We often hear that water and hardwood floors don’t mix, and this is true to..
We often hear that water and hardwood floors don’t mix, and this is true to..
A couple recently visited our showroom with a vision of how they wanted the..
A trend currently transforming the flooring industry is luxury vinyl. It’s a..
Every March, when the NCAA college basketball tournament rolls around, I’m..
Building someone’s new home comes with a lot of pressure. Ralph’s is..
After you’ve installed your brand-new hardwood floors, it’s time to move on..
Every year in New London, the Shamrock Club of New Dublin holds a Grand Parade..
There’s always a debate between which type of flooring is the best. Since..
I’m a fan of the term “circle of growth.”
It essentially refers to the..
Hardwood floors can last a very long time with proper care. But that doesn’t..
New hardwood flooring is a thing of beauty, and even more so when it fits..
I’m often asked, “How much will hardwood flooring add to the value of my home?”
Hardwood flooring is a popular choice among homeowners because of its..
Choosing to install hardwood floors is only the beginning of the..
Homeowners who look at interior design trends for inspiration when remodeling..
When I went to college, I decided to major in computer science. I had been..
One of the best things about hardwood floors is their versatility. Whatever..
It was the end of the day for our crew, and it could have been the end of the..
Durability is one of the reasons many people choose hardwood flooring for..
At our company Christmas party in 2000, a lot of babies and toddlers were..
Sometimes, while in the middle of a project, a client will call and say, “Hey,..
One of the many traditions I love about Christmas is the family food.
It’s not..
Because wood is an organic material, hardwood flooring will react to its..
“See a need, fill a need.”
That well-known saying was uttered by Bigweld,..
My Dad passed away in 2014, but I’ll always have my memories of him. One of..
When we interview applicants for a job at Ralph’s, we of course want to know..
At Ralph’s Hardwoods, we like to keep things local.
We’re happy to be..
Hand-scraped hardwood floors have a unique look. Although they have gone in..
Labor Day is one of those holidays whose meaning is often forgotten.
For..
New hardwood flooring is a beautiful investment that can give your home a..
When I was 27 years old, working as a computer programmer, I came home one..
After installing hardwood floors, taking proper care of them is imperative..
We had just unloaded our equipment at the shop at the end of a difficult..
Customer service is a cornerstone of Ralph’s business philosophy, and it has..
Travis Shepard couldn’t imagine being glued to a computer all day.
“I’m not..
Are you thinking about a hardwood floor project? Magazines and websites will..
Dance teacher Marcia Fellows loves having a hardwood floor for her students..
When I was in my high school 4-H Club, each member had to do a special..
Have you seen our latest commercial? If not, take a look now. You’ll see how..
Probably everyone has had an experience when “the lightbulb” goes off and..
Hardwood floor finishes protect the flooring, but they do much more than..
I wasn’t planning on a career as a hardwood floor guy.
Hardwood floors had..
If your hardwood floors are getting old, they don’t have to be replaced. ..
Local home builders have been telling me lately that business is good. And as..
Hardwood floors are highly durable and can last for decades, but they do..
Bruce Deadman first met my father, Ralph Lorenz, at a home show in 1984, where..
Made of strong wood with finishes that are more protective than ever, h..
April Fool’s Day is a day you shouldn’t forget about. If you do, you might..
“Stability” is a hardwood-flooring term that all buyers of hardwood flooring..
One of the many cool things about hardwood floors is that they’re extremely..
Portside Builders has been using Ralph’s as its hardwood flooring..
A clear trend in hardwood flooring is toward floor colors a bit lighter than..
It’s a disappointment any time Green Bay doesn't win the Super Bowl, or at..
Even after an installation or refinishing job is complete, Ralph’s..
Since my father founded Ralph’s Hardwood Floors in 1965, we’ve been located..
Like Thanksgiving, Christmas is a holiday when we should appreciate our good..
My family has a special Christmas tradition we look forward to every year: W..
Something that sometimes gets me upset enough that I need to vent is … well …
One of my favorite things about fall is the smells and tastes coming from..
