Use of Stain Pens for Wood Flooring

This Technical Bulletin serves as official notice of the following information about Shaw Industries’ wood flooring products. It is very important that the Shaw salesperson, dealer, consumer and installer all understand what is communicated below.

The process by which Shaw Industries’ wood flooring products are finished is sufficient and any additional appreciable staining or coating is generally not needed. That said, due to the characteristics of many of our distressed and rustic products, it is reasonably common for there to be instances where stain does not make it all the way down into the deep distressings and character of the wood. Further, the handscraping and distressing processes can cause small areas of the wood (splinters, chips, slivers) to be in tact during finishing only to release from the board some time afterward during processing or handling. The finishing process in our manufacturing facilities is highly automated and robust to the manufacture of many different styles and species of wood. While this automation and robustness serves Shaw and the customer well by keeping manufacturing costs at a minimum, it can allow for some small, limited areas that will require filled touch ups.

Shaw Floors recommends repairing hardwood scratches with products provided by Mohawk Finishing Products, the Original Touch Up Company(TM).

Touch Up Markers & Graining Pencils (mohawkproducts.com

Also, black or brown permanent markers can serve well in this capacity. These stain pens and markers are a normal tool found in professional installer’s tool boxes and are used to touch up any possible damage that may have occurred during handling, installation or post-installation activities. These same pens and markers can be used to touch up the aforementioned stain voids. The need for minor touch ups as described above does not affect the warranty or the performance of the flooring in any way and should be considered normal activity related to the professional installation of any wood product.