Are you intimidated by the thought of installing a mesquite floor yourself? Installing a genuine mesquite plank floor is a whole lot easier than the stunning finished floor would make you think. Let’s take a quick look at how easy it is!
If you’re installing on a concrete subfloor (a slab foundation, for example), the first step – however unexciting – is critical: You must moisture test your surface to determine if it’s dry enough for proper adhesion. There’s a do-it-yourself method utilizing common household items that About.com suggests, but there are professional instruments made specifically for the job, and proponents of each method feel election-year levels of passion about their preferences. The import takeaway, though, is that if you discover your slab has too much moisture, you’ll need to install a vapor barrier and subfloor before you get started.
If your slab is dry or after you’ve added your subfloor, it’s time to get that floor down.
First, apply a leveling product so your surface is flat, with a variance of 1/4-inch or less over an 8-foot radius. Allow it to dry according to package directions.
Spread adhesive over a 2-by-2-foot area with a 1/8 x 1/4 x 1/4 inch notched trowel. Seat the planks in the adhesive, and repeat the process until the entire area is planked.
Using a 50- to 80-pound roller, go over the entire floor to ensure that the adhesive makes good, even contact with the flooring.
Close off the area to all foot traffic for at least eight hours – longer if recommended by the adhesive manufacturer. Allow the adhesive to cure overnight.
Use a coarse, 60-grit paper just to flatten out any protruding edges, and then apply a wood filler to any cracks. You can buy a premixed filler, but it’s easy enough to mix up your own with a little wood glue and fine sawdust. For large cracks or knots, we recommend System Three epoxy. Allow the filler material enough time to dry before moving on to the next step.
After the 60-grit sanding and filling is complete, use an 80-grit paper to flatten out the filler you applied. Finish the floor by sanding with 120-grit.
Apply a high-quality sealant and finish to your new mesquite floor. Tung oil or hard-wearing polyurethane will enhance and protect your floor.
Sit back and admire your gorgeous custom mesquite floor.
It’s really that simple to get results like you see in our gallery. For even more tips, check out our installation page. As you browse our gallery, make note of what speaks to you, and we’ll zero in on the look and feel you want in your new custom mesquite floor.
Contact us today by calling 830-216-4189 and learn how our array of wonderful mesquite lumber, flooring and other unique products can help accent your home or workplace.
Mesquite wood displays rich character and color not found in other hardwoods. The handsome appearance, unparalleled strength and rustic Texas style complete a grand entrance for any stairway. Faifer and Company, Inc supplies a full range of artfully-crafted mesquite wood stair parts to complete simple and elaborate staircases of all varieties.
Faifer and Company’s mesquite wood selections are reclaimed pieces from Texas ranchlands, carefully chosen for their aged charm and inimitable detail. The individual pieces combine to create a striking impression and complementary Texas motif in your foyer, living room or basement. An extensive selection of sizes with nosings, risers and reducers allows you to create any staircase and fulfill your unique elevation, height and aesthetic requirements.
Browse the stair gallery to take a closer look at completed mesquite wood staircases. See the parts listed below to start building your staircase and contact Faifer and Company Inc. for distinctive wooden stair treads and risers in Texas.
Will have clear and possibly small knots, checks and other natural defects allowed, along with the natural varying color of the wood. Sapwood is not allowed on finished surfaces. Lengths vary from 9 inches to 48 inches with tongue and groove. Ends are square cut. On average the lengths will vary between 16″ – 22″.
Will have semi clear, small to large knots, checks and other natural defects allowed, along with the natural varying color of the wood. Sapwood is not allowed on finished surfaces. Lengths vary from 9 inches to 48 inches with tongue and groove. Ends are square cut. On average the lengths will vary between 16″ – 22″.
Wood Blocks – Only one grade available. Knots, checks and other natural defects are allowed. Partly filled with black epoxy. Width is 3 inches and lengths from 2 inches to 5 inches.