Calling someone by their first name can get confusing among the staff at..
Ralph’s Hardwood Co. and Van’s Lumber and Custom Builders share a common..
Pictured from left to right are Roberta Lorenz(back to picture), Ralph..
In Wisconsin, many people will say they are going “up north” for the weekend...
I’ve been working in the hardwood floor industry since I was a little boy,..
In my thinking, the point of a business isn’t just to survive, maintaining the..
When my dad, Ralph Lorenz, started Ralph’s Hardwood Floors in 1965, he was..
In 1977, when Jeff Maiman bought the building he turned into The Wheelhouse..
I look forward to Mother’s Day every year. It’s a chance for me to express how..
Luxury vinyl tile is the new star in the flooring world.
Ralph’s has recently..
Some people are just “good with their hands.”
We’re looking for these people.
Grey isn’t usually something we associate with vibrancy and excitement – gray..
It's a brand new year and many of you have resolved to update your living space..
It is said a picture is worth a thousand words and so here are several thousand..
There are a lot of stories about my Dad. We’ve published a few in this blog and..
I love the smells of Christmas. Gingerbread, eggnog and even the smell of snow,..
As Americans prepare to gather around the dinner table tomorrow and give thanks..
The demand for hardwood flooring installers is growing. I know this firsthand..
Our showroom renovation has been an exciting project and as much as we could..
Here at Ralph's, we believe you should take any opportunity you can to put..
I was thinking about it the other day and realized Ralph's has over 500 years..
Hardwood is what we do best at Ralph`s and most of the time it is the..
We are in the midst of renovating our showroom and I am really looking forward..
I am consistently amazed how many people come to Ralph’s and tell me they..
We really love our hardwood floor showroom. Not only is it a great place to..
In this two-part blog we explain how a beautiful tree in the forest becomes..
In this two-part blog we explain how a beautiful tree in the forest becomes..
Here at Ralph's Hardwood, we love wood and we think all wood floors are..
Who says a workout space has to feel like a sweaty gym? All parts of a home..
For as long as I can remember, American red oak and American white oak have..
One of the great pleasures of working at a hardwood flooring company is..
Without question, conversion varnishes—also known as a “Swedish finishes”—are..
Choosing the right hardwood floors for your home is a very personal thing...
Manufacturers of prefinished hardwood flooring like to tout the decades-long..
More and more new homes being built these days feature open floorplans, and..
When customers come to us looking for new hardwood floors for their home, we..
Ten years ago, if someone asked us about whitewashed hardwood flooring, we..
There’s a tendency for customers to think of “customer service” as something..
Kitchens are a great place for hardwood flooring. They’re also a perfect..
It wasn’t so many years ago that I used to steer customers away from..
When we install hardwood floors, we occasionally get requests to orient the..
For centuries, you had to use solid plank hardwood flooring if you wanted..
When it’s time for a new vehicle, I love going to the car lot to look at all..
A hardwood staircase is a wonderful accompaniment to a beautiful hardwood..
A great way you can accent your hardwood flooring to reflect your tastes and..
I’m happy to say that Ralph’s is busier than ever.
However, new business..
Keeping hardwood floors clean makes them look more attractive and can be..
If you want to add a little extra visual excitement to your hardwood flooring,..
The “look” of hardwood flooring is something that’s hard to put a finger on...
If you’re looking to install high-quality hardwood flooring in your home, the..
Most people like things that are shiny.
Shiny new cars. Shiny jewelry. Shiny..
A few weeks ago, I wrote about us winning a Best of Customer Service Award..
A recent trend in hardwood flooring is the use of long boards. Homeowners, home..
Like many people, I find myself thinking about romance as Valentine’s Day..
Hardwood flooring planks are growing wider.
Planks just a little over 2” used..
At Ralph’s, we pride ourselves on first-rate customer service. Throughout our..
Winter’s here with a blast, and the cold winds and snow are blowing. Time to..
As trees are sawn into hardwood flooring planks, the way in which the wood is..
Every time I walk through a big-box store and see their selection of..
