The History of Hardwood Flooring

In 2022, Luxury Vinyl Plank (LVP) may be king, but nothing exudes opulence and royalty like an early 17th century hardwood floor. The earliest and finest examples date back to the late 16th century. During this time, hardwood floors were afforded only by royalty. For example, just outside Paris at the Palace of Versailles, is perhaps one of the world’s most recognized and historic hardwood floors. The Parquet de Versailles pattern in Hall of Mirrors was designed for King Louis XIV. In the late 1670’s the King’s Grand Apartment was badly in need of renovation. The joists were rotting and the marble needed to be replaced. Creating this floor was a painstaking and arduous process, that took many years to complete. Made from hand-hewn timber, the master-craftsman spent time hand-forging nails and hand-scraping the floors. Large piles of sand were brought in, and the craftsman literally sanded the floors by hand. The floors were then finished and buffed with wax. Over two decades later in 1693, construction on the palace was finally complete. As time passed, parquet floors became a very popular trend across Europe; eventually spawning other parquet variants, such as the Herringbone and Chevron patterns. 

In the New World, hardwood flooring took on a new form during the Colonial Era. In the 1700’s, wide-plank floors were the norm. Early colonists relied heavily on old-growth forests to source the timber. Many of these floors were made of pine, and other various hardwoods. Made out of sheer necessity, and from what was available at the regional level, the laborers would first dig a trench and build what was called a saw-pit.

With one man on top of the log and the other underneath in the pit, the men went through the strenuous process of sawing the logs into planks. The floors were then installed by face nailing the planks with hand-forged nails. Again, it was a painstaking and arduous process. The floors remained unfinished and were worn smooth over time. The advancement of the steam engine eventually spawned the industrial revolution, which would speed up the entire production process. During the late 19th century, the invention of the tongue and groove system helped to establish uniformity between planks relative to width and thickness. Prior to this, random-width and wide plank floors were seen throughout Colonial America. Other advancements in technology such as the kiln dryer, enabled manufacturers to speed up the drying process. Prior to the advent of the kiln dryer, lumber was air-dried. This process could take a year or more, before the Equilibrium Moisture Content (EMC) reached the appropriate levels in the wood.

It wasn’t until the late 19th century, when Americans first started polishing their floors. Originally made from linseed oil and beeswax, hard wax oil was the preferred method for finishing floors. Changing over time, other finishes included paint, various varnishes, and shellac; none of which were particularly effective at protecting the floor. It wasn’t until 1936 that polyurethane was developed; finally becoming commercially available around 1940. With the advancement of polyurethane, hardwood flooring was as durable as ever. No other finish could compare, and to this day, polyurethane is the preferred finish for hardwood flooring. Furthermore, polyurethane finishes include oil-modified and water-based variants, but we will save that for another article. 

With advancements in plywood production and technology, industrial plywood production was standardized in 1928. 4’ x 8’ sheets were the new standard back in 1928, and those standards still exist today! Did you know during WWII, that plywood was declared an essential war material and was strictly controlled? During the war, the U.S. Navy patrolled the South Pacific in PT boats made from plywood. After the end of WWII in 1945, the post-war plywood industry boomed, and in the 1960’s, engineered flooring would start entering in the market. With plywood production at an all-time high, engineered hardwood was basically a byproduct of advancements in the plywood industry; moreover, engineered hardwood fixed an ongoing problem for home-owners. For instance, solid hardwood floors were not an option for the use in basements, nor could they be affixed directly to concrete substrates; therefore, engineered hardwood flooring provided the solution home-owners were desperately looking for, and in the 1980’s, hardwood flooring started becoming popular once again.  

Since their inception, hardwood floors remained king for well over two centuries. However, directly after World War II, the hardwood flooring industry took a direct hit by the onslaught of wall-to-wall carpeting. Prior to this, carpeting was afforded mainly by the rich; however, mass production would eventually bring the costs down, thus making it more affordable for the average consumer. At this time, many of the old historic hardwood floors were covered by synthetic materials. For many years carpet was the popular choice, but that would eventually change over time. The housing-crisis in the 1980’s, along with high interest-rates hurt the carpet industry. Smaller carpet mills suffered tremendous losses and were either absorbed through consolidation, or they simply went out of business. The industry suffered further damage, due to ongoing legal issues and claims of price-fixing in the marketplace. 

Over the last four centuries, hardwood floors have literally stood the test of time. Yet, in some ways the industry has come full circle. Many of the popular flooring styles and finishes we see today, trace back to their original hardwood roots. In 2022, much like the Colonial Era, wide-plank/long-length floors are the norm, and they are once again the preferred choice for consumers. Similar to the conditions of the 18th century, multi-width and patterned floors are making a comeback in the 21st century. Elements of the past are further brought back to life through advancements in modern-day technology. For example, reactive stains are gaining in popularity these days; reminding us of a time when lumber was air-dried by Mother Nature and her seasons. The natural color variation one would see in a floor from centuries ago, can still be seen today through the use of reactive stains. Finally, parquet floors are also making a comeback. Much akin to the historic floors in France from the 17th century, and if hardwood flooring can last for over 300+ years in the Palace of Versailles, they are good enough for me. Interestingly enough, the Parquet de Versailles pattern in the “Hall of Mirrors’’ will likely out last us all… From the Baroque Era through the Industrial Revolution, the history of hardwood flooring is quite fascinating. Growth rings may paint the picture and time may tell the story, but the beauty of it all lies just beneath our feet