Hardwood Flooring FAQ

Mill & Woods is an Atlanta-based hardwood flooring company specializing in wide plank hardwood, reclaimed wood, and architectural cladding. Below are answers to the questions we hear most often. For product-specific questions, visit any product page or contact us directly.

About Mill & Woods

Where is Mill & Woods located?

Mill & Woods is located in Atlanta, Georgia. We carry hardwood flooring, reclaimed wood, and architectural cladding — available for pickup at our showroom or for nationwide delivery.

What species does Mill & Woods carry?

We carry American White Oak, Longleaf Heart Pine, Reclaimed Heart Pine, American Black Walnut, French Oak (solid and engineered), European Oak, Southern Yellow Pine, and Shou Sugi Ban Cypress cladding. Most species are available in multiple finishes and plank widths.

Does Mill & Woods ship nationwide?

Yes. We ship hardwood flooring and architectural products nationwide. Freight delivery is available for large orders. Contact us for a shipping quote specific to your location.

How do I get a quote?

Click “Request a Quote” on any product page, or contact us directly. We’ll follow up with pricing based on your square footage, species, and finish selection.

Do you offer flooring samples?

Yes. We offer individual samples and curated sample boxes by style — including Light & Bright, Prefinished Pine, French Oak, Sawn Face, and more — available for purchase from our website.

What is the difference between solid and engineered hardwood flooring?

Solid hardwood is milled from a single piece of wood and can be sanded and refinished many times over its lifetime. Engineered hardwood has a real hardwood veneer bonded to a plywood core, making it more dimensionally stable in humid environments like Atlanta. For slab-on-grade or radiant heat installations, engineered is usually the better choice.

Is wide plank flooring more prone to movement?

Wider planks show more natural expansion and contraction with seasonal humidity changes. Proper acclimation, a quality vapor barrier, and consistent indoor humidity minimize movement. Engineered construction reduces this effect significantly. We recommend acclimating all hardwood flooring for at least 5–7 days before installation.

White oak flooring

What is white oak flooring?

White oak is one of the most popular hardwood flooring species in the United States. It has a straight, even grain, a subtle ray figure, and a warm neutral tone. With a Janka hardness rating of 1360 and a naturally closed-pore structure that resists moisture, it’s suitable for a wide range of residential and commercial applications.

Is white oak flooring good for Atlanta’s humid climate?

Yes. White oak’s closed-cell structure resists moisture absorption better than red oak. For homes with significant seasonal humidity fluctuation, engineered white oak provides additional dimensional stability and is often preferred for slab construction.

How durable is white oak flooring?

White oak has a Janka hardness rating of 1360, suitable for high-traffic residential and commercial spaces. With proper care and periodic refinishing, solid white oak floors can last 50–100 years.

What is character-grade white oak flooring?

Character-grade white oak includes natural knots, mineral streaks, color variation, and pronounced grain patterns left intact. It gives floors an organic, lived-in look. Mill & Woods’ Ridge collection is our character-grade white oak — wide plank, handcrafted, with all natural markings preserved.

What is wide plank white oak flooring?

Wide plank refers to boards wider than the traditional 2.25” strip flooring — typically 5” to 12” wide. Wider planks show more grain figure and ray fleck, and create a more expansive visual effect. Most of our white oak collections start at 6” wide.

Longleaf heart pine flooring

What is longleaf heart pine flooring?

Longleaf heart pine (Pinus palustris) is a Southern species prized for its extreme density, resin content, and natural durability. With a Janka hardness rating of 1225 — harder than red oak — it ranges in color from golden amber to deep reddish-brown and develops a rich patina over time. Most longleaf heart pine flooring comes from salvaged old-growth timber.

How is longleaf heart pine different from regular pine?

Longleaf heart pine is the dense, resin-rich heartwood — far harder and more durable than regular pine sapwood. The high resin content provides natural resistance to insects and moisture. Standard yellow pine flooring uses the softer sapwood and has a Janka rating around 870.

What is reclaimed heart pine flooring?

Reclaimed heart pine is salvaged from demolished factories, warehouses, barns, and historic buildings built with old-growth longleaf pine. It carries the character marks of its prior life: nail holes, saw marks, staining, and a patina that new wood cannot replicate. Our collections include Hamilton, Old Dirty Goat, Forge Storm, Grandpa Mac, and Naturally Reclaimed.

Is heart pine hard enough for everyday use?

Yes. With a Janka rating of 1225 and high natural resin content, longleaf heart pine is naturally resistant to insects and moisture. It has been used in Southern homes and commercial spaces for centuries.

Is reclaimed heart pine sustainable?

