Business Details
About
Construction Consultant
Boston Wood Floor Supply Inc provides wood flooring, waterproof flooring, as well as flooring stains, oils, and finishing products in Dorchester and Malden, MA.
Location
Hours
Reviews
4.8
121 reviews
5 stars
103
4 stars
10
3 stars
6
2 stars1
1 star1
- SHStephen HardimanOct 19, 20255.0Absolutely Incredible service and quality of flooring can’t be beat! Steve and his Crew are always helpful and the repair shop is quick and reasonably priced !
- BPBecca PAug 28, 20255.0Just got my floors done and man they are beautiful! My floor guys (Kham Floor Sanding - Quincy) always get their hardwood from Boston Wood. I went there to look at wood. At first was considering engineered wood and they had a few selections but then I ended up opting for real hardwood (white oak). The person who showed us the wood was very helpful and knowledgeable. Stephen was very helpful as well. Two thumbs up! Also if you order too much wood, you can return any uncut stacks.
- TMTim MonacoAug 15, 20255.0Writing a review despite purchasing any product because Stephen Le went above & beyond helping educate me on how to tackle a project. My needs ultimately fell below materials they sell in larger quantities but he helped me source next steps. If/when a project comes up in my future, they're the first stop I'm making given the great user experience I had.
- KPKHS (Carpenter & Painter)Jan 14, 20255.0This is where the flooring professionals buy their materials. They have an abundance of solid oak wood flooring and that’s about it. But they have it available in both red and white oak, in 2-1/4” widths, as well as 2 larger sizes, 3-1/4” and 5” I think, but don’t quote me on those last two. They also have all the necessary installation tools and materials and the industry standard as far as finishjng products, Bona Wood Finishes.
Frequently Asked Questions About Boston Wood Floor Supply Inc
Climate Control and Moisture
Wood is extremely sensitive to climate and moisture, and should always be stored so that conditions between 60 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit and 35% to 55% relative humidity can be maintained – in other words, normal living conditions in most homes. Extreme temperature and moisture levels can destroy your flooring before it’s even installed, so climate control during storage, transportation, and installation is vitally important.
Boston Wood takes precautions to ensure our product is always stored and transported at the optimal temperature and moisture level.
There are many factors to take into consideration. One of the best things to have is a digital thermostat that reads both Temperature and Relative Humidity inside the house, ideally on each level of the house. This will help ensure that your floors will be stabilized.
Remember that hardwood loses moisture and shrinks in dry climates, and expands in humid climates. Ensure that you allow your hardwood to acclimatize to the moisture content and temperature of its new home before installing it. It is important to know what the weather is like, as New England is a four season region. This process takes at least 3 days up to two weeks, sometimes longer, so do not rush into installing a wood floor. The last thing you want is to install a new hardwood floor and have the wood shrink or expand after installation.
Remember that the acclimation process is more a matter of waiting to achieve results, rather than waiting until a certain number of days or weeks has passed. Factor the species of wood, the room temperature, relative humidity, and moisture content of both the flooring and the environment.
Two tools to help measure this process are a wood moisture meter, which can check the water content of the subfloor & wood, and a hygrometer, to check the relative humidity of the environment in which it will be installed. You should allow hardwood to acclimate in an environment with the same living conditions as its final destination.
Wood flooring is a hygroscopic material subject that expands or contracts with the amount of moisture, temperature, and humidity within the surrounding environment. Wood flooring simply needs to reach moisture content level in equilibrium with the surrounding environment (EMC) where it will be installed. The process of reaching this equilibrium is defined as acclimation.
According to the National Wood Flooring Association, the process of acclimation is as follows:
Follow manufacturers’ guidelines at all times.
Acclimation can be facilitated by breaking the floor units into small lots and/or opening the packaging. A common practice is to cross‐stack the materials with spacers (¾” to 1” sticks) between each layer of flooring to allow air circulation on all sides of all boards.
Most recommendations state that the materials need to acclimate from a minimum of 3 days up to no given maximum. While it takes time to acclimate a product, the most important aspect is that the materials reach a moisture content that is in equilibrium with its expected use. Acclimate the materials as long as necessary to accomplish this task, taking the necessary moisture readings to indicate when the materials have reached the proper moisture content and when no further changes occur.
