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hardwood flooring installation

Hardwood Flooring Putty Can Be Very Helpful..

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There are a lot of hardwood flooring companies out there but what we do differently is pay special attention to prep and finish work. A lot of guys/gals can throw down a hardwood floor or run a sander and brush some stain on but it’s the attention to detail that makes us stand apart from the others. Prep work is all about identifying certain conditions, either with the product or the jobsite, that could compromise the quality of the job. As I’ve mentioned before, these include ensuring the subfloor is dry and level, checking for any defects in the hardwood flooring and looking for any hazards that could cause problems down the road.  Then there are techniques that can really bring the “Wow” factor. On site-finished jobs, we apply wood putty to fill in any gaps or holes so that once the hardwood floor is sanded, stained and finished the floor will look tight and consistent. Applying the putty prior to staining/finishing ensures the putty will blend in with the wood as it will take the stain. On prefinished hardwood flooring installs, we pay special attention to the milling of the hardwood itself. If not milled precisely there will be unsightly gaps between boards which will need to be filled. Though there are wood puttys that are made to match many popular hardwood flooring stains, the less wood putty we have to use the better the floor will look. Another way we pay close attention to detail is a technique called board racking. Being that most hardwood flooring comes in random lengths, it is important to organize and arrange the boards in a way so to ensure in no area will there be a collection of boards of the same size. You can’t just open up a carton/bundle one at a time and start installing. We open all the cartons/bundles in a room and rack the boards so there is variation in lengths which will give a sense of flow and not look choppy. The trim installed after the floor is down is what really brings it all together and can make or break a job. When installing shoe/quarter round molding along the perimeter, we are careful to putty and caulk all nail holes and gaps which gives the trim a real tight look that complements the floor. It also takes a keen eye to sit transition pieces down nice and flush so they don’t look crooked or god forbid become a tripping hazard.  On site-finishing and refinishing jobs we are careful with how we apply the finish when we are finished. I’m not even finished, let me tell you how! Firstly, we control the area so there is no dust travel while applying the urethane. Nothing worse than doing an excellent job at sanding and staining only to have dust embedded in the finish at the end of the job. We are also careful as to which applicators we use as some perform better than others. Even the application of the urethane takes some technique. It takes a smooth hand and a sharp eye to make sure the coverage is even so to avoid any blemishes. Again paying special attention to these and other details is what makes us outshine the competition. If your clients aren’t raving up and down about when we’re finished then shame on us. But, with our special attention to the start and finish, we are confident in knowing the end result will be another job well done.

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That Annoying Bevel In Between Hardwood Floor Boards Explained..

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In case you’re not familiar with the term, that line between the boards of a hardwood floor is called the bevel. There are a couple options available when it comes to the bevel. There are beveled-edge floors, micro-beveled edge and square-edged. It’s not always just a question of esthetics when considering a bevel…there are practical matters to consider as well… Beveled-edge floors are the ones that catch all the dirt and dust in the bevel and never look clean. It’s more of an old-fashioned construction and because of the fact mentioned above, they are not as popular as they once were and some manufacturers don’t even offer them anymore. Beveled-edge floors can also make the floor look choppy and don’t give a sense of flow like the other floors do. But again, the biggie here is all that gunk that gets caught in that bevel. I get calls all the time from home-owners looking for advice on how to get them clean. The only thing that can be done is a refinishing of the floor which would eliminate that eye-sore. The bevel would remain but the gunk would be gone. Micro-beveled floors are much more desirable, IMO. Some floors and certain species of wood look better with a little bit of definition between the boards. Some of the cleaner looking species of wood, like maple, can look almost too continuous without at least a micro-bevel. Being that the bevel itself is much tighter than a full bevel, there is no risk of accumulation of dirt/dust. Micro-bevels are the most common between all the options available. Then there are square-edged hardwood floors. These floors have no bevel and feature a tight fit between the boards. They are usually a bit more expensive than micro-bevel floors, but not by much. Almost all of the unfinished hardwood floors offered today come with a squared-edge. *** This is something to note should you or a client look to add hardwood to an adjoining room. If the existing floor has either a full or micro bevel, there may be a noticeable difference between the two floors. Unfortunately, sanding the floor does not completely eliminate the bevel.***

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hardwood floor

Watch Out for Pests That Can Damage Your Hardwood Floors!

