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Author name: George

Hardwood Floor Install

Are Hardwood Floors With Brighter Tones Better Than Darker?

Stains and tones /

Lighter tones on a hardwood floor were the standard when they 1st started mass-producing prefinished hardwood floors. Being that Oak is the more prevalent species here in the U.S., a natural red or white oak hardwood floor is pretty much what you’d see in the majority of homes. Therefore, when looking to go with a lighter tone on the hardwood floor, Oak flooring can convey that look as well as add a sense of warmth and character. Oak flooring has plenty variations which is a plus as the different tones can help compliment furniture and other woodwork. For this reason Oak is a versatile choice when looking at the lighter toned wood species. Maple is another species of wood with a very light and bright natural tone but is very uniform. The main Maple tone, which can be described as a light tan, has the tendency to yellow over the years. Something to keep in mind when considering Maple for a big project. Oak will also go through a mellowing process but instead of much yellowing the Oak will begin to show a slightly darker tone. For anyone who likes a light toned hardwood floor but wants a ton a variation and a very rustic feel, Hickory would definitely be the way to go. With this wood you will get light colored boards along side medium brown colored boards which all makes for a very exciting and inviting feel. It’s also a very hard and dense wood that is plenty durable. Another species that is rarely discussed and offers a naturally lighter tone is Birch. I think the reason it’s not as well known is because of the fact that it is slightly softer than Red Oak. This means it might not be the best choice if you’re putting the hardwood floor in a high-traffic area. But, for any other project, Birch has a beautiful light tone that can brighten up any room. It also has a lot of variation which gives it a lot of character.

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Hardwood Floor Install and Sanding

Essential Tips To Maintain Your Hardwood Floor

repairs and maintenence /

The major selling point for hardwood flooring is that they are durable and easy to maintain. Now, hardwood floors aren’t just going to take care of themselves, they need some help from the owner! Here I have compiled a list of essential products and techniques that will help your clients preserve their hardwood floors so they can go the distance. These tips will enhance the performance of the floor, will prolong the lifetime of the floor, will promote long-term sustainability of raw materials, and ultimately, will protect their investment. And here they are… Cleaning – Routine cleaning involves sweeping, dust mopping, or vacuuming and is absolutely essential for overall hardwood flooring maintenance. Notice I said dust mopping and not wet mopping. Please do tell your clients never to mop their hardwood floors! I’ve had many customers insist on using water or water/vinegar when mopping their hardwood floors but this is not a good idea at all! Water will damage the finish as well as the hardwood itself and vinegar will definitely wear down the urethane finish. Best to use a dry swiffer type mop with a hardwood floor cleaning solution made by Bruce or Bona.Shoes off, please – Out on the road we can get little pebbles and other debris stuck to the bottom of our shoes. These can leave scratches and unsightly wear on the hardwood floors. Taking shoes off ensures theses and other flooring enemies won’t be an issue.Area rugs about the house – By adding area rugs to your hardwood floors, you not only enhance the aesthetic appeal of your rooms but also provide a layer of protection to your floors. Area rugs help to prevent scratches and scuffs caused by foot traffic or furniture movement.They also add warmth to your space, making it feel more cozy and inviting. Area rugs even act as a sound buffer, reducing unwanted noise and echoes throughout the space. Furniture Pads – These are essential for avoiding scratches, dents or scuffs caused by sliding furniture. For some odd reason my wife likes to rearrange the furniture every couple months, I think it’s a Feng-sui thing..and she does it all by herself! Thankfully we have felt pads underneath everything otherwise my floors would be a mess! Sliding legs of chairs and tables will eventually leave wear so these pads are a must!Buff and Coat – Now this approach is a little involved. Firstly, this is not a DIY type of project. Better to trust a pros (like us) to determine if a hardwood floor would benefit from a buff and coat and if the answer is yes, let a pro (us) do it. This involves using a light grit sandpaper with a buffer so to remove the old, worn-down urethane finish in order to apply a fresh coat or two (preferably two). This approach will not remove deep scratches and wear nor will it resolve any discoloration issues. This approach is more for hardwood floors that are still in very good shape but just need some life brought back to them. Once done, a buff and coat should give a hardwood floor another 10 years or so until they’d need to be addressed again.

