My most asked question on Instagram is "Where are your hardwood floors from?", so I thought I would dedicate a blog post to our hardwood flooring, and give them a permanent place in my little corner of the Internet.
So let’s chat hardwood!
The Hardwood Coles Notes
Brand: PurParket
Type: Engineered Hardwood
Colour: Crema
Store: Value Wood Floors
Install: Quality Sterling Group
The Nitty Gritty
Selecting hardwood is tough. Not only are there millions of different options, it's quite the investment and whatever you pick is not only permanent, but it sets the tone for your entire home. You also have to make a decision based on a tiny square sample... no pressure!
If you're currently selecting hardwood flooring, take your time and don't rush the process. Also, make sure you take a sample home with you and try it in different parts of your home to see how it looks in different lighting. The floor you may have loved at the store, could look completely different at home.
Our floors are an engineered, wide plank, white oak hardwood - yes, engineered hardwood is real hardwood. Our floors are pre-finished, versus floors, that are installed and then stained and finished on the worksite.
Pros of Engineered Flooring
- Durable
- Easier and cleaner to install
- Less maintenance.
Cons of Engineered Flooring
- More difficult to refinish, if you ever choose to do so
- Harder to repair if needed
- Could also be difficult to color match with your staircase
Our hardwood floor has a white grain running through it, which I love! This look cannot be achieved with a traditional hardwood floor, which is one of the reasons we selected engineered flooring. Our painter did a fantastic job matching the stairs to our floor, however if you look closely (and I mean VERY closely), it isn't a "perfect" match.
Initially I couldn't decide between PurParket Crema, and PurParket Cinder, which Jillian Harris has in her home. They're both similar, however ours is a touch lighter, due to the white grain finish. Although I love all things Jilly, I'm SO happy with our selection.
I didn't edit the photo below, so you could see the colour comparison as best as possible.
Why PurParket?
We went to a few different stores while floor shopping, however once I came across PurParket's collection at Value Wood Floors I was sold. I was attracted to the wide planks, as well as the knots throughout the flooring. They're also made right here in Toronto, they're VOC (Volatile Organic Compound) free, which means that they are safe and healthy, and they're finished with a UV oil for added protection.
So far, they've proven to be very durable. They've survived a construction site, and they handle daily toddler toys and baby dinnerware throws like a champ. They also legitimately NEVER look dirty, which is a dream. Even when we had layers of construction dust in the house, they looked great.
The Not So Great News
I hate to do this to you, but we purchased the very last batch of PurParket Crema (sorry!). The good news is that PurParket just launched a new colour, Quartz. I haven’t seen it myself, but it’s apparently very similar to ours. If you’re local, you can check it out it at Value Wood Floors in Etobicoke. Speak to Gordon (416 247 5110), he was very helpful when we were selecting our flooring.
Alternatively, Quality Sterling Group is able to customize flooring to match ours. They did our install, and I'm so impressed with the speed and quality of their work. I can't recommend them enough! Contact Joe (416 550 4712), he was wonderful to work with.
Lastly, I highly recommend purchasing custom vent covers made from your hardwood so that the flooring flows right through your home without any visual distractions.
Although this isn't the happiest ending to our hardwood story, I hope you found this helpful! I didn't want to get into too many technical details, and I'm also no expert, but if you have any questions, please leave them below. I get beyond excited that you’re using my home as your inspo. It’s truly very flattering.
XO
Caroline
*** This post is not sponsored. As always, all opinions are based on my personal experiences.
