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Design and Performance
High-style goes high-performance.
Hand-selected and expertly crafted, each plank is a multi-tasking work of art. It's hardwood that's engineered with the texture, finish and core materials to enhance your space while performing to its fullest. 100% natural. 100% original. Thoroughly reliable.
Style
Attention to detail. Craftsmanship. Our commercial engineered hardwood products are focused on design aspects that make each product truly unique. In a 2008 survey of flooring retailers through Floor Focus magazine, Shaw brands ranked number one and two in the industry for hardwood design. Let our design expertise transform your environment.
No two trees are exactly alike, whatever the age, size or species. Different lifecycles, different growth rings, each one is a true original. Our hardwood flooring is like that, too. With grain variation ranging from Clear to Rustic, the effects of nature are evident across every installation.
Hardwood products are available in a variety of widths for numerous design options – 3-1/4”, 4-1/2”, 5”, and 6-1/4”.
Exotic Hickory and Exotic Birch products employ PERMACOLOR™ technology, which naturally darkens domestic hardwood species, giving the wood the appearance of an exotic. By using PERMACOLOR to safely modify the appearance of domestic wood, we can ensure that the wood was properly harvested.
Finish
The finish applied to a wood product is what provides the most wear and scratch resistance. Shaw uses a commercial grade finish with added aluminum oxide for a performance hardwood specifically designed to withstand commercial traffic.
- The type and thickness of the finish directly impacts scratch resistance.
- Shaw Contract Group hardwood is optimized to sustain everyday wear and resists scuffs up to six times better than other hardwood brands.
- Sanding and refinishing the aluminum oxide coating is not desirable for engineered products. The replacement finish will be much weaker than the original. It is best to do a chemical abrade and recoat. For examples of a recoat adhesion system, please visit the following links:
Core
Denting is mostly related to the species of wood used and the physical construction of the product. Hardness ratings are used to designate dent resistance, though no wood is immune to denting. Shaw Contract Group’s hardwood line contains two constructions, each featuring a core that adds superior hardness: 1/2" engineered with Premium Hardwood Core, or 3/8” Engineered with EviroCore™.
- Our engineered products are harder than solid woods, providing greater resistance to damage. For instance, Shaw engineered oak is 40 percent harder than solid oak products.
- The hardness of inner layers of engineered products is important and plays a part in a product’s wear in high traffic areas. Shaw uses only oak or harder species to construct all three core layers in our 1/2" hardwoods.
- Shaw’s EnviroCore is an ultra high density fiberboard that adds strength and stability to each plank.
Texture
Our textured flooring is as refined as it is practical, adding character while camouflaging dents and dings. But the real beauty lies in the craftsmanship. Varying degrees of texture include smooth, distressed, hand-scraped and wire brushing. And every bit of handscraping is done by hand, not machine, making each plank one-of-a-kind.
Texture and detail are achieved by hand-crafting each plank, providing individual character to every product. Texture creates visual interest and also serves to camouflage scratches and dents that occur as the floor wears.
Available textures:
– Smooth
– Distressed/Aged
– Wirebrushed
– Handscraped Walnut
– Handscraped Hickory
Consider these factors when specifying Shaw engineered hardwood products:
- For high traffic areas and the lowest maintenance hardwood floor, medium toned, highly textured products with rustic character will look the best over time.
- Hickories and oaks have good graining for camouflaging.
- Medium tones or multi-tonal colors help to decrease visibility of imperfections.
- Gloss levels in the low-medium range provide the best performance.
Recommended for low traffic commercial installations:
Products very light in color, high gloss, and/or free of grain or texture
- • 3-1/4” Maple, 5” Maple or City Maple Alabaster and Sable
Recommended for low or medium traffic commercial installations:
Medium color, some grain, less texture
| • Wirebrushed White Oak, Modern Hickory | • Softscraped Maple |
| • Classic Hickory | • Natural Walnut |
| • Exotic Birch | • Modern Birch |
| • Handscraped Walnut | • Distressed Maple |
| • Distressed Walnut | • 5” Oak |
| • City Maple Graphite |
Recommended for low, medium or high traffic commercial installations:
Low gloss, distressed or rustic character, obvious grain variation, medium colors
- • Distressed Oak
- • Handscraped Hickory
- • Exotic Hickory