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hardwood floors dogs

Hardwood Flooring and Dogs, Can They Get Along?

repairs and maintenence /

Many of my customers have pets, and they would love to have hardwood floors that stand up well to dog claws. Can dogs and hardwood co-exist? It’s a challenging question to answer because all hardwood will dent and scratch over time – it’s just a matter of how much and at what degree will it show. But, I don’t think this is a reason for your pet-owning clients to avoid getting hardwood floors. Usually, this question is less of an issue for with cats and more of a concern with dogs, especially active dogs. And, while there are things you can do w/ your pets (e.g. clip or file nails), I’m going to focus on hardwoods that can take a better beating and will last longer. Sounds like a no-brainer but needs to be said – avoid the soft woods like Pine, American Cherry, American Walnut and even Bamboo. These softer woods will dent very easily – even without dogs or kids. They look beautiful, but they are not very practical. And, ironically, most are more expensive (because fewer people buy them and there is lower supply). Note: American Cherry and Walnut are different than like Brazilian Cherry and Brazilian Walnut. American = soft; Brazilian = hard.Another tip is to use solid hardwood floors over engineered. Solid hardwood is often better quality and most engineered hardwood floors have a limited number of sandings. It’s always good to have an insurance plan, and your clients will have stronger peace of mind with solid, since they can refinish solid hardwood floors if they get deep scratches or pet stains.Something else that can help – take your clients to take their shoes off. A lot of customers blame their pets for scratches, but often we do more damage to our floors than our pets do. While high heels are often not wonderful for hardwood floor, the biggest culprit is not the shoes themselves, but rather what gets caught in the shoes. It’s those pebbles and dirt that get caught in our shoes that cause most of the scratches. If dogs roam the house it’s probably best to go with a distressed look. This is a stylized look that some customers love and others hate. This look is not for everyone. But, here’s why it’s good for pets…it shows the scratches and dents less because that’s how the wood is designed – the dent looks like it fits right in. Likewise, hardwood that has more knots and character marks will hide the dents and scratches more. Which brings up a floor’s finish. The more subtle the finish the better. A higher gloss will show the scratches and wear more so than a muted finish. Stain color should be a consideration as well. The darker you go, the more it will show. Sticking with a medium to light tone with a fairly busy grain pattern (like oak) is the best bet!

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hardwood flooring stains

Hardwood Flooring Can Promote Beautiful Earth Tones!

Stains and tones /

Earth tones are always a popular choice for home-owners when they are shopping for a hardwood floor. Gray has had a pretty good run and is still sought after but earth tones are a timeless choice. Earth tones bring warmth and transmit a sense of comfort to the home. They also work well with most furniture. Here are some examples of earth tones available on prefinished hardwood floors. These stains can also be duplicated to be used on existing hardwood floors for refinishing projects. The above pic is of a beautiful hardwood floor made from European Oak. The stain itself is conveniently named “Earth” and this particular floor comes in an engineered construction with a 7″ width. As you can see the tone is very rich and warm with almost a chocolaty appearance. Since it’s on the darker side, a stain like this would work well in homes with sizable rooms and plenty of natural light. I really love hardwood floors that have rich earth tones with just a touch of grey in them. I think it’s the perfect mix of traditional and contemporary. The above floor is named “Ash” and comes in both solid and engineered. Imagine how well this particular stain would work in the more modern designs/decors of today. This floor would also look great in a kitchen with white cabinets and trim and medium dark countertops. Real nice. For a rich and earthy brown tone with just a touch of red, check out this Hickory floor available in both solid and engineered. Hickory always provides for a lot of variation so this floor can throw a lot of different tones around the room. Plus, Hickory is a very hard and durable wood so there is another plus. Now, if this particular stain were produced to be applied on an Oak hardwood floor, you might get more red than brown so keep that in mind. In fact, always keep in mind the fact that the species of wood a stain is being applied on has everything to do with how the tone will come out.

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Hardwood Floor Installation and Refinishing Blue Bell PA

Is A Hardwood Floor A Good Investment For Your Home?

news and facts /

Of all the upgrades and remodel projects a home-owner can take on, Hardwood Flooring gives both the best return on the investment and delivers the most satisfaction above all the other work one can do! Home-owners remodel to upgrade worn-out surfaces and to bring new life to existing features in a home. No one wants to look at an old scratched-up hardwood floor and further use/traffic will only make it look older and more damaged. Sure, carpet is warm and fuzzy but you won’t get a warm and fuzzy while walking on nasty old carpet! Once the deal is closed, most home-owners can’t wait to get rid of it and put down a new hardwood floor. When they do so, they have an increased sense of enjoyment when home. So, not only do home-owners get their money back (and then some) when addressing the hardwood floors, they appreciate their homes more after they do it. * Cost Recovery – 147% on Hardwood Floor Refinishing, 118% on new Hardwood Flooring Installs! * 100% of home-owners have a greater desire to be at home after completing the project! * 64% have an increased sense of enjoyment at the home after hardwood floors are addressed! * 64% feel a major sense of accomplishment after doing their hardwood floors! Some examples on the ROI – if a home-owner were to spend $3400 to have the floors refinished, NAR estimates $5000 in recovered cost. At 118% ROI on hardwood flooring installs, if one should spend $5500 on a new floor, NAR estimates $6500 recovered cost! Of course a kitchen remodel is a big “to-do” but for ROI it pales in comparison to hardwood floors, only 67%! The most disappointing stat I found was that it’s only 22% of Realtors that recommend refinishing the hardwood floors prior to listing. For a new hardwood floor installation, it’s only 13%. Now I understand there can be a lot of factors involved with this but with these kinds of numbers on ROI, hardwood floors should be at the top of the list on the scope of work. Either way, it’s clear that hardwood floors give the best return on money as well as highest level of satisfaction.

