DuChateau Hardwood Floors

Hi Christine,

I  happened upon your blog as I was searching online for anyone who's used DuChateau Floors.  First, your blog looks like a great resource and I can't believe it took me this long to find it.  I'm in the midst of an entire 1st floor renovation to my 40 y/o French Colonial home and I want to put in wide plank flooring.  I found DuChateau and LOVE their floors (considering Chateau Old Dutch or possibly Vernal Lugano), but I'm wondering mostly about upkeep, wear & maintenance (two boys & small dog) and was hoping you had feedback since it seems you may have used these.  Any info you have would be much appreciated!

Also, if you can direct me to other sites or info on wide plank floors (pref pre-finished), that'd be great.  We are living in raw space right now and I'm trying to get the ball rolling on the floors.

Thanks for your time and I look forward to checking more of your blog out.

All the best,
Kimbery T.

Hi Kimberly,

First start by checking out these seven posts I did on shopping for hardwood.  I go into quite a bit of detail that I won't get into here.

There are a lot of different kinds of wood floors, and one is not necessarily better than the next.  With DuChateau flooring,  I feel like there are two main differencesthat set them apart.

1.  The Hard-wax oil finish.

2.  The look you get when you combine the hand scrapping and hard-wax oil finish.

So- you are wondering about up-keep care and maintenance.  let me star by saying that I do not have these in my home.  Although if DuChateau wants me to be their spokesperson and "try tham out" for all of you- and they wouldn't mind removing 1200 square feet of stone and replacing it with their flooring- I would be happy to help them out.    They are beautiful floors.

Every wood floor requires caution with water moisture and humididty. (although the hard-oil wax finish is resistent to water- no wood floor is water proof.)

Every wood floor requires regular vacuuming and dust mopping.

Every wood floor will scratch and dent.  (some easier than others)  The hand scraped nature of the product makes is less noticeable than a smooth finish. 

DuChateau floors are different than most on the market because of their less- common hard-oil wax finish.  The maintenance of adding oil to the floor is far less intrusive than adding urethane to a floor.  And some finishes, like aluminum oxide, cannot be added outside the factory at all.  I did have it explained to me once- that the products used in the maintenance are described as "green" and "earth friendly"- but do be careful as they are also the type of products that if you had a collection of rags with product on them in the garage- they could spontaneously combust and burn your house down.  Would that stop me from getting them.  No.  (they are so beautiful!)  Just don't leave piles of rags around.  Be careful and deliberate.

As I am sure you have seen the second feature that sets them apart, is of course, the look.  The depth you get form the matte finish, and hand scrapping, and white waxes are absolutely beautiful. 

 I hope you love your new floors- and we would love to see before and after photos here of whatever flooring you choose!

Thanks,

Christine