, you're options become limitless.

The first thing you should do is consult with an installer who will tally your options and direct you to the right flooring style. If you do not have an installer, we will be happy to help. Simply call us at 1-800-674-8088 and we will advise you on all the available options that will suit your project.

TIP: Be a smart consumer and always ask questions. The more information you have; the sound your investment will be.

How long do I have to wait before my flooring order is delivered?

We stock many flooring styles and colors in our warehouse in Raleigh. NC so we can meet our clients' immanent demands. In most cases, we can deliver your order within a couple of days. However, some exotic species are seasonal and some specialty flooring may not be available for immediate delivery. We also send weekly emails that include a list of the current stock and special sales; please Sign Up to our newsletter to receive this list. You can opt out anytime.

Please call 1-800-674-8088 or EMAIL us to check on the availability on any product you're interested in.

Do you offer nationwide delivery?

NO. We ship only in our territory. Each brand has a different territory. Please also take a look at our SHIPPING PAGE for more information. If you'd like to get a shipping quote, please call us at 1-800-674-8088 or Email us. Please include your zip code, the type of flooring you're interested in and the quantity you need. We will respond to your email promptly.

Some brands like Mirage and Bella Cera have territorial restrictions and we can not sell them beyond our own East Coast territory. We apologize for any inconvenience but these are rules we have to follow.

Do I pay sales tax on my order?

We do not charge sales tax on any order we ship outside the state of North Carolina. If you live in another state and decide to pick up your order from our warehouse in Raleigh. NC or Fairfield, NJ; we will have to charge you the approbriate sales tax which is 6.25%.

What is Janka Hardness rating?

Janka test is the standard process that measures the durability and hardness of all wood species.

The process is pressing a rotating steel ball onto the surface of the wood until it starts to dent. Each rotation counts for one point on the scale. The higher the points are, the longer the species was able to withstand the pressure point. Of course a higher rating means more durable wood.

Exotic wood species are usually much durable than domestic ones. Always check the janka rating on the wood you like to make sure it will perform to your living standards.

If you're not sure, please give us a call @ 1-800-674-808 and we will gladly help.

Is Bamboo flooring hard or soft?

Bamboo is simply grass; what defines its hardness and durability is when it was harvested. Traditionally, bamboo matures after 5 years and should be harvested then. If it is harvested before maturity, it will definitely make a soft floor. You should always ask for a document from any manufacturer that indicates the harvesting process and time frame. Most reputable mills include this information in their catalogues, websites or on their warranty documents. We offer bamboo from two of the most reputable names in the world: Teragren offers Moso 5.5 bamboo which states the harvest time @ 5.5 years.

You may also look into Strand Bamboo. This is definitely the new trend in bamboo flooring and is rated harder than exotic hardwood floors. Strand bamboo is available in solid, engineered and floating styles and is very suitable for residential and commercial applications.

What is the Eemission percentage of Formaldehyde in the bamboo brands sold at Verion Floors?

Most bamboo flooring is manufactured with adhesives that contain a UREA Formaldehyde resin. Teragren Bamboo offers the lowest formaldehyde emission in the world. The American and European standard level of Formaldehyde off-gassing ranges from 0.30 to 0.75 PPM. If this is a concern, you may look into Strand Woven Bamboo as an alternative. By Law, every bamboo manufacturer has to indicate the off-gassing level of the glue they use either on their website or warranty documents. If you can't find this information on their documents; if they can not or will not reveal this information to you, simply choose another brand.

What is AC rating and why is it important?

Much like the Janka Hardness scale for hardwood floors, AC Rating indicates the surface durability of Laminate Floors. There are five levels:

AC1: Law durability and is only suitable for very light residential use.
AC2: Medium durability and is suitable for light to medium residential use.
AC3: High durability and is suitable for heavy residential and light commercial use.
AC4: Very high durability and is suitable for medium commercial and all residential use.
AC5: The highest level, it is suitable for heavy residential and commercial use.

TIP: Always ask about the manufacturer of the floor you're interested in. If the name sounds ambiguous or can not be verified by a physical address, website or warranty documentation; WALK AWAY.

What is the difference between SOLID and ENGINEERED flooring?