The Janka (or side) hardness test measures the force required to embed a .444 – inch steel wall to half its diameter in wood. It is one of the best measurements of the ability of a wood species to withstand denting and wear. By the same token, it is also a good indicator of how hard or easy a species is to saw or nail. Northern Red Oak, for example, has a Janka hardness rating of 1290. Brazilian Cherry, with a rating of 2350, is nearly twice as hard. If you’re accustomed to working with Red Oak and decide to tackle a job with Brazilian Cherry, you can expect it to be much harder to cut and nail.
| Wood Species | Rating |
| Ipe | 3680 |
| Brazilian Teak | 3540 |
| Brazilian Cherry (jatoba) | 2820 |
| Live Oak | 2680 |
| Purpleheart | 2520 |
| Spotted Gum | 2473 |
| Mesquite | 2345 |
| Santos Mahogany | 2200 |
| Sydney Blue Gum | 2023 |
| Merbau | 1925 |
| Jarrah | 1910 |
| Hickory/Pecan | 1820 |
| Padauk | 1725 |
| Wenge | 1630 |
| Brazilian Maple | 1500 |
| Sapele | 1500 |
| Hard Maple | 1450 |
| Australian Cypress | 1375 |
| White Oak | 1360 |
| Tasmanian Oak | 1350 |
| White Ash | 1320 |
| Beech | 1300 |
| Red Oak (Northern) | 1290 |
| Birch | 1260 |
| Iroko | 1260 |
| Antique Heart Pine | 1225 |
| Thai/Burmese Teak | 1078 |
| American Black Walnut | 1010 |
| Black Cherry | 950 |
| Southern Yellow Pine (Longleaf) | 870 |
| Southern Yellow Pine (Loblolly & Shortleaf) | 690 |
| Douglas Fir | 660 |
.Source: Hardness ratings for most species taken from Wood Handbook: Wood as an Engineering Material (Agriculture Handbook 72, Forest Product Laboratory, Forest Service U.S. Department of Agriculture; revised 1987). Except for Australian Cypress, Wenge, African Padauk, Merbau and Santos Mahogany, which were provided by International Hardwood Flooring; Heart Pine by Mountain Lumber and Mesquite by Mesquite Products of Texas.
Douglas Fir rating is an average of ratings for coast, Interior West and Interior North species.
(Ranked by percentage of tangential shrinkage from green to oven-dry moisture content)
The numbers in the chart reflect the dimensional change coefficient for the various species, measured as tangential shrinkage or swelling within normal moisture content limits of 6 – 14 percent. Tangential change values will normally reflect changes in plainsawn wood. Quartersawn wood will usually be more dimensionally stable than plainsawn.
The dimensional change coefficient can be used to calculate expected shrinkage or swelling. Simply multiply the change in moisture content by the change coefficient, than multiply by the width of the board.
Example: A mesquite (change coefficient – .00129) board 5 inches wide experiences a moisture content change from 6 to 9 percent – a change of 3 percentage points.
(Calculation: 3 x .00129 = .00387 x 5 = .019 inches).
In actual practice, however, change would be diminished in a complete floor, as the boards’ proximity to each other tends to restrain movement. The chart is best used for comparison.
* Although some tropical woods such as Australian Cypress, Brazilian Cherry, Merbau and Wenge appear in this chart to have excellent moisture stability compared to domestic oak, actual installations of many of these woods have demonstrated significant movement in use. To avoid problems later, extra care should be taken to inform potential users of these tendencies prior to purchase.
| Wood Species | Rating |
| Beech | 11.9 |
| Jarrah | 11.0 |
| White Oak | 10.5 |
| Hard Maple | 9.9 |
| Yellow Birch | 9.5 |
| Hickory/Pecan | 8.9 |
| Brazilian Maple | 8.8 |
| Northern Red Oak | 8.6 |
| Brazilian Cherry (jatoba) | 8.5 |
| Bubinga | 8.4 |
| Brazilian Walnut (Ipe) | 8.0 |
| White Ash | 7.8 |
| American Black Walnut | 7.8 |
| Brazilian Teak | 7.6 |
| Southern Yellow Pine | 7.5 |
| Sapele | 7.4 |
| Douglas Fir | 7.3 |
| Black Cherry | 7.1 |
| Santos Mahogany | 6.2 |
| Purpleheart | 6.1 |
| Thai/Burmese Teak | 5.8 |
| Wenge | 5.8 |
| Padauk | 5.2 |
| Merbau | 4.6 |
| Iroko | 3.8 |
| Mesquite | 3.2 |
| Australian Cypress | 2.8 |
.Source: stability ratings taken from Wood Handbook: Wood as an Engineering Material (Agriculture Handbook 72, Forest Products Laboratory, Forest Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture; revised 1987).