Finally, if the installation site is in a location with very wet winters or very dry summers, for example, you may consider completing the installation during the fall or spring; aim for a time when the humidity is not too high or too low. The most important thing you can do to prepare hardwood for installation is to acclimate it properly to the normal living conditions of its new home. Even in very wet or dry climates, proper acclimation is the key to successful hardwood flooring installation.
Job Site Preparation
Job site preparation is important. The moisture at the job site will determine if your floors will stay as is, contract, or expand. It is very important to know your surroundings, take readings, and document those readings.
Understanding your surroundings is very important. Knowing what season you’re in and how much relative humidity is in the air. Knowing how far along the job you are in, especially in new constructions. Example, when was the plastering done and painting done? Where did all the moisture go into? All that excessive moisture went into the plywood, this is why it is important to take moisture readings on your sub floor and not just the hardwood or engineered flooring material itself. Taking some of these steps below will help prevent any future call backs on your job.
Take Moisture readings on your plywood (readings should be between 2% – 4% depending on width of wood), document it and take pictures of your proof.
Take moisture readings on your hardwood or engineered flooring. Readings should be between 6% – 9% in the New England region. Document and take pictures of your proof.
Measure the Relative Humidity (RH) in the air, before and after installation. Maintaining a consistent 35% – 55% RH reading in New England will help ensure your floors will be stable.
Check surrounding area for potential leaks or points of entry where water may come in, this includes exterior surroundings. A wet basement can cause problems to your 1st floor if it’s too humid. A body of water nearby can give you higher than normal RH readings.
Inform the end user. That means informing the builder or the homeowner on all of this information. Doing so can save you a lot of headache and money in the long run. The last thing you want is to go back and fixing the job, because they were not aware on how to maintain the floors.
Unfinished or Prefinished: What Should I Choose?
The options before your customers when they go to choose a new hardwood floor are overwhelming. What species, what finish, what color? But perhaps the most daunting question is whether to choose unfinished wood or prefinished flooring.
To help you guide your customers through this process, here are the benefits of each option:
Unfinished Wood Flooring
Many contractors prefer to wait until the end of the job to finish the floor. This eliminates the possibility of a dropped tool or other minor incident marring the finish of the floor during construction. This alone is often all the reason somebody needs to choose on-site finishing.
When you finish the floor after it’s installed, you have many more choices. The customer is able to choose every aspect of their floor, from the species, to the grade, to the color and texture. Only a floor that is finished on-site can give your customer a fully custom look and finish.
Unfinished floors that are sanded and finished on-site also have a slightly different look and feel than factory finish flooring. They fit more flush, as prefinished floorboards usually have bevels on the edges to hide slight discrepancies between boards. But site-sanded floors are more flush with no grooves, so they can be finished to a smooth mirror surface. Some homeowners prefer this look.
Some customers may express concern about the mess of sanding a floor in their home. But today’s sanding equipment is virtually dust-free.
Finally, unfinished flooring is generally a more affordable option than more expensive prefinished floorboards.
Prefinished Wood Flooring
For some customers, prefinished wood flooring is attractive. It’s quicker to install, since the finishing has already been done. But it can also be more expensive, and doesn’t offer all the options for customization and creativity that many clients value so highly.
Both unfinished and prefinished hardwoods have their benefits, and either choice will result in a beautiful, durable hardwood floor. Keep your clients’ needs and wants in mind when advising them on flooring options, and help them choose the path that’s right for them.
Oil-Based vs. Water-Based Polyurethane Floor Finish
When the final planks are laid and it is time to finish the floor, you might be wondering which finishing method is best for the job. While there is no shortage of old (e.g., wax and shellac) and new techniques, in this piece, we’ll focus on one of the most popular choices for wood floor finishes: Polyurethane.
Polyurethane is popular because it offers tough protection for floors at a reasonable cost and is resistant to heat, water and many acids. The two types of polyurethane finishes are oil-based and water-based, and they both offer excellent damage protection.
The most notable difference between the two types is simply the appearance of the wood after the final coat. Water-based polyurethane goes on virtually clear and will not alter the appearance of the wood to which it is applied. Oil-based polyurethane, on the other hand, will impart an amber glow to any hardwood floor. Whether you want to preserve the natural color and look of your wood floor might be the main deciding factor when choosing between the two. Below, we break down the other differences between the two finishes.
