Style

Attention to detail. Craftsmanship. Our commercial engineered hardwood products are focused on design aspects that make each product truly unique. Shaw brands are continuously ranked at the top of the industry for hardwood design. Let our design expertise transform your environment.

Character

Since all natural materials will vary, small samples may not accurately represent all color and grain variation foundin the product. We hand selected each plank in our installed images to better convey the full spectrum. Please visit the specification page for each product to ensure the wood meets expectations.

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:
  • Bona X Prep
  • TyKote Dustless Refinishing System

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" or 3/8" 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 5 ply 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 distressing. Adding texture and character helps camouflage wear and tear—preserving the life of the floor.

Texture and detail are achieved by hand-crafting or machining each plank, providing individual character to every product.

Available textures:
  – Smooth
  – Distressed
  – Handscraped
  – Contoured
  – Cross Textured
  – Painted

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

Recommended for low, medium or high traffic commercial installations:
Low gloss, distressed or rustic character, obvious grain variation, medium colors

• • Download Chart

Easy on the eyes. Easy to install.

Our high-performance engineered hardwood has flexible installation options—allowing for nailing, gluing or floating installation. All commercial hardwood products can be installed on, above or below grade level.

EnviroCore Engineered Flooring Installation Guidelines

Veneer Core Hardwood Flooring Installation Guidelines

Download Hardwood Floor Care PDF