Blog
The Oshkosh Designs blog is home to the latest design ideas, trends, product information, tips and resources from the flooring and interior design industry. We want to help you create the home or office of your dreams with the perfect hardwood floor, wall accent or piece of home décor. Contact us today to speak to an expert if you have any questions or see something you like in one of our articles!
Tips on Choosing and Placing a Medallion
Medallions are striking, memorable accent pieces. Though wood, stone, and mixed-media medallions can serve as standalone works of art, they’re designed to be fitted into floors. Not only are they attractive in their own right, they can also serve to...
All About Wood Grades
If you walk through a forest, you’ll notice very little uniformity among trees. In woodworking, however, uniformity is desirable, both for functional and aesthetic reasons. This is especially true of wood flooring. Hundreds, if not thousands, of individual...
How Milling Affects Wood’s Appearance
You probably recall learning how counting the rings on a log will help determine the age of the tree it came from. These annual rings are what give planks of lumber the grain lines we associate with cut wood. The way wood is cut has a significant effect on...
Sustainable Hardwood Harvesting: A Win-Win
If you’re environmentally conscious and considering renovation, you’ve probably found yourself in the difficult position of weighing aesthetic considerations against environmental ones. You want to try to live sustainably, but of course you also want your...
Moisture and Your Wood Floors
One of the biggest advantages of hardwood floors is their extremely long life. Nearly any well-maintained hardwood product can last hundreds of years. That said, wood must be cared for. One of the biggest threats to the integrity of wood floors is...
Adding Texture and Character to Your Wood Floors
The general trend in hardwood flooring over the past several years is a move away from formal décor towards spaces with a homier, more lived-in look. Rustic chic, for example, has been steadily gaining in popularity and shows no signs of slowing. Floors...
Wood Species Spotlight: American Black Walnut and Peruvian Walnut
The unique character of every hardwood floor is largely a result of the species of wood used. In this month’s Wood Species Spotlight, we focus on two popular and attractive species, both from the same family: American black walnut and Peruvian walnut....
Flooring Tips for Small Spaces
If you’ve ever lived in a dormitory or a studio apartment, you know that there is a fine line between cozy and cramped. Choosing a wood floor for a small room presents a number of unique challenges. Because you literally have less room to work with,...
Wood Species Spotlight: Northern Red Oak
When choosing a wood floor or any wood product for your home or office, one of the most important factors to consider is the type of wood to use. The species you choose for your floor will determine not only its appearance, but also its cost, how it will age, and what...
Modern Woodcutting: CNC Routers vs. Lasers
When choosing a wood floor, wall paneling, or custom wood inlay, knowing what kind of tools were used to cut and shape the final product can give you a better understanding of – and appreciation for – its craftsmanship. Was the piece you’re considering cut...