repairs and maintenence /

There are 3 different types of living creatures that can be real pests for a hardwood floor. Since a hardwood floor is a considerable investment, it’s wise to be aware of these perils and take action should one find evidence of their existence.The EPA estimates that more than 2 billion dollars is spent annually treating wood-damaging pests. As real estate agents you are familiar with one of these buggers, the dreaded termite! They can do so much damage to a house that looking for them is a key component of a home inspection. But there are two other wood-damaging pests that we will look at as well. Here I will tell you what evidence to look out for so you and your clients can protect your investment. Termites –  Termites are the most destructive pest when it comes to wood damage. They eat wood, and their bodies convert the wood fiber into sugar. In only a few years, a colony of subterranean termites can destroy the entire structure of a house. And because they eat wood from the inside out, their damage isn’t immediately noticeable, and it can sometimes take quite awhile for a homeowner to even notice their presence. This compromises the structural integrity of wood until there’s nothing of substance left in it. It’s important to get your hardwood inspected for termites regularly so that you can prevent impending damage while there’s still time. Signs of termite damage include hollow-sounding wood, buckling floors, and visible tunnels or galleries in the wood. Also, if you notice any swarms of winged insects indoors, discarded wings, or pencil-thin mud tubes on exterior walls, you most likely have a termite problem. Powderpost Beetles –These are wood-boring insects that damage both hardwoods and softwoods. Their damage to hardwood flooring happens when their larvae bore into the wood through surface cracks. First, the adult beetle lays its eggs on the wood surface, then the larva bores through. The holes are created when the adult beetle emerges from its underground “womb”, and they can also cause a lot of damage from within the flooring, too. They can bore a million holes in the wooden mass and also weaken the flooring from within. Signs of powder post beetle damage include small holes in the wood, fine sawdust or “frass” around the holes, and weakened or crumbly wood. Carpenter antsThese ants are often mistaken for termites, but they do not eat wood. Instead, they burrow into it to create nests. While they do not cause as much damage as termites or powderpost beetles, they can still weaken the wood and cause it to become structurally unsound. Signs of carpenter ant damage include small holes in the wood, sawdust or debris around the holes, and rustling or tapping sounds coming from the walls or floors.Please pass this info on to your clients so they know what to look out for! Wood is too good to let it be ruined by these buggers. But in the event that you have a client that wants to address some existing damage, or needs a different kind of hardwood flooring service, you know where to send them!

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Hardwood floors in kitchen

Is Hardwood Flooring in the Kitchen a Good or Bad Idea?

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One of the major selling points of hardwood flooring is that fact that it provides a continuous look that is able to tie several rooms together, if not the entire house itself. Many times one of the rooms will be a kitchen, and this is where things can get touchy. The kitchen is the most heavily used room in the house, bar none. This automatically means it will get the most amount of foot traffic which makes the floors susceptible to wear. Beyond that, there is a lot going on in the kitchen; you’ve got appliances that leak, pots and pans that can fall and cause damage and even liquids that can drip on the hardwood floors and cause stains and discoloration. When we get calls for repairs, the problem area is almost always the kitchen. Again, boards buckling from a leaky appliance, dark spots near the sink caused from accumulation of water droplets, etc. Since hardwood flooring a kitchen can be problematic, should it be avoided? I say – yes and no. No if the kitchen is open and connected to the other rooms. Yes if the kitchen is tucked-away or positioned in a way that going with another type of flooring won’t break up the sense of flow. That may sound shocking coming from a hardwood flooring contractor but I must speak the truth! Now, if hardwood flooring in the kitchen is an absolute must, there are things that can be done to mitigate the possible problems down the road. First thing would be to ensure the hardwood floor is sealed with a moisture-barrier sealant finish. This will protect the floor from those little water-droplets near the sink area. Another thing that can be done about that is putting down a small mat near the sink area. It goes without saying but I’ll say it, always a good idea to inspect the appliances to ensure they are not secretly and slowly leaking water onto the hardwood floors. In regards to the floors themselves, best to use a species of wood that is durable and won’t react dramatically to a little bit of moisture. Examples are red and white oak and maple. This will also help protect the floors from the heavy traffic. When site-finishing or refinishing hardwood floors in a kitchen, best to go with extra coats of poly-urethane. This will offer a durable layer of protection that will help the hardwood floors last longer.

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grey hardwood floor

Is Grey The Right Color For Your Hardwood Floor?

Stains and tones /

Keeping up with the latest trends in home improvement has always been a priority for real estate agents. If a listing client is doing a big remodel in order to get top dollar, it’s good to be able to recommend the best approach when it comes to design/layout/colors/etc. So what of this phenomenon with grey hardwood floors? Is grey here to stay or will it soon go away? Grey can definitely provide a contemporary look to a home and can even help tie-in modern and traditional if done right. It’s a touchy color to work with when it comes to hardwood flooring. The majority of the home-owners we work with prefer a light-grey tone which can be hard to achieve depending on the species of wood we are working with. So what are some of the best approaches your clients can take to get the shade of grey they want? The absolute best approach would be to go with a prefinished hardwood floor that already exemplifies the tone of grey they are looking for. These floors are ready right out of the box and just need to be installed, no sanding or staining required. They’ll also be able to pick the species they like best, one that contains the natural characteristics they are looking for. For example – maple has a clean/contemporary look whereas Oaks are more warm/traditional. But, they both look great in grey! Manufacturers of hardwood flooring know grey is IN right now so they’ve made available the many shades of grey. I don’t know about 50, but home owners will have plenty of options to pick from when they are hardwood floor shopping. Just make sure you do that with us!

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Learn All About The Interesting History Of Hardwood Floors!

