Frequently Asked Questions

01. How old is the principle of �balanced construction�?
02. What makes Virtu Floors more stable?
03. Why aren't there more 3-layer, true balanced floors available?
04. What is the wear layer compared to regular flooring? Is there �less life� in a Virtu floor compared to
       a solid wood floor?
05. Can I specify Virtu for in-floor, radiant heat conditions?
06. There is a lot of 2-ply flooring in the market, with a top layer of wood glued to 1/2" or 5/8" plywood.
       Why should I specify Virtu Wood Flooring over 2-ply engineered?
07. Is your wood �old growth�?
08. Are your floors pre-finished?
09. Other floors are pre-finished. Why not Virtu?
10. What widths and lengths are available?
11. What grades are available?
12. Why don�t you use plywood in the core?
13. Is the core a different species?
14. Why are there no grooves in the back of the board?
15. Should my builder / flooring installer order the wood?
16. Do you have a minimum order?
17. Can I use Virtu if I do not have room for a NWFA approved sub-floor?
18. How long should Virtu flooring be on-site before being installed?
19. Does Virtu import any products?
20. What is quartersawn lumber?
21. Why does Virtu use quartersawn lumber?
22. What is the difference between quartered and rift lumber?

09. Other floors are pre-finished. Why not Virtu?

Our Virtu wood floors are generally shipped unfinished. We find that this provides the architect or designer with more flexibility in specifying their precise finishing requirements. Virtu comes sanded to 100 grit, so initial sanding is less. As with any custom-made floor, under certain situations pre-finishing is available.

10. What widths and lengths are available?

Virtu flooring provides an unprecedented level of stability, a level found only in the highest quality flooring. With Virtu Wide Plank Flooring, we now provide wide widths up to 12" and 16" or even longer, but with the added enhancement of minimal shrinkage and distortion. Virtu is truly the best of both worlds

11. What grades are available?

The Virtu team has manufactured millions of square feet of the highest quality custom floors for the past 40 years. Our success is grounded in the principle that we exceed expectations. We listen to our customers and produce floors that match their needs, wants and desires, from a heavy character grade through to a pristine grade (pristine is a better grade than clear). From hand selected faces to custom specifications and stability beyond expectation, Virtu lives up to its name.

12. Why don�t you use plywood in the core?

With plywood, there is too much that we cannot control. Core voids, variations in moisture content, off-gassing, manufactured stresses due to high volume production methods, inconsistency of product�these things are unacceptable. We at Virtu insist on more control over our production.

13. Is the core a different species?

Because the core runs in cross direction to the face and back, it performs independently, and can be a different species. The core runs along the length, where the moisture-related movement is practically zero. (That is why you see shrinkage in a conventional floor along the edges, but not at the ends.

What is important is the core's thickness relative to the thickness of the face and back, and its stiffness. Virtu uses a variety of stable, readily available domestic hardwoods in the core. Our preference is for hardwoods because they are stiffer than conifers.

14. Why are there no grooves in the back of the board?

Grooves are utilized on the back of solid wood flooring to relieve the movement stress caused by moisture content changes on either the face or the back. In 3-layer, True Balanced Construction, the grooves are unnecessary because the face and back layers oppose each other equally, across a stable core. As a matter of fact, grooves would actually make the floor less balanced.

15. Should my builder / flooring installer order the wood?

Wide plank flooring installation is not for the inexperienced. Your builder and flooring installer are professional tradesmen, and have the knowledge and experience to lay a floor that will remain in service for generations. We strongly recommend going through your architect, designer or flooring professional for the purchase of the floor. They know the questions to ask and understand the issues involved in laying a wide plank floor. Their management oversight of the purchase, receipt and inspection of the delivery and distribution through the job site are well worth the charge for handling these tasks