• Home
  • about emily
  • before + after
  • HGTV + DIY Network
  • good press
  • contact
  • Let’s Organize These Posts:

    • Art Attack
    • Backyard
    • Barn
    • Basement
    • Bathroom
    • Beach
    • Bedrooms
    • Being Thrifty
    • Business-y
    • Buying and Renting and Selling
    • Casual Celebrations
    • Closets
    • Curb Appeal
    • Dainty Details
    • Deck
    • Decor
    • Dining Room
    • DIY
    • Dog-Related
    • Entryway
    • Flooring
    • For the Kids
    • Garage
    • Gardening
    • Helping The Economy
    • HGTV + DIY Network Projects
    • Holiday-Related Projects
    • Home Safety
    • Kitchen
    • Lighting
    • Living Room
    • Merry Travels
    • Office Space
    • Organized
    • Other Pads
    • Outdoor Living
    • Scooter Fun
    • Stairwell
    • Sunroom
    • Supporting Sponsors
    • The Art Room
    • Tools
    • Uncategorizable
    • Wedding
    • Windows
    • Work-pads
  • Search

  • Hi, I’m Emily

    Emily Fazio

    I'm a home improvement enthusiast, living a very merry DIY lifestyle.

    You can find me writing for HGTV and DIY Network, follow me on facebook and instagram, or drop me a note if you'd like. I love notes.

    Thanks for visiting!

  • BROWSE POSTS BY CATEGORY:

    • Art Attack (7)
    • Backyard (92)
    • Barn (8)
    • Basement (27)
    • Bathroom (43)
    • Beach (13)
    • Bedrooms (73)
    • Being Thrifty (53)
    • Business-y (12)
    • Buying and Renting and Selling (23)
    • Casual Celebrations (36)
    • Closets (17)
    • Curb Appeal (44)
    • Dainty Details (8)
    • Deck (23)
    • Decor (286)
    • Dining Room (37)
    • DIY (577)
    • Dog-Related (24)
    • Entryway (59)
    • Flooring (58)
    • For the Kids (32)
    • Garage (17)
    • Gardening (70)
    • Helping The Economy (30)
    • HGTV + DIY Network Projects (283)
    • Holiday-Related Projects (80)
    • Home Safety (12)
    • Kitchen (84)
    • Lighting (31)
    • Living Room (77)
    • Merry Travels (21)
    • Office Space (21)
    • Organized (41)
    • Other Pads (14)
    • Outdoor Living (12)
    • Scooter Fun (8)
    • Stairwell (20)
    • Sunroom (22)
    • Supporting Sponsors (43)
    • The Art Room (3)
    • Tools (43)
    • Uncategorizable (1)
    • Wedding (28)
    • Windows (14)
    • Work-pads (10)
  • Search

  • Pages

    • blog
    • Good Press: Special Features, Freelance Projects, and Long-Term Clients
    • Privacy Policy
    • about emily
    • before + after
      • before + after – transforming my first home
      • before + after, our current home
    • contact me
    • choose a badge and share the merrypad.com love
  • Home
  • about emily
  • before + after
  • HGTV + DIY Network
  • good press
  • contact

All Oddballs In

October 23, 2013

Deciding between “natural” and “select” maple flooring was the biggest point of contention when we were patiently pricing out hardwoods over the summer.

Briefly stated, the differences between the two qualities are based on alleged coloring, with “select” being considered more “premium” with a more consistent light wood coloring, fewer visible wood grains, fewer knots. Natural is more so just that, natural, with some variation in tone, a few knots, and a product that looked more overall like “second rate,” one might say.

But quite honestly, the installed flooring samples in Lumber Liquidators didn’t look that different when I compared natural and select side-by-side, and customers’ real-life photos all around the internet didn’t seem to vary much either. Both products consistently looked good to us when installed in mass, both reflected light beautifully as we hoped for in our own home, and as much as I wanted the guarantee that all of our hardwoods were going to be consistent in color, in the end, I didn’t believe that I could have a 100% perfect order even if I did pay more for “select.” The pricing (made even better with the pro discount we received because we asked) varied greatly between the two, and having gone with “natural” over “select” we saved thousands of dollars (that’s a lot of mochas). It’s hard to gamble that much money on a “select” product we weren’t 100% certain would be 100% what we expected.

Pricing aside, the other factor that heavily contributed to our decision to go “natural” was the fact that we were going to be buying 5″ wide boards, the widest of the solid Bellawood options. The sheer fact that the boards were sawn wider left us with a smaller chance of many of our boards being startlingly discolored, and more of a chance of having a spot here and there. That, coupled with the real life photos I scoured that, as I mentioned, didn’t look bad at all, we took a risk, and we’re pretty happy/relieved with the coloring of the product so far. Of course, it isn’t 100% consistent, but as I’ve been racking them out on a large scale, we’ve been pleased at how many of the boards do look really great.

