I work for a hard surface flooring retailer (wood, tile, stone) and was recently promoted to the manager of the wood department.

Unfortunately I know nothing about wood flooring, I'm a tile & stone guy. I can tell you the different minerals responsible for the different colors in a granit tile and tell you how to install it on any surface.

But I struggle to see a difference between the look of maple and oak? and i don't understand know anything about the installation of any of it.

We sell Laminate, Cork, Bamboo, Engineered, and Solid Wood

And I'm in Denver CO, which from what little I do know means we have special rules for everything due to the altitude and low humidity.

I'm looking for resources (websites, books, ect) to help me get a basic understanding of all things, and also more in depth resources to help me become an absolute expert.

Thanks for your help

Hi Tuck:

It's more of a matter of getting in the trenches in my opinion. I know the feeling of where you're at, but a bit different. My expertise is installation, but send a finishing question at me and I can't answer it with any authority because hands on experience is the only way. Thinking back, I only wish I had gotten into that side of the business when I had the chance.

Floormeintucson has the grips on low humidity type of stuff. Get his phone number or look at some of his stuff (search the site)on low humidity applications. As far as websites, I've always felt my original site had a basic understanding with no biased opinions. The NWFA has some great resources for book smart stuff. In becoming a member you have access to all their tech stuff, but some of it is dated last I looked.

hardwoodinstaller.com- my first site
nwfa.org- National Wood Flooring Association
floormasters.com- message board for finishers...some participants have attitudes, but you can weed through it.

Have the company send you to the NWFA basics school. Money well worth spent. Video I did three years ago when I attended.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DzMgteRz2MQ[/youtube]

Tuckejam, Call up Selva Lee Tucker at the Floor Inspectors Educational Guild and see when they will have another species identification class, or if he can send you some materials on the past seminars.

Then both you two Tucks can have fun.

The Guilds seminars are the best in the states, even manufacturers send their people to them.'

http://www.flooringinspectorsguild.org/

Meanwhile, you need to start reading, even that poster is going to help you mounted on your wall.

http://www.wood-database.com/

Then theres that other whole world about living wood. As in tree identification where you use bark and leaves.

I have some links for that if you want as well.

Way too much info overload there SP. Start 'em with smaller stuff.

Thank you both for the info, definitely not information overload, I'm the kind of person who who gets a hold of something and becomes obsessed with knowing every tiny detail about it from start to finish (I'm sure that's why I got promoted to a department that I know nothing about) this is all really great stuff and I will be a regular reader of this site, thank you both again.