Do you like the way hardwood floors look and want them in your home, but you..
I stopped by a friend’s condo the other day, and as always when I visit her,..
“Durability” in hardwood floors refers to how long the floor can look good..
I love how Christmas and New Year’s bring family and friends together. My..
Hardwood floors are not only beautiful, they’re an investment that needs..
At Ralph’s Hardwood Floors, we’ve worked extremely hard to earn a reputation..
It’s not at all unusual for homeowners to want to add new hardwood flooring..
As 2015 draws to close, we’ve been reflecting on the many exciting jobs..
We get a lot of questions about whether radiant heat can be used with hardwood..
Natural oil finishes are staging a comeback as more homeowners seek natural..
At Ralph’s Hardwood Floors, we want all our jobs to go smoothly...
Hickory is one of the hardest trees found in North America, making it one of..
Birch is a popular alternative to the two most popular domestic species, Maple..
We get a lot of compliments about the beauty of the floors we install. Those..
If you remember a hardwood floor from your childhood, there’s a good chance it..
All year long, as Ralph’s Hardwoods Floors has been celebrating its 50th year..
The finish is an essential aspect of a beautiful hardwood floor. Not only does..
American Walnut, also known as Black Walnut, is loved for the warmth its dark..
Other than being popular sitcoms about teenage friends growing up, what do ..
American Red Oak is as traditional as it gets. Since the 1800s, it has..
In this final blog in our seires on using hardwood floors in popular..
Throughout 2015 we’ve been celebrating the 50th anniversary of Ralph’s..
When you have hardwood flooring installed, you’re faced with an essential..
As we continue our series on using hardwood floors in popular interior design..
Dianne Smith has wanted to restore the hardwood floors in her home for years.
When the humidity fluctuates in a room, or an entire home, hardwood flooring..
In this installment of our series on using hardwood floors in popular interior..
We’ve done work for a lot of fascinating people during our 50 years in..
Continuing with our series on using hardwood floors in interior design styles..
With hardwood flooring, “grade” refers to the amount of color variation..
People have been using hardwood as walls for many years, often very plainly..
A couple visited our showroom last fall, very excited about getting new..
The hardwood floor finishes on the market today are “not your grandfather’s,”..
Welcome to the first in our series of blogs on using hardwood flooring to..
Young people today can be forgiven if they don’t realize the friendly,..
A couple visiting the Ralph’s showroom recently asked me, “What type of..
This time of year, we always get a lot of traffic in our showroom.
That makes..
In February, Ralph’s Hardwood Floors announced the winner of our “Ugliest..
I got a call recently from a homeowner who had heard good things about..
The history of parquet hardwood floors can be traced back to 17th Century..
March madness is here, the Badgers are a number-one seed, and I’m ready for..
Are you tired of the cold, ice, and snow? I know I am. It’s that time of year..
Hardwood floors have a timeless appeal, and they never go out of style...
Ralph’s Hardwoods Floors recently held a contest on Facebook to find the..
Today is Valentine’s Day—not exactly a day that makes most people think of..
In our 50 years of installing and restoring hardwood floors in northeast..
As we get into 2015, we’re seeing the continued momentum of several hardwood..
Once when I was a working for my father at Ralph’s Hardwood Floors, Dad asked..
Fifty years ago, my father, Ralph Lorenz, took the courageous step of leaving..
I know a lot of people who just can’t wait for the U.S. season premiere of ..
In 2015, Ralph’s Hardwood Floors marks its 50th anniversary! To celebrate,..
Every Christmas, I take my family out to cut down a Christmas tree. It’s a..
Ralph’s Hardwoods Floors is turning 50!
In 1965, Ralph Lorenz, opened our..
I love living in Wisconsin, but I have to admit, I don’t look forward to the..
We’re often asked which hardwood floors are the most durable.
To answer that..
Most people have turkey on their table on Thanksgiving Day. But is there also a..
Last month, my wife and I took a “color trip” around the state, checking out..
Hardwood floors are popular for many reasons—with their unique beauty and..
