A. Hardwood floors are as durable as they are beautiful. Hardwood floors add value to any home, and with proper care and maintenance, your floors will last a lifetime. With all the different options that hardwood floors offer, you can make your floors unique to fit your personality. You may choose an exotic floor, a dark stain, 5" wide boards, a border aound your room, an inlay in your foyer, or perhaps a combination of a border and an inlay beneath your dining room table. The options go on and on. -------------------------------------------------------------------- |
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A. Hardwood floors are generally more expensive than carpet or vinyl and they are much less than marble. In the long run, hardwood floors are less expensive, when you figure the cost of maintaining, cleaning, and replacing carpet or vinyl over the life of a home. Hardwoods are very durable and usually do not need to be replaced, only recoated or refinished, depending on the condition of the floor. For more questions on refinishing hardwood floors, please see "Maintenance". -------------------------------------------------------------------- |
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A. A large percentage of the work we do is in kitchens. People want to remove vinyl and install hardwoods, and with a few simple precautions, such as throw rugs, felt pads, cleaning and vacuuming, your wood floors will provide years of beauty and enjoyment. -------------------------------------------------------------------- |
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A. No sanding is ever 100% dust free, however our sanding equipment and processes remove approximately 95+% of the airborne dust that is normally associated with traditional sanding. All of our sanding machines are attached to large volume vacuums, located outside the premises, which means that the dust does not have the chance to settle inside. There is only one area where we cannot capture all the dust, and that is on stairs. -------------------------------------------------------------------- |
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Q. Are "Pre-finished" floors as high-quality as "traditional" floors?
A. That depends on several factors, such as the type of floor, floor finish, installation, etc. In general, a good quality "pre-finished" floor is as good as the traditional, "finished on-site" floor. -------------------------------------------------------------------- |
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Q. If I choose to install new "unfinished" floor, can I also select the color?
A. Absolutely. We can mix practically any stain color and/or match a newly installed floor to the color of an existing floor. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- |
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Q. Again, concerning "unfinished" flooring, what are my choices of finish? |
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Q. Are there different compositions or grades of finish?
A. Yes, our most popular types are: Water-based Polyurethane - The most popular type is relatively new to the industry. It is much more durable than the older oil-based polyurethane, and it has practically no odor. Oil based polyurethane - Has a slightly higher sheen that comparable water-based polyurethane finishes. Traffic - The most durable finish, is a two component mixture. This is advisable for high traffic areas or areas that may get hard wear. -------------------------------------------------------------------- |
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A. Due to the amount of moisture associated with showers and baths, hardwood floors are generally not a good idea for bathrooms. Powder rooms are fine since there is usually little extra mositure. -------------------------------------------------------------------- |
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A. Cupping refers to boards on which the edges are higher than the center of the board, across it's width. Cupping usually occurs when the boards have been exposed to, and have absorbed enough water or liquid (moisture) to cause the edges to swell. In many cases cupping will disappear after the moisture source has been corrected and the wood has had time to dry thoroughly. -------------------------------------------------------------------- |
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A. Yes, but only after certain precautions are taken. If the boards are sanded before they are completely dry, the edges may continue to contract after sanding and refinishing. In these instances, you may have the reverse effect of cupping, which is "crowning". -------------------------------------------------------------------- |
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Q. My flooring has buckled. What caused this problem?
A. Buckling is when the floor separates from the sub-floor. This can be a reaction to a very severe moisture problem, such as flooding. Generally these boards will need to be replaced. -------------------------------------------------------------------- |
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A. Photosensitivity. Some woods are more sensitive to exposure to light than others, and this may cause their colors to change. These colors usually turn darker, and they tend to stabilize between 3 and 6 months. -------------------------------------------------------------------- |
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Q. There are cracks and separations between my flooring boards, What has caused this?
A. Generally every hardwood floor will show some signs of separation in the winter when the indoor air is dry because buildings are being heated. This is normal. As soon as the air moisture levels begin to increase, in the Spring, these separations will begin to close up. -------------------------------------------------------------------- |
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