Solid hardwood floors are just that; strips or planks of wood that are solid top to bottom. They are natural tree logs that are cut to size and are available in a wide range of thickness and widths. Solid Hardwood ranges from 3/4" to 5/16" thick and is milled with a tongue and grove to the planks together. It's also available in widths up to 8" and length up to 10'.

Solid hardwood floors are usually installed on or above grade due to their nature of expansion and contraction with humidity, moisture and seasonal temperature changes. This is very common and installers usually decide on the width of the plank in condiration with these factors.

Solid floors can be sanded and refinished several times and depending on the plank thickness, they can be nailed to a plywood subfloor or glued down to a concrete slab.

Engineered planks are made by laminating layers of plywood to one another in a cross-banded manner; topped with a solid hardwood veneer.

This type of construction gives the flooring the dimensional stability to counteract wood's natural tendency to contract and expand with changes in temperature and humidity. It is usually installed on, below or above grade.

Engineered floors are available in thicknesses from 3/4" to 5 1/6", width from 2" to a staggering 12" & lengths up to 110". They are available with wear layers that range from 2mm to a premium 6mm which can be sanded & refinished several times.

Is SOLID hardwood better than ENGINEERED flooring?

That is a good question. Solid hardwood is the standard wood flooring; the one that adds to the resale value of your home. If you have a choice, always go for solid hardwood. People choose engineered flooring for a few reasons:

• Engineered floors are made to be installed in places where solid hardwood can not be installed such as basements and ground level floors.
• Engineered floors can be glued directly over a concrete slab making it ideal for those who do not want the added expense of a plywood sub-floor.
• Engineered floors are made with less wood making them an ecological choice.
• Engineered floors come in various thickness and widths that maybe rare to find in solid hardwood.
• Many brands such as Mirage, Lauzon offer engineered flooring with a thick 3MM wear layer, DuChateau and Mercier offer 4MM wear layer that allows for future sanding and refinishing; a feature that was always limited to solid hardwood.

How can you tell a good quality Engineered Floor from a poor one?

Most people looking for engineered floors are usually concerned about the quality of the finish, but you cannot judge the finish by looking at it on a sample. To know how good the finish is, always look at the construction of the plank itself. If you see low-grade material used as the base, then the finish on top of the floor is probably the same low quality. You don’t buy a Mercedes and put the cheapest tires on it, and the same is true with engineered wood flooring and its finish.

There are also several types of wear layer construction that you should consider; those play a huge part of how good or not good an engineered floor is:

Rotary-Peeled Wear Layer:

Logs are processed in a conditioning vat and put onto a large wood lathe.

The wood veneers are then peeled off the logs in long strips, like paper that comes off a roll of paper towels.

This maximizes yield from the log. Production speed, and PROFIT is the goal, not quality. When applied to the plywood base; they are initially circular-shaped but are forced flat and this can later cause face checks. Rotary Peeled provides the highest use of raw materials for lowest cost, lowest visual appeal, and weakest grain structure.

Sawn Face Wear Layer

Sawn Face milling is a traditional process where lumber comes from the log in a sawmill. The lumber is then graded and sorted for maximum yield and usage. It is then sawn into the desired thickness and ready for application to the plywood base.

They are cut when the board has been kiln-dried and duplicate the look and feel of a solid hardwood floor. Sawn Face wera layer offer the capacity to re-sand when they are 2MM or more.

Sliced Face Wear Layer

Sliced wear layers are thicker than rotary-peeled but may still have issues with stress release as the veneer dries on the surface.

Sliced lumber is processed in a conditioning vat and the lumber is then sliced off, like cheese. Sliced provides better yield with medium cost, better visual appeal, and better structural integrity but is available from very few brands on the market.

A slower milling process, yielding a much better quality veneer, with outstanding visual appeal which in yurn play a big part in the cost of the floor.

What is a floating floor?

Floating floors, referred to on our website as Click and Lock, are usually engineered planks that are made to lock and snap to one another and do not require to be nailed or glued to the sub floor. Floating floors are very suitable for fast remodelling since the installation usually takes half the time spent on glued or nailed down floors. They could be installed over any existing wood, vinyl, stone or concrete floors, above or below grade. They are also the perfect floor when you have radiant heating.

