White Oak Flooring in Cary, NC
We fit white oak floors, solid or engineered, in homes across Cary, North Carolina.
- Quotes in writing
- 10 areas covered
Cary Hardwood Flooring fits white oak floors in homes across Cary. We check the floor underneath, measure each room and fit the boards to it.
What white oak is like
The U.S. Forest Service's species review of white oak says the wood is heavy, hard, strong and durable. It names flooring among the main things white oak wood is used for, along with furniture, veneer and paneling.
The same review says that when oak wood is properly dried, it glues well, machines very well and takes a variety of finishes. It also says white oak is now the major source of wood for whiskey barrels.
White oak or red oak
The Forest Products Laboratory's Wood Handbook says oak flooring is sorted into red oak and white oak. We bring boards of both to your house, so you can hold them side by side in your own light before you choose.
How the log was cut
When we talk about plainsawn and quartersawn boards, we mean two ways a mill cuts a log into boards, and each cut leaves a different grain pattern on top of the board.
The handbook says quartersawn flooring shrinks and swells less than plainsawn flooring and wears more evenly, and the seams between its boards are less likely to open. It also says many people prefer the silver, flaked grain of quartersawn boards to the look of plainsawn ones.
Solid or engineered white oak
We fit white oak as solid hardwood flooring, one piece of wood top to bottom, and as engineered hardwood flooring.
A U.S. Forest Service Forest Products Laboratory study says engineered wood flooring is made of several sheets of solid wood, called veneer, bonded together with glue under heat, pressure or both. On the engineered white oak we fit, the top sheet you walk on is white oak.
Moisture in a Cary house
The Forest Products Laboratory says wood takes on moisture from its surroundings, and that the moisture left in wood tends to come to balance with the humidity of the air around it.
So we check the moisture in the new boards and in the floor under them before we start. We also leave a small gap at every wall, hidden under the trim, so the boards have room to move.
What changes the price
We price white oak flooring for your house once we've measured, and you get that quote in writing.
We set our price by the size of the rooms, how many doorways and corners we cut around, and whether you pick solid or engineered boards. We also count in the grade, the cut and the board width, plus taking up an old floor, repairs to the floor underneath, and sanding and finishing in your house if the boards come unfinished.
What to get in writing
Ask for these in writing, whoever you hire:
- That the boards are white oak, not red oak, and whether they are solid or engineered.
- The grade, the cut (plainsawn or quartersawn), the board width and the thickness.
- How the moisture of the boards and the floor below will be checked.
- The stain and finish by name and the number of coats, if the floor is finished in your house.
- Whether moving furniture, taking up the old floor and hauling it away are in the price.
Questions about white oak flooring in Cary
Do I need a permit for a white oak floor in Cary?
Usually not. The Town of Cary lists replacing floor and wall coverings among the jobs that don't need a building permit. If you are unsure, the town says to call its Inspections and Permits Department on 311 inside town limits or (919) 469-4000.
What grades does white oak come in?
The Wood Handbook says flooring grades are set by how the face of the board looks. It lists four main grades for oak: Clear, Select, No. 1 Common and No. 2 Common. We bring samples of the grades you're thinking about.
How thick are white oak floor boards?
The handbook lists 3/4, 1/2 and 3/8 inch as standard thicknesses for tongue-and-groove flooring under the rules of the National Oak Flooring Manufacturers Association. The boards we fit have a tongue along one edge that slides into a groove on the next board, so the rows lock together. For wider boards, see our wide plank flooring page.
Can you stain white oak?
Yes, we can stain white oak, or leave it natural under a clear finish. We try the stain on a spare board first, so you see the color before it goes on the floor. More on that is on our hardwood floor staining page.
What about the smell when you finish the floor in the house?
The EPA says varnishes contain organic solvents that can release chemicals into the air while they are used. Its advice is to make sure you have plenty of fresh air when using these products, and to keep them out of reach of children and pets.
What about sanding dust?
OSHA, the federal workplace safety agency, says wood dust becomes a possible health problem when sanding and cutting put wood particles into the air. So we close off the room we're working in and keep our saw as far from the rest of the house as we can.
What happens to the leftover finish?
The Town of Cary says household hazardous waste should not go out with your ordinary trash, and it lists turpentine and other flammable materials among those wastes. We take our own leftover finish, thinners and used rags away with us when the job is done.
Which towns do you cover?
We fit white oak floors across Cary, plus Morrisville, Apex, Holly Springs and the other towns we list on this page.
Get a quote for white oak flooring
Call us, or send the quote form with your ZIP code and the rooms you want done. We'll measure, go through grade, cut and finish options with you, and give you a written quote. To see the other flooring work we do, go to the Cary Hardwood Flooring home page.
Ready to talk about your hardwood flooring job?
Call us or send the quote form with your ZIP code and what you need. We will get back to you with a written quote.