WFB asked followers on Facebook and Instagram what wood flooring thing will they never do again. Here’s what’s on their anti-bucket lists:
William Burnam
Do any jobs for less than a 50% GPM. I love my family and team members too much for that.
Michael R Leonzal
Travel sand. It’s for young single men and old divorced guys.
Joshua Crossman
Coat a prefinished floor with water-based finish without using a bonding agent.
Chuck Kutchera
Use a manual nailer again. I started working for a company 23 years ago and told them I’ve got a compressor and I’ll buy an air gun. He said they don’t use air tools as they lay the floor too tight. It was about 8–10 years later they allowed us to use them.
Steve Albert
I'll never again let a designer convince me his painter is "meticulous, so you can do the final coat after the painter finishes.”
Floors by the Shore
Not self-level a concrete slab before we install hardwood on it.
Ron Teljeur
Wood conditioner. Many years ago a customer convinced us to use it to even out stain color on southern yellow pine. The conditioner took the stain twice on the overlaps where we ragged on and off. Racing stripes are not a good look on a floor.
Thomas Lane
Going against my gut. If I think something isn't quite right, address it and fix it right then instead of when the job is done. A couple hours now will save you a couple days later.
Reimagine Millworks
Let a contractor pressure me into installing wood flooring before the climate control is running properly in the home. Then blaming me for the problems created.
Johnny Rodriguez
Sign up for wood flooring. 😅"Anyone have the number too that truck driving school?" My good ole boss would always say that. 😎
Brandon Myles Krause
White pigmented sealer.
Joe J Hudson
Not create a change order for even the smallest things like adding putty to a floor. Obviously, a contract. Delete any text or correspondence regarding the above. Along with signing the contract have them sign the lien waiver at the end of the job.
Low Country Flooring
I will never let a billionaire and their decorator pressure me into doing something we know isn't right.
Jim Hyde
Mix stain into oil polyurethane. The only time I did it was when I had to match what the hack before me did.
Andrew Ogden
Discount for a friend.
Matt Garcia
I will never tampico brush after water-popping again.
Jason Duron
Hire a neighbor. It gets awkward.
Brad Quarless
Mind the clients kids while sanding a floor. 😂
Will Dennis
Use/follow a finish process that a flooring manufacturer recommends to the architect or owner.
Scott Couchenour
Moisture cure with a brush and no mask.
Jim Hyde
Another one: apply stain on my hands and knees. Buff it, baby!
William Burnam
Work for any builders that supply the flooring themselves.
Hardwood Floors Rich
Placing stain rags without water in a dust garbage bag!
Brian
Oil urethane sealer and waterborne top coats.
Plankd Flooring
Fake wood installs.
Traditional Floors
Use imperial measurements.
Keith McNamara
I'll never use amber shellac on a whole floor. It's great to match age on thresholds and woodwork, but almost impossible on an entire floor.
Jake Hilbert
Glue-down tear outs.
Josh Feck
Moisture cure, final sanding with buffer without dust containment, and roofing felt for underlayment.
Kongelige Gulv
Coat a badly factory-finished floor with an additional layer of hardwax oil before doing a test patch first. Had an incident where the new oil did not adhere well to the floor … Had to learn this the hard way.
Zeni Danaj
Not let customers' unrealistic wants go above my knowledge.
Heartwood Custom Flooring
Work for somebody else. There's a lot of greedy and manipulative people out there. 😅
