FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Q. Why does my wood floor change color?

A.Wood is a natural and living material that reacts to ambient light.  The color change that takes place is not a product defect.  A comparison using an adhesive bandage to limit exposure to one side of the wood while exposing the other to light will help you understand the color change phenomenon that occurs.  

A good example to help understand this phenomenon is your skin. Please view the pictures as below:

Upon exposure to sunlight, your skin will become tanned.  If you conceal a part of your skin with a bandage, that part of your skin will not tan.However, once you remove the bandage, the newly exposed skin will gradually tan and become the color of the exposed skin

This reaction is similar to a situation when a rug or furniture is placed over a hardwood floor and then removed.  There is no need to be alarmed or worried about this situation. It is only a matter of time before the unexposed, lighter color part of the wood floor take on the same color as the rest of the exposed floor.

Q.In the harvesting process of exotic woods, how does Johnson Premium Hardwood Flooring protect the forest and environment?

A.  In Paraguay, home of our Johnson Hardwood mills, we abide by the stringent local forest management rules, planting three trees for every one that is harvested.

At least 30% of the logs harvested by Johnson for our hardwood floors are from trees that have already died due to a variety of natural causes that have been involved, most commonly due to age or storm damage. 

Another large portion of our harvested trees are over 100 years old and harvested to keep the forest healthy since aged trees release less oxygen and block sunlight essential for the healthy growth of younger trees.

All trees in our forest farm are carefully documented and tagged with three labels categorized by three colors as follows:

Red Trees that are either mother trees reproducing young plants or they provide habitat for animals and are therefore forbidden to be harvested.

Blue Trees that are under a five-year observation period to determine whether and when they are appropriate for harvesting.

WhiteTrees that may be cut following formal Paraguayan government approval and payment of a set fee.

Johnson Premium Hardwood Flooring makes a conscious effort in protecting the environment by adopting ?green consciousness? as a part of our hardwood flooring production.  Exotic wood lovers who also love the earth can rest easy and enjoy their investment. Johnson Premium Hardwood Flooring makes a conscious effort in protecting the environment by adopting ?green consciousness? as a part of our hardwood flooring production.  Exotic wood lovers who also love the earth can rest easy and enjoy their investment.(return to top)

Q. What is the difference between Johnson solid hardwood flooring and Johnson engineered hardwood flooring?

A. Johnson Solid flooring can be installed on the main floor or any upper level floors. However, it is not recommended on below grade levels because it requires a stable, relative humidity environment.. It can be nailed or stapled down and therefore requires a plywood subfloor. 

Johnson Engineered flooring is composed of a top layer of hardwood veneer and laminated to a stable core. Johnson Engineered flooring is more stable to changes in relative humidity and can be installed in places that are not recommended for solid flooring, such as in basements.  Johnson Engineered hardwood flooring can also be nailed or stapled down on a wood subfloor with the extra advantage of being glued down directly over concrete. 

If you live in an area that is subject to humidity fluctuations, we recommend Johnson Engineered flooring for your flooring needs.

Q. What is the difference between laminate and wood flooring?

A. Laminate flooring consist of a thin film of wood imitation glued over a panel composed of high-density compressed wood particles (fibers).  The result is a floor that, despite looking like wood, cannot be sanded, and therefore limits its longevity. 

Hardwood flooring consists of a hardwood wear layer, whether it is solid or engineered.  This results in a natural-looking floor, with a real hardwood surface that can be sanded, stained and varnished several times and that may be adjusted to your changing taste or d”Ñr overtime.  Its longevity is virtually unlimited if it is properly maintained.(return to top)

Q.  What type of adhesive can I use for my Johnson Engineered flooring?

A. To install Johnson Engineered flooring, we recommend the following adhesives:

• Bostik Best, Bostik EFA or moisture-cured BST
• Franklin 811 or Franklin 811 plus
• For other adhesives, contact a Johnson dealer in your area for a recommendation.

(return to top)

Q. What is the best way to clean and maintain my hardwood floor?

A.

• Vacuum or sweep the floor regularly, especially prior to using cleaning products to remove all traces of dust and abrasive element. 
• Spray a cleaner specified for wood floor care directly onto the floor or on a terry cloth mop before wiping the surface.
• Wipe the floor, lengthwise over the floor strips with a back-and-forth motion.  Finish one section before starting another.

For more information, please visit the Johnson maintenance section.  (return to top)

Q. Can I wax my hardwood floor?

A. We do not recommend the use of wax on any of our prefinished hardwood floors.  Once a prefinished floor has been waxed, it must always be treated as a floor having a waxed finish ? having to be waxed frequently.  In the future, if you decide to refinish the floor, the wax may hinder the absorption of the varnish.  Wax can also make a floor very slippery and dull it?s appearance.

Q.  Which directional strip layout should I choose?

A. Generally speaking, strips are laid lengthwise in a residence (perpendicular to the floor joists).  By simply changing the direction of the strip layout, various visual effects can be achieved.

For example, a strip installed diagonally in a long and narrow room will visually enlarge the space

You can orient strips into light or in the direction of the door since in the opposite direction, the appearance of the joints will be enhanced.

Or you can combine several different strip layouts within the same room by bordering with inserts. 

Q. Which strip width should I choose when it comes to my floor?

A. The narrower strips subdue the pattern created by the natural markings of the wood, making the room seem larger, whereas wider strips highlight them, there fore creating a smaller room effect.

However, if the floor is installed in a room subject to extreme fluctuations in humidity, it is beneficial to use narrower strips.  The natural movement of the wood will be spread over a great number of joints  (return to top)

Q. How can I replace a damaged Johnson strip?

A. 

• Select the replacement strip that most closely matches the floor.
• Use a wood chisel, remove the tongue of the replacement strip.
• Next, remove the center section of the damaged strip using a wood chisel and carefully remove the tongues without damaging the surrounding strips.
• Thoroughly clean the floor and subfloor.
• Cut the replacement strip to the required length by cutting from the tongue end of the strip.
• Remove the bottom part of the groove, both on the side and the end of the replacement strip.
• Insert the replacement strip, check it for fit and then remove it.
• The micro-V joint can be reshaped using sandpaper, a touch of stain and finish.
• Finally, apply glue directly onto the subfloor and glue the replacement strip in place.

Note: It is important to save several replacement strips after the initial installation. (return to top)