You may also float traditional engineered flooring by gluing the tongues to the grooves which makes them floating.

Do you sell matching moulding to all the floors on display?

Absolutely, we have moldings for each flooring style we offer including vinyl and cork floors. You may purchase the ones made by the manufacturer of your floor or opt to ones made by a moulding company if the manufacturer does not offer a particular style. Transitional floor moulding include:

• Stair Nose / Bullnose.
• Hard Surface Reducer.
• T-Molding.
• Threshold / End Cap.
• Feature Strip.
• Quarter Round / Base Shoe.
• Base Board.
• Treads and Risers.
• Air Vents.

We also offer generic and custom made stair treads and risers in any species you choose. Please call us Toll-Free at 1-800-674-8088 for more details.

Do you have sound proof underlayment?

Yes we offer one of the best sound proof and moisture protection underlayment in the market; it's called FloorMuffler; It has the highest IIC and STC ratings in the world and it's available for Hardwood, Engineered, Laminate and even Vinyl floors.

Do you accept returns?

We accept returns on all in-stock flooring within 30 days of receiving them. Please note that there's no return on some "Special Orders" and a restocking fee applies to all returns. Please refer to our full Return policy for more detailed information.

Can I exchange my flooring order?

You may exchange your flooring order with any other product within 30 days at no cost. Exchanged flooring must be in its original packaging and in good condition. Delivery or freight charges will be your responsibility. You may not exchange special orders or custom made orders. Please call us at 1-800-674-8088 for more details.

Are hardwood floors expensive?

It's all relative. With proper care and maintenance, hardwood floors will last virtually a lifetime. They can always be sanded and refinished for a fresh new look or a completely different color. Hardwood floors usually enhance the value of your home: homes with hardwood floors tend to command higher selling prices and they often sell faster. When you consider all the lasting value of wood floors, it's actually more an investment than an expense.

Is there a lot of maintenance involved with wood floors?

Not really; wood floors have the least amount of care of all other flooring types. They do not stain and do not need special tools to clean. A hardwood floor cleaning kit that includes a bottle of spray and a mop such as BONA will easily do the job. Simply spray and wipe.

Will my floor match exactly the sample in the store?

Not always - Wood is a natural material. Think of the store sample as a small cross section of the total tones and grains of the wood species. It can never be an exact replica of a full floor. Some stained domestic species like Oak or Maple will look almost identical to the showroom sample while exotic wood samples may never show the full range of the rich grain and tones associated with the chosen species.

We always try to show as many room scenes of every species of wood as possible to give you an idea of the overall look of every floor. Please visit our GALLERY page for room scenes to almost all wood species available at Verion Floors.

What do square-edges and beveled-edges mean?

These terms describe the edges and ends of a wood floor plank. The edge profile is basically a matter of personal taste. Square edges are flush and butt up tight to one another for a seamless look. This process makes the floor look like a one big sheet and homeowners used to prefer it to avoid collected dust in the bevels. Beveled-edge has a slight angle on the top edge of the plank. These edge profiles add individuality to each board and character to the overall look of your floor. You can also feel these edge profiles as you walk on the floor barefoot. Manufacturers now offer bevels so small we call them micro-bevels. Bottom line, it is all about how you prefer your floor to look.

How do I decide between Pre-Finished and Un-Finished floors?

Pre-finished floors come with multiple layers of finish from five to a whopping twelve coats including the durable Aluminum Oxide and usually warranted for many years. They can be installed and enjoyed on the same day with no worry of any dust or vapors from the finishing process. Pre-finished floors are also available in different species, widths and thicknesses that may not be easy to obtain as unfinished.

Unfinished floors take longer time to install. They would be sanded and refinished on site so it is not recommended to have anyone (especially young children) in the area other than the professional installers. A good installer may apply up to 4 coats of finish and warrant it for one year.

What is Aluminum Oxide?

Aluminum Oxide is a metallic chemical compound coating. It is widely used with almost all pre-finished wood floors. It offers superior durability to the surface of the floor that usually lasts for 10 to 25 years.

Are wood floors good for high traffic areas?