Reclaimed heart pine is one of the most sustainable hardwood options available — no new trees are harvested. The material is old-growth quality, denser and more stable than anything grown today, and will last for generations with proper care.

European oak flooring

What is European oak flooring?

European oak flooring is made from Quercus robur and Quercus petraea grown across Europe. Prized for its wide grain, prominent ray figure, and natural warmth, European oak is typically slower-grown than American oak, resulting in tighter growth rings and a slightly different aesthetic. Our European oak collections include Bone, Eston, Le Bar, Cartier, Chateau Bright, Chene Bright, and Ashen Taupe.

How does European oak compare to American white oak?

European oak typically has a slightly wider, more varied grain and a warmer, earthier base tone. American white oak tends toward a straighter, more consistent grain with a cooler, more neutral undertone. The choice usually comes down to aesthetic preference and regional sourcing.

What is antique European oak flooring?

Antique European oak is processed with techniques like antique tumbling and heavy distressing to replicate centuries-old floors. Our Eston collection is our antique European oak — finished to look like it has always been there, with a warm aged appearance that works naturally in older homes and period renovations.

Is European oak flooring durable?

Yes. European oak has a Janka hardness rating of approximately 1290, suitable for high-traffic residential and commercial spaces. The species takes finish well and can be refinished multiple times over its lifetime when solid construction is used.

How does European oak differ from French oak?

French oak is a specific designation for oak grown in France — primarily Quercus petraea — from managed French forests. It’s prized for particularly tight, consistent grain and fine ray figure. European oak is a broader category. French oak typically commands a premium for its origin specificity and the Old World craftsmanship traditions applied in finishing.

What European oak finishes does Mill & Woods offer?

We offer light clean natural finishes (Bone, Chateau Bright, Chene Bright), warm natural tones (Le Bar, Cartier), a soft neutral finish (Ashen Taupe), and an antique aged look (Eston). All use a hardwax oil or UV-cured topcoat for long-term durability.

French oak flooring

What is French oak flooring?

French oak flooring is made from Quercus petraea grown in the managed forests of France — particularly the Vosges and Limousin regions. Prized for tight, uniform grain, fine ray figure, and consistent natural color, our French oak is handcrafted in France and finished with our ultra-matte topcoat.

What does “fumed” mean in wood flooring?

Fuming exposes oak to ammonia vapor, which reacts with the wood’s natural tannins to permanently darken its color from within — not on the surface. Fumed French oak develops a rich, deep brown tone that is stable over time. Our Manor and Classique collections are fumed French oak.

What is cerusing in wood flooring?

Cerusing works a white or light pigment into the open grain and pores of the wood, then seals it. The result is a two-tone effect where the grain appears lighter against the base wood color. Our Shoreline collection uses cerusing for a cool gray-brown finish.

How is French oak different from American white oak?

French oak (Quercus petraea) typically has finer, more consistent grain and a quieter ray figure. American white oak (Quercus alba) shows more pronounced ray fleck and broader grain variation. French oak is generally finished with European techniques — fuming, wire-brushing, cerusing — that produce a more refined Old World aesthetic.

Is French oak suitable for radiant heat?

Engineered French oak is recommended for radiant heat due to its dimensional stability. Solid French oak can be used with careful acclimation and temperature management (keep surface temperatures below 80°F), but engineered construction is generally preferred by manufacturers and installers.

Shou Sugi Ban wood cladding

What is Shou Sugi Ban?

Shou Sugi Ban (yakisugi) is an ancient Japanese technique of charring wood with fire to preserve and protect it. The charring creates a carbon layer that resists fire, insects, rot, and UV degradation. After charring the wood is brushed and finished with penetrating oil. Mill & Woods uses cypress for our Shou Sugi Ban collections.

Is Shou Sugi Ban durable?

Yes. The carbonization process creates a surface naturally resistant to fire, insects, rot, and moisture. Properly maintained with periodic oiling, Shou Sugi Ban wood is exceptionally durable — the technique has been used for centuries on Japanese farmhouse exterior cladding.

Can Shou Sugi Ban be used outdoors?

Yes. Our Carbon and Orion Cypress collections are rated for exterior use and are well-suited to the Southeast’s climate due to cypress’s natural rot resistance.

What species does Mill & Woods use for Shou Sugi Ban?

We use cypress, an ideal species due to its natural oil content, dimensional stability, and inherent rot resistance — qualities that work synergistically with the charring process for interior and exterior applications.

What is the difference between Carbon and Orion?

Carbon undergoes full carbonization — a prolonged controlled burn resulting in a deeply black surface with subtle bronze iridescence and dramatic grain relief. Orion uses a light char, then receives two coats of white-pigmented penetrating oil for a warm, luminous finish between natural wood and whitewash.