All that said, not all of our maple boards are pretty blonde bombshells though, and those boards which aren’t beautiful and even-toned are the ones I’ve affectionally been calling The Uggos. Most of the boards that fall into The Uggo grouping have striated coloring, with varying shades of browns and goldens woven through the pretty bleached blonde shades. Some have smooth surface knots or small knotty gouges. Some are really bad. But many, actually, are really beautiful and organic and desirable in their own regard, just not for this particular application.

A true Uggo.

Now, it’s true that most of the pieces that are most effected by poor coloring are shorter pieces. If it was our goal to have a very mixed up looking floor, we might try and interject them here and there to break up the cleanliness of the light wood boards (it might look a bit more “cabiny” this way). Actually, worth us remembering if we look at this post some years down the road, the striated boards are Julia’s favorites because they remind her of the zebra striped brazilian boards she admired at the big L.L. (as I mentioned in this post, never to go floor shopping with a child and expect them to like your modest flooring choices). She actually likes the oddball Uggos so much that she’s requested that her whole room be filled with them. Not that we will do that because we’re not crazy–her room will hopefully look as consistent as the rest of the house–but it’s nice to know that she welcomes that kind of look if we were to need to sneak a board or two in a place that would most definitely always forever be covered with an area rug.

I digress.

If we weren’t all that concerned about running out of floorboards, we’d probably be quick to just put these boards aside and move on, but because we want to be resourceful with what we’ve bought (maybe even return a few unopened boxes for cash money reimbursement), we’ll do what any sane person would do: divide the Uggos from the awesome inventory, and hide them in the closets.

Uggo boards hiding in the closet.

That’s not the best picture–it’s damn dark in there–but the darkness and depth of some of our closets means that we won’t see the Uggos on a daily basis, and even if we were able to, the floor of the closets is sure to be covered with things to distract from what’s there. Amiright? This is going to work out.

Aside from the striped boards that are being gathered for eventual closet installation, I’m also taking the time to divide out the super weird looking boards like this one, which would appear to be maple, but a completely different color than any other maples placed in the racking so far. Shown here on top of the nursery floorboards, it’s one of the more “WTF” Uggo boards we’ve come across, perfectly demonstrating the range of “natural.” Even so, it shall make for a nice back-of-the-closet board.

A WTF maple board atop other natural maple Bellawood boards.

To give you a sneak peek on real progress on our install, it may have taken two days to get this far with the flooring, but things are looking good, and when the sun shines in, we get a chance to see what a different house it will be:

Installing the maple floors in our ranch home!

It’s still a far ways from being done, but remember what it looked like right before we moved in, and after we primed the walls? Every visual reminder of what this house used to look like keeps us inspired.

The beautifully primed hallway.

Share

DIY  / Flooring

Emily
I'm a home improvement enthusiast, living a very merry DIY lifestyle. I've been a freelancer writer for 10+ years and you can find my work on popular home and garden sites, like HGTV.com. Follow me on facebook and instagram, or drop me a note.

14 Comments


Kelsey // It Takes Two
October 23, 2013 at 9:08 am
Reply

We did the exact same thing with our Uggos when we laid hardwoods in our foyer. Our coat closet is full of janky-looking boards, but it’s true — they’re covered with junk/shoes/vacuums/whatever 99.9% of the time, so we don’t even see them.

Your (non-uggo) floors are looking great!



    Emily
    October 24, 2013 at 9:44 am

    Thanks Kelsey! Good to hear we’re not the only ones.

Michelle
October 23, 2013 at 9:29 am
Reply

I’m enjoying the flooring saga. :)



    Emily
    October 24, 2013 at 9:42 am

    I hope you enjoy it for awhile! Haha.

Anna (My Design Ethos)
October 24, 2013 at 2:54 am
Reply

The new floorboards look stunning! xx



    Emily
    October 24, 2013 at 9:44 am

    Thank you, Anna!

Harper
October 24, 2013 at 11:55 am
Reply

Amazing transformation so far. Can’t wait to see the finished results. You’re inspiring enough that I think my hubby may not like it so much when I go home and ask to lay hardwoods in our bedrooms of the new house!



    Emily
    October 24, 2013 at 12:35 pm

    :) You may want to accompany the idea with a large platter of his favorite dessert. (With that said, I’ve gotta go make some more pie.)

Mary W.
October 24, 2013 at 3:28 pm
Reply

Love the new floor, but I am with the young miss merrypad, I love the look of the uggos!



    Emily
    October 24, 2013 at 9:38 pm

    :)

Ryan
July 27, 2014 at 2:06 am
Reply

Hi Emily,

My wife and I are buying the exact same flooring next week! How would you rate it now that it’s been in a for a while?

Ryan



    Emily
    July 27, 2014 at 9:47 am

    Very relieved to report that with the summertime humidity, it has not buckled! That was our biggest fear. Is holding up well (some dog paw scratches, so it was a little softer than I figured it would be), but easy to clean and pretty. Good luck! If you have extras, return it within 30 days of purchase or else you will be penalized 20% on your return!!

Brad
September 12, 2015 at 8:31 pm
Reply

Hi Emily,

I’m researching for my own future flooring project and I’m finding your posts are to be a super valuable resource. Thank you for sharing! One quick question… I noticed in this post that you mentioned receiving a pro discount “because you asked”, can you elaborate on that?



