Open Time:
Mon-Fri: 8AM - 4PM
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- Auburndale
- Lakeland
Open Time:
Mon-Fri: 8AM - 4PM
Lakeland Flooring Showroom
J&A Stone Designs installs engineered and solid hardwood flooring across Polk County. Our team selects Florida-appropriate wood products and handles moisture management so your floors stay stable year round.
Hardwood flooring brings a level of warmth and character to a home that no other material fully replicates. In Florida, though, the choice between solid and engineered hardwood matters a great deal. Florida's year-round humidity and seasonal temperature swings cause solid wood to expand and contract in ways that can lead to cupping, gapping, or warping over time. Engineered hardwood is specifically designed to handle these conditions better because of its cross-layer construction.
We carry Parkay Floors and Everlife by MSI for hardwood and engineered wood installation at our Lakeland showroom. Both lines offer Florida-suitable options with the right construction for Central Florida's climate. Before any hardwood project, our team visits the site to assess subfloor moisture levels and acclimation conditions. We install hardwood across Polk County and serve homeowners as far south as Miami for qualifying projects. For other flooring types, explore our full Lakeland flooring showroom selection.
Both options are available through our showroom. Here is an honest comparison to help you choose the right product for your space.
Engineered hardwood consists of a real hardwood veneer bonded over multiple layers of plywood or composite. The cross-layer construction resists the expansion and contraction that Florida humidity causes in solid wood. Engineered hardwood can be installed in below-grade applications like ground floor rooms over concrete slabs, making it the right choice for many Florida homes. It is also compatible with radiant heating systems. Most engineered products can be refinished once or twice depending on the veneer thickness, giving them a longer practical life than many homeowners expect.
Solid hardwood is milled from a single piece of wood and can be refinished multiple times over its lifetime. In Florida, solid hardwood performs best in climate-controlled interior spaces that are kept at a consistent temperature and humidity level year round. It is not recommended for below-grade installation or rooms adjacent to water sources. When solid hardwood is the right choice for a project, we select species with better dimensional stability in humid climates and acclimate the material properly before installation begins.
Solid hardwood requires a longer acclimation period in Florida (typically 5 to 7 days on-site) and more careful monitoring of subfloor moisture conditions before and after installation.
We test subfloor moisture levels before any hardwood project begins. Florida's concrete slabs can harbor high moisture readings even in dry conditions. This step is non-negotiable for a durable hardwood installation.
Hardwood must acclimate to the temperature and humidity of the installation environment before it is installed. This reduces the expansion and contraction that occurs after installation and prevents gapping or cupping.
Hardwood installation requires a clean, flat, and structurally sound subfloor. We address any levelness issues and apply moisture barriers where appropriate before nailing or floating the floor.
Solid hardwood is typically nail-down or staple-down installed. Engineered hardwood can be nail-down, glue-down, or floating depending on the product specifications and the subfloor type. We select the right method for each project.
We install transitions between the hardwood and adjacent flooring materials, fit baseboards where needed, and complete a final inspection with you before we close out the project.
We walk you through hardwood care on completion, including the right cleaning products, humidity maintenance recommendations for Florida homes, and what to watch for in the months after installation.
Visit our Lakeland showroom to compare Parkay Floors and Everlife engineered wood options in person. Free on-site estimates include subfloor moisture assessment. Mon through Fri, 8AM to 4PM at 5259 Florida Ave S, Lakeland.
