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Prompt
Knowledgeable
Service Oriented
Answer: No, you do not have to leave your home. There are certainly spans of time when you can’t walk on areas of your floor during the re-finishing process. Most of our customers opt to stay in their home during the re-finishing process, and we are accustomed to making this work as smoothly as possible. However, other customers decide to vacate their homes. This can also work out very well. The re-finished floor needs to be protected from all traffic for at least 3 hours after finish is applied. Typically, there are 2 days in the sand and finish process when you can’t be on the floor for a majority of the time. The floor is generally ready for light foot traffic 3 hours after our last application of the day.
Answer: Pre-finished hardwood is stained and finished with polyurethane during the manufacturer’s factory process. This hardwood needs only to be installed, and no on-site finishing is necessary. Unlike other floor coverings, solid hardwood is able to be finished on-site. Specifically, the re-finishing process is great for giving an existing floor an entirely new look while saving the time and expense of replacement. This can be done either with new unfinished wood installation, or re-finishing existing wood flooring.
Answer: Most pre-finished flooring manufacturers will include their recommendations for how to maintain your floors. The same is true of most site-finished floor finish manufacturers. We recommend that you abide with their recommendations, so as to protect any warranties provided. We can help you determine the best maintenance regimen to use, according to your specific flooring.
Answer: Our top-of-the-line Dust Containment System greatly reduces the dust and mess traditionally associated with the process of sanding hardwood floors. Our tools connect to a trailer-mounted 27 horsepower vacuum that efficiently exports the dust from your home. This is vastly superior to the out dated method of attaching collection bags to the sanding equipment. Our system dramatically reduces air-borne dust, but we do not call it “dust free” since it is impossible to remove all dust. Rather, the use of our dust containment trailer means minimal dust and a much cleaner home. (For example, our sand and finish technicians have no need to wear masks due to the efficiency and effectiveness of our dust containment system.)
Answer: Yes. Although the structural integrity of the “tongue and groove” construction is partially lost in a board that is replaced, our method and experience allows for board replacements to be performed if necessary.
This process involves cutting the board into pieces with a circular saw that is connected to a vacuum, which decreases the amount of dust. Each individual piece is carefully pulled out in an attempt to not damage the surrounding boards. We then replace the board with a new one, which is modified to allow for a tight fit. The new board is glued into place, and occasionally we must also top-nail the face of the board. We can discuss the potential pros and cons with any specific board replacement.
Answer: After your floor is finished, it will be dry to the touch in about 3 hours. Light foot traffic can begin at this point, with caution. Dependent upon the regimen, after 24 hours the floor will be 70% cured. Full cure happens over time, again, dependent upon the regimen, as well as drying conditions. Area rugs should only be used after a week-long drying period. We suggest waiting at least 24 hours to move any furniture. Do so with care, and without dragging any content across the floor.
Answer: Solid wood flooring is exactly that: flooring that is milled from raw lumber, solid through and through. Engineered wood flooring has a top layer of real wood, although it is a veneer. Under this veneer of real wood is a base that is similar to plywood. It is milled similar to solid wood flooring, but a cross-section reveals its construction more clearly. Laminate flooring is not real wood, but rather a man-made product finished to give the appearance of a wood floor.
All three types have their place, dependent upon a given application. And although we sell and install all three types, as a true wood flooring company, our heart lies with solid wood as the real deal!
Answer: Possibly. A screen and recoat is the process of adding a new coat of finish to your floor. While it will not eliminate all scratches and imperfections as the full sand and finish process does, it can revive the look of your floor. Note that not all hardwood floors can be screened and recoated. A floor needs to be evaluated to see if it is a candidate for this process. Though it has its limitations, if your floor is suitable for re-coating this can be a great way to refresh your existing floor finish – with a lesser investment of time and money.
Answer: This is dependent upon which finish regimen is selected. Generally, we use mostly stains and waterborne finishes that have no toxic fumes and low VOC’s, so there is no need to leave your home. At most, there may be a mild, detergent-like odor. However, some other regimens (such as Tung Oil) still have a strong odor.
Answer: Most solid, 3/4” thick hardwood floors are installed over your existing wood sub-floor and fastened with 2 inch long, 16 gauge staples nailed on a 45 degree angle just above the “tongue.” Thinner, engineered hardwood is installed with a smaller staple using the same process. We incorporate the use of an underlay paper when applicable in nail-down installations.
Manufacturer recommended adhesive is used to install hardwood (often engineered) over a concrete sub-floor or occasionally over a wood sub-floor (if adhesive is recommended for the installation of a specific hardwood).