Water-Based Polyurethane
Advantages:
Dries quickly, within two hours of applications
Low odor emissions
Easy cleanup, using just water
Preserves the color of the wood (clear finish)
Disadvantages:
More expensive than oil-based
Requires multiple coats
Because of fast drying time, difficult to correct mistakes
One-dimensional look
Less tough
Oil-Based Polyurethane
Advantages:
Slower drying time allows for corrections
More tough
Requires fewer coats
Imparts an amber glow, adding depth
Less expensive than oil-based
Disadvantages:
Long wait between coats (5-12 hours drying time)
Stronger odor (though VOC amounts have been drastically reduced in recent years)
Requires mineral spirits or a paint thinner for cleanup
Will darken over time
Plain Sawn vs. Quarter Sawn vs. Rift Sawn Lumber
There are three ways that boards are typically taken out of trees at a sawmill. They are plain sawn, quarter sawn, and rift sawn.
Each type of lumber is dependent on how the log is oriented and cut at the mill. The result is a particular orientation of the annual growth rings on the end grain of a board; this is what determines the type of lumber.
Plain sawn
Most common, least expensive
At the sawmill, plain sawn lumber is cut into parallel planks through the center of the tree. Looking at the annual growth rings at the end of a plain sawn board reveals that they are arranged at less than 45 degrees or in a frown shape. The surface of the board has the famous cathedral pattern of peaks in the wood grain.
Plain sawn is the least expensive and most common lumber you will find because milling is faster and there is minimal waste involved.
There are some disadvantages as plain sawn wood does have some structural drawbacks. Due to the tangential grain, there is a higher chance of cupping and twisting especially if there is moisture present.
Quarter sawn
More expensive than plain sawn material
Quarter sawn wood is more expensive because it is more labor intensive to produce and the manufacturing process produces more waste than plain sawn lumber.
At the sawmill, each log is sawed at a radial angle into four quarters, hence the name, then each quarter is plain sawn. The annual growth rings at the end of a quarter sawn board intersect the face of the board at a 60 to 90 degree angle, making the grain pattern on the face of the board is straight. Dramatic flecking is also present in red oak and white oak.
In addition to the desirable grain pattern this type of wood is the most stable. The board won’t cup because the annual growth rings are perpendicular to the face, and it is more resistant to moisture penetration and less prone to surface checking and raised grain.
Rift Sawn
Most expensive, least common
Rift sawn boards are manufactured by milling perpendicular to the log’s growth rings producing a linear grain with no flecking. The annual growth rings are typically between 30 to 60 degrees. This is a time consuming process that produces large triangles of waste left from between each board. The result makes rift sawn lumber is costly to produce.
Rift sawn lumber is the most dimensionally stable cut of lumber available, and it is used for applications that require straight lined grain through and through. It is ideal for custom furniture makers to use for table, chairs, and other furniture legs that benefit from having all exposed sides with the same linear appearance.
Rift and Quartersawn
Most cost efficient, more common than Rift Sawn and Quartersawn
Rift and Quartsawn is a mixture of both Rift Sawn and Quartersawn boards inside a bundle of flooring. There are generally two ways mills will produce this product. One way is a mill will pull from a plainsawn run, which is generally more cost efficient. The other way is more time consuming and labor intensive in which they continuously rotate the lumber to get the desired vertical grain.
Types of Flooring
Unfinished hardwood flooring gives you the ultimate in customizing the look and feel of your floors. You can choose between naturally light-colored materials such as Maple, or the opposite – naturally dark wood such as Walnut or Ipe (Wenge). Whatever species you select, you can always manipulate the color of the material with a stain, sheen, or texture of your choice, and not only for indoor flooring. It’s also a great choice for customized outdoor spaces, from floating decks to entertaining areas. Unfinished hardwood boasts a wider range of widths than prefinished products. We also offer custom lengths (long lengths) and custom widths to order.
Prefinished Solid
Prefinished hardwood is a superb option for remodeling when you are living in your home. Installation typically requires a day to remove the existing flooring and a day to install the new hardwood flooring. After installation, there is no waiting time, so you can walk on your new floors and enjoy them immediately. Prefinished hardwood flooring has a multi-coat, thicker mill finish compared to an on-site finish. This finish is usually aluminum oxide, which resists scratches and wear patterns over time. Prefinished solid is also a fantastic choice for ceilings and accent walls and lends itself beautifully to endless ornamental flooring options, from intricate weaves and patterns to ornate inlay design styles.
