Trouble finding 3/4 x 1 1/2" Red oak flooring

10 years ago

As part of an addition to my 1940s home in South Florida, I need approx. 800 sq ft of unfinished 3/4" x 1 1/2" solid red oak SELECT quality T&G to sand and finish on site. The existing house has beautiful floors I would like to continue. The problem is no one seems to have it. I can get the 1 1/2" in #1 or Common but not Select. Or I can get Select starting at 2 1/4" width. I am trying to avoid special milling delays and the expense as the prices are double for the 1 1/2" Select and 8-10 weeks to mill. Yikes!!!

Three very reputable contractors have told me not too worry, the #1 flooring is 90% clear and if we order extra they can pick and choose and use the darker pieces in little used areas such as closets or along walls where cabinetry will be built in order to keep it in the margins. They tell me it will be fine but I wonder. There's a reason some wood is select and some is #1 or Common. Are they just trying to sell me?

I can't afford the $$$ of the special order so I will have to go with the 2 1/4" Select if their advice is not good. I really wanted to keep the flow of the original floors throughout the house as seamless as possible but the reality of my budget is unavoidable.

What would you all do? The wider select and or the narrower in #1 quality?

Help please.

Comments (6)

MiaOKC
10 years ago
Hi Gracy - I am no expert, but we plan to order our flooring from Hurst Hardwoods in Florida, and I looked on their website and it looks like they have to kind of wood you are looking for - you might check them out.

Here is a link that might be useful: Select T&G red
gregmills_gw
10 years ago
While your contractors idea of picking and choosing certains pieces will work but be prepared to order extra wood in order to get enough "clean" pieces.

Where abouts are you trying to find this wood? 1.5" clear or select red oak is out there. Im out in the midwest and have absolutely no problem finding it. You may be in a weird spot where its not widely used but any distributor shouldnt have an issue ordering it. May take a few weeks for delivery but its out there.
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lazy_gardens
10 years ago
http://www.flooring.org/1-12-Red-Oak-Strip-Flooring

They have several to pick from

http://www.flooring.org/34-x-1-12-Select-Better-Red-Oak-Unfinished-Flooring
gracy101
Original Author
10 years ago
MiaOKC - thanks for the tip. I will call tomorrow and check it out

LazyGardens - likewise thanks for the lead, I will check it out too.

Im so excited...hopefully they'll pan out.

Gregmills - I'm in the Miami/Ft. Lauderdale area and I guess it IS a matter of geography because Ive run up against brick walls trying to get it. Down here everyone is going with the pre-stained or engineered floors, based on what the sales people/contractors tell me. It may be due to humidity concerns. I'm not worried though. As I mentioned in my original post, my house is from the 1940s. The original part sits on joists, a master bedroom addition from the 80s sits on concrete slab. Both have the hardwood and the floors are in awesome shape, no warping of any kind. I'm confident, with a properly installed subfloor, mine will be fine too. Ive tried to make sure my addition did not look like one so I desperately wanted to keep the floors consistent. .

Thank you all for the leads. If anyone reading has more suggestions, I'll take 'em.
klrgarden
9 years ago
Wonder if you ever found your flooring? we are desperately trying to fix a patch of this floor in our 1950's home. NO ONE will talk to us about buying 5 pieces, 3 feet long.

If you found this, can you give any info?

or if you bought this, do you have 5 pieces,3 feet long you would like to sell! seriously.
Thanks, Karen
User
9 years ago
kirgarden, buy 5 pieces of 3' long 2-1/4" Oak, rip it to 1-1/2" wide and either rout or regroove with a dado blade. The wood is readily available.

Another alternative would be to find a supplier of the 2-1/4" to see if their supplier has 1-1/2" and ask them to have a bundle shipped along with their next large order.