One year for Halloween, I took my daughters to one of those “haunted houses”..
As a pet lover and proud owner of Kira and Charlie, I have a soft spot in my..
After finishing a job, a customer once told us “You guys are real Houdinis.”
..
How’s this for a Hollywood plot?
In the early 1900s, a world-famous American..
When you have a busy family, the choices you make for your home are really..
New hardwood floors are a beautiful sight before the furniture’s been moved..
If you’re installing hardwood floors in a home in Wisconsin, you’re in a..
The finish is one of the most important aspects of a beautiful hardwood..
We often get visitors to our showroom because they’ve heard good things about..
We’ve got an upcoming project that we’re very pleased to do—helping the Grace..
It's almost that time again, and everyone in the building trade is getting..
One of the things that helped me get through this particularly long, brutal..
When you’re selecting the type of flooring you want in your home, you’ll of..
While surfing the Internet recently, I came across an article from a website of..
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Before After*Although these are not photos.. |
Summertime in small town America, oh the memories!!! Today you can experience..
Most hardwood floor installations go very smoothly, but every once in a while,..
Summertime’s coming (we think), and if you are one of the lucky people with..
I grew up working at Ralph’s Hardwood Floors, the company my father founded..
If you’re getting ready to install hardwood floors in your home—or to refinish..
It is human nature to wrestle with whether to buy what we really want as..
Rugs are far from an afterthought when it comes to finished hardwood flooring..
My wife and I are friends with a young couple, the Johnsons, who have three..
Natural hardwood colors vary tremendously between species, and you also have..
We love solid plank hardwood flooring, and the majority of our customers chose..
Hardwood floors are getting really groovy these days.
I don’t mean “groovy”..
North America is blessed with wonderful trees for hardwood floors. But there’s..
I was riding down the road the other day when The Rolling Stones’ classic,..
Not long ago, we got a call from a really nice couple who asked us to come..
We have been in the hardwood floor business for over 49 years now, and we..
There’s no question that oak flooring is the most popular hardwood floor..
An enthusiastic middle-aged couple came into our showroom recently, trying to..
Usually when you buy something, the newer it looks the better. But that’s not..
Finished hardwood flooring keeps growing in popularity. An increasing number..
I’ve lived in Wisconsin all my life, so cold, snowy weather is a normal part..
Having a great-looking hardwood floor installed involves two basic elements:
We love seeing the delighted looks on the faces of our customers after they..
Hardwood floors are so durable that they can easily last the lifetime of a..
Christmas gifts for kids sure have changed—nowadays it seems they all need..
Even the best finished hardwood flooring starts to look worn out over time...
If you love the character and style of hardwood floors, why not have them in..
There’s nothing I enjoy more than settling in for Christmas at home with my..
If you have new finished hardwood flooring in your home—congratulations! It’s..
Christmas is right around the corner, and like most people this time of year,..
Do you like to express your personality?
Most people do, especially when it..
Ask anyone in the hardwood floor industry and they’ll tell you that hardwood..
It seems to me the world would be a much better place if..
Maybe it's because of the emergence of do-it-yourself websites and countless..
One very effective way of adding personality to your custom hardwood floors is..
Many people fall in love with dark hardwood colors. Rich, dark finished..
I recently needed to buy a grease gun for my lawnmower, which has five spots..
Back in 1970, my Mom got a new watch. When she saw it, she was in a good mood,..
Known for excellence, Wisconsin and the surrounding states produce some of the..
If you vision includes hardwood floors with a distinctive look, you may be..
As a kid and a young man, I loved sports. I was on the basketball team in high..
Color and personality seem to go together. A person’s favorite color often..
You've done some researching on line and you have found all this discussion..
If you love hardwood floors and live in North America, you’re in the right..
Finding a finish system that gives consistently beautiful results is a very..
Color and personality seem to go together. A person’s favorite color often..
Every hardwood floors has a texture—whether it’s smooth and sleek, rough and..
We want to recoat after it shows signs of..
I was talking to my 12-year-old daughter the other day, and she had pop..
