The November 2023 issue of National Hardwood Magazine features stories on GLW, Landmark Lumber Group, the HMA Regional Meeting and much more!
NWFA REVIEW Textured
NWFA REVIEW Textured wood floors have been popular for several decades, and with good reason. Texturing wood achieves an aged look that often helps to hide minor scratches and dents. In some areas of the country, making wood floors look old is a lucrative skill to offer customers. Here are three popular texturing techniques. TEXTURED WOOD FLOORS •Once shaped, the blade must be hooked. The hook is formed using a smooth steel rod that is harder than the blade, and forcefully burnishing against the cutting edge of the blade at about a 90° angle. •Once a blade is shaped and hooked, it must be sharpened using a mill/bastard file. INNOVATIVE DRYING SOLUTIONS Hand Scraping Before sanding equipment was invented, wood floors were installed and scraped by hand. Scraping wood floors is a labor-intensive process that requires skill and artistry. Many factory-finished manufacturers use machinery to replicate the look of a hand-scraped floor, but scraping wood flooring by hand creates a one-of-akind floor. Here are the common tools and techniques used to hand-scrape wood floors: Blades •Scraper blades are made using heavy-duty tempered metal. •Blade shape dictates texture. Flat blades produce flat, smooth surfaces; curved blades produce gouges. •Sculpted scraper blades can be shaped on a grinder. Mill/Bastard Files •Pitch, pressure, and angle dictate how the blade is sharpened and how it cuts. •Mill files are the most-common shape; they are rectangular in cross-section and taper slightly in width and thickness from tang to end. They are single-cut, meaning they have one set of teeth running parallel to each other. •When the blade crosses a nail, it creates a burr in the blade which must be removed immediately to avoid leaving unsightly lines. •If the blade begins sliding against the surface, it must be sharpened. Handles •Scraper handles can be made using many materials. Wood and metal are most-common. Please turn to page 55 BY BRETT MILLER, VICE PRESIDENT OF TECHNICAL STANDARDS, TRAINING & CERTIFICATION, NATIONAL WOOD FLOORING ASSOCIATION, CHESTERFIELD, MO 800-422-4556 WWW.NWFA.ORG 14 NOVEMBER 2023 n NATIONAL HARDWOOD MAGAZINE RealAmericanHardwood.com/industry Turn-Key Installations Kiln Optimization Equipment Industry Leading Controls RealAmericanHardwood.com/industry Learn More 12 Stevens Road Brewer, ME 04412 (800) 777-6953 kilnsales@nyle.com www.nyle.com NOVEMBER 2023 n NATIONAL HARDWOOD MAGAZINE 15