Unfinished Engineered
While solid hardwood flooring has existed for centuries, engineered hardwood flooring is relatively new. It is very stable, can accommodate glue or nail installation, and is quite compatible with radiant heat systems (which are popular in cooler climates). All of Boston Wood’s unfinished engineered flooring is CARB-compliant, and offers the benefit of versatility. Once installed, unfinished engineered planks can easily be customized with stains, as well as matte, satin, or gloss finishes. Engineered flooring has new thicker wear layers and is sandable, just like traditional solid floors. Homeowners still need to monitor humidity levels to keep veneers from checking or splitting.
Prefinished Engineered
Prefinished engineered flooring has all the benefits of prefinished solid, and then some. Along with the convenience of easier, quicker installation, prefinished engineered flooring is a cost-saver the majority of the time, and promises the added advantage of higher resistance to moisture damage. It’s an ideal choice for structures with concrete slab construction such as condominiums, and can be pre-cut for precise room fit. Prefinished engineered wood can also add unique character to interior flooring for boats, private aircraft, and studio spaces.
Red Oak vs. White Oak
One of the most common and popular species of hardwood flooring is oak. Oak is known for its versatility, durability, and distinctive swirling and wavy grain. But be sure to educate your customers about the differences in Red Oak and White Oak; many do not realize there are two different species of oak available.
The most obvious difference between these species is in the color of the wood. Red oak has a pinkish tint, while white oak tends to be a bit warmer, with golden-brown tones. It is not, as might be interpreted by name alone, “white.” In fact white oak tends to be slightly darker in color than red oak.
Red oak tends to have a more distinctive grain than white oak, which is smoother. As a result red oak can be seen as having more character and is perceived as more traditional, while white oak has a more modern and rating 1360 on the Janka hardness scale while red oak is just 1290. White oak has been used for centuries in the building of boats, wagon wheels, and wine barrels because of its structural integrity and imperviousness to water.
While red oak is not as hard, it does not tend to show dents and scratches as badly as white oak because of its more “wild” grain patterns. Still, it is best for indoor applications; outdoor applications will be better served by white oak, which is harder, denser, and less porous.
Boston Wood carries many styles of both red and white oak, both solid and engineered, as well as finished and prefinished.
What are the recommended climate conditions for storing wood flooring?
Wood flooring should be stored in conditions between 60 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit and 35% to 55% relative humidity to prevent damage before installation.
How long should wood flooring acclimate before installation?
Wood flooring should acclimate for at least 3 days up to two weeks or longer until it reaches moisture equilibrium with its environment before installation.
What job site preparation steps help ensure stable wood flooring installation?
Take moisture readings of the subfloor and wood, measure relative humidity, check for leaks, and document conditions to ensure stable flooring installation.
What are the benefits of choosing unfinished wood flooring?
Unfinished wood flooring offers customization of species, color, and finish, a smoother surface, and is generally more affordable than prefinished options.
How does prefinished wood flooring compare to unfinished flooring?
Prefinished flooring is quicker to install with no waiting time after installation, has a durable factory finish but fewer customization options and can be more expensive.
What are the differences between oil-based and water-based polyurethane finishes?
Water-based polyurethane dries quickly, is low odor, and preserves wood color, while oil-based dries slower, is tougher, imparts an amber glow, and is less expensive.
What types of hardwood flooring does Boston Wood Floor Supply offer?
They offer unfinished solid and engineered hardwood, as well as prefinished solid and engineered options, suitable for various applications including indoor and outdoor use.
How can customers benefit from nearby Black LOVE art gallery before visiting Boston Wood Floor Supply?
Customers can enjoy exploring Black LOVE, an art gallery and dance club near Boston Wood Floor Supply, to experience local art and entertainment before or after their flooring visit.
What nearby amenities can help customers visiting Boston Wood Floor Supply?
Visitors can utilize services like Sparkle Dental for health needs or get relaxation at Massage for All and Angels Hair Spa located nearby Boston Wood Floor Supply.
Are there nearby parks or recreational areas customers can visit near Boston Wood Floor Supply?
Customers can visit nearby parks like Victory Road Park and McMorrow Playground for outdoor activities close to Boston Wood Floor Supply's location.