Before you specify or install your next wood floor, a few minutes on the National Wood Flooring Association's Web site might be a good idea. At www.nwfaonline.com, users have access to tons of specifier-friendly information, including tips on selecting wood species and grains, installation techniques, a wood flooring library and guidelines for protecting wood floors.
One of the most useful and interactive features is the Design-A-Room area. Builders, architects and interior designers can "install" different species and styles in a specific room to visualize -- or explain to a client -- what a room will look like. In a sample foyer, living room, bedroom or kitchen, users can choose from 10 wood species and specify how the flooring appears on screen: horizontally, vertically, or left or right diagonally. The new room then appears on the screen. Users can design two side-by-side rooms at one time.