Distressed Rift & Quartered White Oak Installation, Westlake

The Challenge

The homeowners wanted a floor with genuine character. Not a stain and a topcoat. Something that looked like it belonged in the house and had texture you could feel, not just see. Every room had a different existing floor: carpet in the living areas, vinyl over luan in the kitchen, and original 2.25" red oak in the foyer. All of it had to come out before a single new board went down. The floor also needed to perform at 5" width over a wood subfloor, which means the moisture and movement variables are amplified compared to a narrower plank.

What We Did

We demoed everything down to the subfloor and applied a roll-on moisture barrier across the entire field before installation began. The 5" rift and quartered white oak went down with a combination of nail and glue assist. Nail and glue together on a wide plank at this width eliminates the micro-movement that causes squeaks and edge-lift over time. Once the floor was down and acclimated, the character work began. The Bona PowerDrive with a wire brush head worked the surface to open the grain and pull texture out of every board. Each plank then received hand-scraped custom bevels. Additional distressing followed with various tools to further add to the character. Water popping before finish opened the grain one more time. The finish is a custom blend of hardwax oil products, applied to give the floor a buttery matte surface that feels as good as it looks. No plastic sheen. No build-up. Just the wood.