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hardwood floor refinishing

Do Hardwood Floors Improve Air Quality?

news and facts /

Individually there is only so much we can do in regards to the air quality outside of our homes. But when it comes to the inside, picking the right materials can ensure the air inside the home is free from irritants and allergens. Hardwood Flooring can achieve this! Wood floors contribute to better air quality because they don’t collect the dust and dirt that are often embedded in carpet. Further, carpet can hide the harmful bacteria, mold spores and pet dander. We consistently track pollutants into our homes from outside, including pesticides and other harmful chemicals. Wood floors tend not to accumulate these pollutants, nor does walking on the floors release these toxins into the air. Ventilation is also improved with hardwood floors, as they do not obstruct air flow. This can be particularly beneficial for individuals with respiratory issues or allergies. The natural properties of wood also play a role in regulating humidity levels, which helps to deter the growth of mold and mildew. Wood floors also stay pretty dry. Rugs and some tile floors can get damp which leads to mold growing. Mold makes indoor air really unhealthy to breathe. But sealed wood floors don’t let moisture in much so mold can’t grow and ruin the air quality. Having smooth solid floors with no carpets means less stuff trapped underneath. A room with wood floors looks and feels airier. That fresh open feeling comes from the easier air flow too. No more lingering odors of whatever’s lurking deep in the pile of carpet hair.Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) are chemicals that can vaporize into the air, potentially leading to adverse health effects. Many synthetic flooring materials release VOCs over time, contributing to indoor air pollution. Hardwood floors, being a natural product, have lower VOC emissions compared to some synthetic alternatives. When choosing hardwood flooring, especially those with low levels of finishing chemicals, homeowners can minimize their exposure to harmful VOCs, creating a cleaner and healthier living space. It feels good to be able to provide a product that not only will give the home a warm and natural beauty, but will also contribute to the well-being of all who live in the home. So now that we’ve cleared the air, give us a call next time you’re in the market for a hardwood floor.

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Hardwood Floors Can Come In A Variety Of Gloss Levels

Stains and tones /

Over the 20 years I’ve been working in people’s homes I’ve noticed that everyone has a different take when it comes to how much gloss they want to see on their hardwood floors. Some folks like to see a high or semi-gloss that looks clean and vibrant. Others prefer a matte or satin finish with little to no gloss at all! What seems to always be foremost in their minds is which will be easiest to clean and maintain… Truth of it is….is…..the more gloss you have on your floors, the more the wear and tear will show. A higher gloss can illuminate scratches and knicks you’ll get throughout the years. Any home with pets and kids running around should definitely avoid a higher gloss..maybe even a semi… The most common gloss levels available are: * High Gloss – Pretty self-explanatory. Like a mirror on the floor… * Semi-Gloss – A nice in between. Gives the floor a nice clean look but will still be easy to maintain. * Satin – This is the most sought-after finish lately. Great for older/rustic floors or any floor with a grey or dark stain. Does well at hiding wear. * Matte -No sheen whatsoever. This finish works well for those looking for that muted/unfinished wood look. Beyond the tone of the stain, another consideration might be how much natural light the house receives. If a house has darker walls and little natural light coming in they may do better with at least a semi-gloss to help distribute some light around so things don’t look so drab. BTW, I had a huge response from my post regarding the LED finishing process we now offer. That particular finish is very versatile as you can have spot repairs done even months/years after the job is done. That is not possible for standard urethane finishes. Also  comes in all the standard gloss-levels. Just to clarify, gloss-level in no way effects the durability of a finish…which is a misconception some folks have.. In summery, if you like a little pizazz on your hardwood floor then go with a nice sheen to give you that bright look. Now, if you’ve gone dark or grey and have much traffic on your floors, best to stick with a satin or matte.

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