    Emily
    September 13, 2015 at 3:49 pm

    Never hurts to ask for discounts! When I inquired about what it takes to get a better price than what was listed (coupons, inside knowledge about upcoming deals), I understood that there were discounts based on volume that were normally reserved for contractors (pros). I used that knowledge to negotiate better pricing for our order. You should too.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

  • HI, I’m Emily

    Emily Fazio

    I'm a home improvement enthusiast, living a very merry DIY lifestyle. Follow me on facebook and instagram, or drop me a note if you'd like. I love notes.

    Thanks for visiting!

  • Instagram

    merrypad

    Merrypad // Emily Fazio
    pumpkin patch is doing great✌️#year1 #squashbl pumpkin patch is doing great✌️#year1 #squashblossoms #pumpkinpatch
    I’ve overdone it. #2023gardennotes I’ve overdone it. #2023gardennotes
    I’m not great at weeding my mulched beds, but I I’m not great at weeding my mulched beds, but I am very good at transplanting thousands of pachysandra like little bouquets so within 3 years they’ll consume the entire area ✌️ #earnyourallowance #pachysandra #gardening #merrypadathome
    One magic blossom from the peony roots transplante One magic blossom from the peony roots transplanted in April ❤️
    IT’S SCAPE SZN! IT’S SCAPE SZN!
    The biggest learning from my first year of pumpkin The biggest learning from my first year of pumpkin farming: no need to start seeds weeks in advance. These sprouted in 3 days indoors, and I was able to easily move them to the farm with minimal disturbance before they outgrew their tiny little upcycled egg carton pods. The seedlings I started in April in larger containers were very lanky at transplant and do not seem as hearty. They THRIVE when transplanted at this size! 📓 #gardennotes #garden2023 #pumpkinfarming #gourdfarming
    #2023garden pathways sponsored by pine tree bark 👩‍🌾👍 

#repurposedwood #merrypadathome
    Load More... follow emily: @merrypad



  • Like Us On Facebook

    Facebook Pagelike Widget



  • Popular Posts

    • How to fix an IKEA drawer. The Easy Fix For Broken IKEA Drawers 74.2k views
    • DIY sideboard rehab. 7 Steps for Restoring an Old Midcentury Sideboard Buffet 62.7k views
    • How to design and make a barn quilt. How to Make Your Own Barn Quilt 55.2k views
    • How to hang art on brick surfaces using specialty clips. The Easy Way to Hang Art on Brick or Stone 44.6k views
    • Our DIY flagstone patio. Building a Flagstone Patio in One Day 40.4k views
    • DIY driveway removal. How to Remove an Old Asphalt Driveway 36.9k views
    • Fix an ikea dresser drawer. Life Support For An IKEA Dresser 35.7k views
    • Tips for dying pasta different colors, and a Halloween Recipe for the kids. How to Dye Pasta Different Colors (Halloween Recipe) 35.2k views
    • Goodbye, gold fireplace covering. Less Is More: How to Remove a Fireplace Surround 31.6k views
    • After: Custom wooden garden fence. Designing a Durable Wooden Fence For Our Beautiful Backyard Garden 29.6k views



  • BROWSE POSTS BY CATEGORY:

    • Art Attack (7)
    • Backyard (92)
    • Barn (8)
    • Basement (27)
    • Bathroom (43)
    • Beach (13)
    • Bedrooms (73)
    • Being Thrifty (53)
    • Business-y (12)
    • Buying and Renting and Selling (23)
    • Casual Celebrations (36)
    • Closets (17)
    • Curb Appeal (44)
    • Dainty Details (8)
    • Deck (23)
    • Decor (286)
    • Dining Room (37)
    • DIY (577)
    • Dog-Related (24)
    • Entryway (59)
    • Flooring (58)
    • For the Kids (32)
    • Garage (17)
    • Gardening (70)
    • Helping The Economy (30)
    • HGTV + DIY Network Projects (283)
    • Holiday-Related Projects (80)
    • Home Safety (12)
    • Kitchen (84)
    • Lighting (31)
    • Living Room (77)
    • Merry Travels (21)
    • Office Space (21)
    • Organized (41)
    • Other Pads (14)
    • Outdoor Living (12)
    • Scooter Fun (8)
    • Stairwell (20)
    • Sunroom (22)
    • Supporting Sponsors (43)
    • The Art Room (3)
    • Tools (43)
    • Uncategorizable (1)
    • Wedding (28)
    • Windows (14)
    • Work-pads (10)





  • a little bit of everything, friends, DIY, and inspiration

    • Dadand.com < My husband and his BFF
    • HGTV
  • Some Legal

    Merrypad incorporates the occasional affiliate link to Amazon.com and Minted; we link to many other websites and products, but if it is in context of a paid sponsorship, it is always noted as such. Please review the privacy policy and contact me if you have any additional questions.

    Theme customized by Pete Fazio Creative, the guy from dadand.com.


© Copyright Merrypad