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Ever wonder about the hardwood flooring we walk on? I mean, ever wonder when and where it all began? Let me share some info I’ve found regarding the history of hardwood floors. Wood floors did not become popular until end of the 17th century and at that time only richies like French nobles and royalty could afford to have it in their homes. Back then the flooring was blocks of wood that were cut by hand and inlaid in intricate decorative patterns. Of course this required a lot of labor and hand crafting so naturally those floors weren’t cheap. These were the first well designed parquet floors. After the pilgrims came to America, plank floors became more common because they had an abundance of trees in the new world. They usually consisted of wide raw pine planks that were in the raw. In the 1800’s painted wooden plank flooring became popular among the common folk. If you were poor you might have boards of different sizes nailed down for your flooring. If you had more money you could afford tongue and grove type flooring, which were harder to install but resulted in a more level floor, which was then painted. Among the rich, parquet patterned floors were more common. During the Industrial Revolution of the late 1800’s and early 1900’s, companies began mass production of hardwood flooring. This flooring was made by gluing strips of wood approximately 1 1/2 inches by 5/16 of an inch, to heavy cotton fabric and rolled onto a roll, which was then sold in catalogs as hardwood carpet. These floors still had to be hand sanded, hot waxed and buffed and were very time consuming to install, prepare and maintain. Up until 1914, the most popular flooring was tongue and groove. Folks would install parquet flooring around the outside edge of carpeting because carpet was more costly than wood flooring, go figure! Linoleum and cork flooring gained popularity in the United States in the 1920’s through the 1940’s because they were cheap and easily installed. With the introduction of polyurethane as a wax free finish for wood flooring, it remained popular until about 1950.   Hardwood flooring began to steadily decline in popularity after World War II. Wall to wall carpeting became popular and hardwood was installed only as a sub-floor, even though it was still sanded and finished. Eventually, builders began using plywood as a sub-floor and covering it with wall to wall carpeting, so the demand for hardwood flooring greatly declined for about 30 years. Hardwood flooring manufacturers were then forced to sell carpet to keep from going out of business. Pre-finished v groove hardwood flooring became popular in the 1980’s but it was not well made. Then during the 1990’s with the rise of the housing market and building industry, hardwood flooring became a desire choice for flooring once again. In the modern era, engineered flooring has given customers a less expensive, versatile alternative to hardwood flooring. Due to conservation, the forests are replenished by planting new trees to replace the ones that are harvested for flooring, so that there’s ample supply of hardwoods. With today’s quality control standards, manufacturer’s are making a much better product that is very durable, hypoallergenic, easy to clean and maintain and very versatile. There is a type of hardwood flooring now that can be installed in almost any room, whether above grade or below grade, over existing flooring, wood sub-floor or concrete. With the introduction of today’s exotic hardwoods, the colors, grain patterns and custom design options are virtually limitless. Yes, floors have come a long way since the rich Frenchies were 1st walking on them. Let us know next time you have a client who’s looking to install or refinish a little piece of history!

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Is Bamboo Flooring Actually Durable?

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Technically, Bamboo is a type of grass and not really a “hardwood”. Despite this fact, it’s actually harder and than some species of wood used to make hardwood flooring. It’s a favorite of those who are environmentally-minded as it is a resource that is abundant. It grows quickly and plentifully and is used for many different applications. Bamboo has a grain pattern that can give a floor a very unique look. It can work well with both a contemporary and traditional design. But, is bamboo a type of a floor that will hold up to wear and traffic? Let’s talk about this… Back in the day Bamboo only came in the natural color we all know and a carbonized option that gave it a warm brown look. These days you can get Bamboo in a variety of different stains and can even go with a rustic finish. These additional options help when looking to incorporate a bamboo floor into a decor. Also, regardless of the misinformation floating around stating the contrary, bamboo floors CAN be refinished! One thing to look out for with bamboo is the fact that it readily absorbs moisture so it will not be a good option for areas in the home with high humidity or moisture (basements/bathrooms). The first question in most home owners minds when shopping for a floor is whether or not it will stand up to traffic and wear. On this matter, from my experience, bamboo will not hold up as well as most species of real hardwoods (oak, maple, etc) will. I’ve seen bamboo floors with indentations from high-heel shoes, bamboo floors that would scratch just from looking at them and even bamboo flooring of such low quality that no proud hardwood flooring contractor would feel good installing because they’d know the floor just won’t stand up to normal wear and tear. That is one of the big issues with bamboo flooring – the availability of cheap, poorly made products. How do you spot them? Well, like anything else, you get what you pay for. If the price is much lower than comparable floors, best to stay away. This is especially true when dealing with engineered bamboo flooring. The thin veneer used in engineered flooring can easily be damaged if coming from a low-quality manufacturer. Me personally, I’m not a big fan of bamboo. I think it could look cool in a special room to compliment a particular decor, but I don’t think it’s a very practical floor to put throughout the house. Again, superficially it seems to scratch and dent easily. Beyond that, the clean/uniform look doesn’t hide any of the wear you will inevitably get throughout the years. But, that’s me.

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Hardwood Floor Install and Sanding

Essential Tips To Maintain Your Hardwood Floor

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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 Floor Installation and Refinishing Blue Bell PA

Is A Hardwood Floor A Good Investment For Your Home?

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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?

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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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