It all depends on the species of wood. A dense, durable wood floor such as Ipe or Jatoba will stand any heavy traffic. Another option to consider is an open grain wood species such as Oak or ash; these floors do not show the majority of dents and scratches. But best of all, wood floors are the only option you do not have to replace. A simple sanding and refinishing will bring you a brand new floor again.

We also offer laminated floors and vinyl planks that are made for heavy commercial traffic. They are scratch and dent resistant and warranted for 10 to 15 years for all commercial applications.

I have pets; is wood floors a good option for me?

If you have small pets, you should not worry. most hardwood species can take a beating from young children and small pets and not show it.

If your have large dogs, they may present a challenge but not a big one. If you keep their nails trimmed, you should not encounter any floor scratching all.

You may also consider an open grain wood such as Oak, Ash or Brazilian Cherry which do not show most scratches. Once you've done that, your pet will love your floor.

Do hardwood floors change color over time?

Yes. Wood matures and gain darker, richer tone over time. Some woods change more than others. This is natural and part of the charm of real wood gaining its "patina."

Typically, exotic woods show this change much faster than domestic wood. For example; if you choose Brazilian Cherry, the planks will have a caramel tone that will turn into reddish/brown tone within three months to a year.

TIP: Do not place area rugs over exotic wood floors until the wood reaches its darkest tone. Completely blocking light and air flow from the surface of the wood will not allow it to mature and darken. If you have flat base furniture such as a chest with no legs; install 1" legs on the bottom to allow air flow. Please call us or visit our showroom for illustration.

How do I decide which installation method is right for my project?

This depends on the type of floor you want and the sub-floor as well. Here's a break down of the installation methods of all flooring types we offer:

• Solid 3/4andquot; Hardwood Floors: Nail Down Only
• Solid hardwood floors (5/16andquot;, 3/8andquot; and 1/2andquot;): Nail or glue down or float.
• Engineered Floors: staple, glue down or float.
• Bamboo Floors: nail, glue down or float
• Laminate Floors: most laminate floors have a locking technology. No nails or glue needed.

TIP: Wide plank floors (5andquot; to 12andquot;) must be nailed and glued down. Using liquid nails, you should run horizontal lines every 6andquot; - 8andquot; then nail the boards vertically on top. This process will eliminate any future cupping of the boards. If you use a moisture barrier underlayment such as FLOOR MUFFLER , there will be no need for this process.

Can I install hardwood floors myself?

Hardwood floor installation is a skilled trade that requires talented hands to produce the best possible results. It requires extensive knowledge about many different things such as moisture content, subfloor preparation, staggering the boards, using miter saws, etc.

We recommend you use highly skilled craftsmen who install floors day in and day out. They not only do it right, they know how to avoid the headaches and hassles even the handiest of Do-It-Yourselfers can run into. However, if you believe you can do it, we are here to walk you through the process and answer any questions you may have.

Can I install hardwood over my existing floors?

It depends on the type of wood floor you choose. Solid floors must be installed over plywood. They must NOT be installed directly over another hardwood floor. For the best results, always remove the existing hardwood; you may then use your existing plywood or replace it with a new one. Installing hardwood over another will result in gapping everywhere. If your sub-floor is a wide plank pine, you should still either replace it with plywood or install plywood over it. If you do not want to go through the added cost of removing or replacing an existing floor, your best option will be a floating floor. Floating planks are attached together, not to the sub-floor making it a perfect choice for fast remodeling.

What's the best wood flooring option for radiant heating?

It depends on the type of radiant heating you have. There are two main types: Embedded: which is either in the concrete or covered with plywood. Or visible: where you can actually see the pipes on your floor. In both cases; a floating floor with underlayment certified over radiant heating is your best option. However, with so many engineered floors now certified over radiant heating, you do have many options. Please exhaust all options and consult with various installers as well as the manufacturer of the radiant system thoroughly before making a decision.

Where do I find a copy of my flooring warranty?

The majority of our manufacturers place a copy of their warranty in each box of flooring along with installation instructions. Warranties are also available in the brochures; you may download a copy from our website on the Brochures page or simply call us at 1-800-674-8088 to request a copy and we will gladly mail one out to you.

You should always call the manufacturer of your floor and register your warranty. When you purchase your floor from us, we take care of the registration for your convenience.