Product Information There are many different types of hardwood flooring options available depending on your flooring needs.  There are unfinished solid wood, pre-finished solid wood, and laminates.  Each type of wood has unique characteristics such as density, hardness, light sensitivity, durability, and wood grain appearance. All of these characteristics come into play when a homeowner decides what type of hardwood flooring would best suit his or her home.  Unfinished Hardwood products after installation but before sanding, staining, and finishing. Unfinished Solid Wood: GSHF deals with many distributors that carry a wide variety of unfinished solid wood flooring products.  Unfinished solid wood products are products that must be sanded and have stain and/or a finish applied after installation. Unfinished products provide the highest quality of hardwood flooring for your project due to the durability of the finish and uniformity of appearance.    Unfinished products can also have longer longevity   Many customers  remark that unfinished products provide a much more authentic hardwood appeal. Unfinished Solid Wood products are available in: Red Oak       White Oak     Exotics (Brazilian Cherry)   Hickory         Tigerwood      Walnut   Ash               Locust                    Maple               Selections of Pine        Australian Red Iron Bark       Purple Heart   Pre-finished hardwood products available in a choice of colors and finish Pre-finished  Flooring:  GSHF deals with many distributors that carry wide variety of pre-finished flooring selections.  Pre-finished flooring is a completely finished flooring product that requires installation only.  Pre-finished products fall into three categories:  nail down, glue down, and floating floors (snap together).  Some products are a better fit than others depending on the type of surface area your installation calls for.  Please consult your salesperson about your specific installation to aid in making the best decision.  Many customers ask what factors should be considered when choosing between unfinished solid wood products and pre-finished solid wood products.  The answer really depends on your personal preferences, the amount of time you are able to dedicate to the overall project time, and your household's tolerance to temporary airborne wood dust and finish vapors.  It is important to keep in mind that pre-finished floors eliminate the need to sand, stain, and apply finishes to the wood thereby eliminating airborne exposure to wood dust and lingering stain vapors often experienced with install, sand, and finish projects. In addtion, the installation of a pre-finished floor is less labor intensive and can be completed in a shorter period of time thereby reducing homeowner inconvenience often experienced during multi-step install, sand and finish project. Pre-finished Solid Wood Flooring is available in: Bruce                Century Flooring                    Pollmeir Floors       Robbin Sykes **many other brands are available** Laminates: GSHF deals with many disributors that offer a wide variety of laminate flooring products.  A laminate flooring product is an assembled product made by bonding layers of vaneers or lumber with an adhesive.  Laminate floorings are ideal for use in below-grade installations in areas such as basements or over concrete slabs. Please consult your salesperson to determine which laminate installation would best suit your project. Laminate products are available in: Bruce              Trout River        Kahrs        Armstrong       BR-111