Many people fall in love with dark hardwood colors. Rick, dark finished..
When wood is milled into boards for hardwood flooring, there are several..
If you’re in the market for finished hardwood flooring, you have so many..
In “Field of Dreams,” Kevin Costner’s character, Ray, sees a vision of a..
I was at a dinner party recently when one of the guests started talking to me..
Not long before Christmas, my 7-year-old daughter was playing on the Internet,..
Point2Homes recently analyzed 300,000 real estate listings from 2012 to find..
Every hardwood floor creates a distinct feel. It might be cozy, casual,..
When building a home with finished wood floors or installing them in an..
In our two previous posts about how to compare hardwood flooring, we discussed..
If you’re like most people evaluating hardwood flooring options, you naturally..
Thank you for your interest. This promotion is now closed.
With our..
The reputation of each of our builder partners is tied to how well we do our..
When building or renovating a home, selecting hardwood flooring is great..
When customers walk into our showroom looking for expert advice on how to get..
Many customers who come into our hardwood floors showroom ask about..
One of the major custom hardwood flooring trends we’re seeing is the growing..
Is the cost of installing or restoring hardwood floors matched by a..
"The United States of America" is music to my ears. At..
One of the great appeals of custom hardwood flooring is its distinctiveness,..
Remember how great your finished wood floors looked when they were new? Take a..
As trees are harvested and milled into hardwood flooring planks, the way in..
If you travel around rural America, you’ll see plenty of abandoned old barns..
Finished hardwood floors that have been made to look rustic, old, and worn are..
Building your dream home starts with your vision. You’re the one who knows..
If you’ve decided to install sand-on-site hardwood floors in your home, or if..
Hardwood floor installation is a craft that requires considerable expertise,..
When customers walk into our showroom looking for expert advice on how to get..
When my kids were small, they had such a great time pulling out the “Where’s..
Intuitively, it would seem that a 25-year-warranty for prefinished wood..
As you shop for hardwood floors to install in your new or existing home,..
Have you ever heard the saying, “God is in the details”? The point is that a..
When selecting a wood floor, engineered floors may be a great option. Before..
There are many reasons for choosing a hardwood floor, they look great and can..
Bamboo flooring is an increasingly popular choice for homeowners who want to..
Years ago you installed hardwood floors. They were stunning and added visual..
If you’re preparing to install or refinish hardwood floors, you’re already..
If you’re getting ready to build or renovate a home, you may have a “floor of..
We have the good fortune at Ralph’s Hardwoods to be located in Wisconsin...
New or refinished hardwood floors aren't difficult to care for. However, they..
Last week I had the pleasure of visiting the home of Pat and Rhonda, who are..
Treatments for maintaining your wood hardwood floors vary in cost, time, and..
A fundamental rule in caring for hardwood floors is to keep them dry. Yet on..
Recently a customer of ours, Gary, stopped by Ralph's..
Once you have your hardwood floors installed, it’s time to start thinking..
A few years ago, my dad approached me about golfing in a local charity event..
Congratulations to Tom Walters, winner of our recent Kindle Fire promotion...
From Australian Spotted Gum to Zimbabwean Bamboo, exotic hardwoods come from..
The idea of dustless sanding sounds like a fantasy but it is real and has real..
When replacing old flooring or installing a new floor, it's important to look..
While driving home the other day, I saw the marquis at Today's Furniture..
Congratulations to Susan Beaver, winner of our recent iPad promotion. Susan..
...in a home in Wisconsin? Ok so maybe it isn't the best start for a joke but..
You finally have made the decision to replace that old floor. The thing is the..
We have had a very busy couple of weeks here at Ralph's. Our crews have been..
In this article in Hardwood Floors Magazine, internationally renowned..
In the wood flooring industry, staining means the color of the wood. For all..
Ralph's Hardwood Floor Company, Inc.
404 W. State Street (Hwy 54)
Black Creek, WI 54106
Phone: 920 984 3383
Toll free: 800 354 9902
info@ralphshardwood.com
Showroom Hours: Mon-Fri 8-5, Sat 8-12