The Hardwood Flooring Blog

Troubleshooting Hardwood Floor Finishes (Part 2)

2012-02-01T11:37:00.000-05:00

Problem: Discoloration

Discoloration is almost always a result of direct sunlight and oxidation. All oil-modified floor finishes will amber over time, due to natural reactions with ultra violet light. Water based floor finishes will tend to lighten or yellow over time, due to the same reactions. Shading your windows and doors can help to slow the reaction, however, the floor system is going to change color.

As for a “fix”… Refinishing may be the only option with large areas of discoloration. If it is a small area that has been covered by an area rug… Simply remove the rug for several weeks and see if the floor starts to “catch up”. That may be all you need.

Troubleshooting Hardwood Floor Finishes (Part 1)

2012-01-12T11:53:00.000-05:00

I have decided to do a several part series of posts on troubleshooting hardwood floor finishes. Although many finish issues can result with the finish, many times the underlined cause is not due to a finish problem. In each post in this series I will discuss a problem and solutions to those problems. I am fully aware that SOME issues arise due to product or contractor problems; however, I am going to limit causes to the most likely.

Problem: Excessive and Early Finish Wear

The most likely culprit to excessive wear is improper floor system maintenance that does not effectively remove grit from the floor, or using strong cleaners and water. Unprotected furniture legs are also a big contributor. Proper, regular maintenance consists of an approved hardwood floor cleaner and an approved mop cover. Simple, but important. Another simple way to minimize your heart ache… Felt pads on the bottom of all furniture legs and appliances.

What is the fix to early or excessive wear? Unfortunately it is a re-coat. You should contact your local wood flooring professional and get it scheduled. The longer that you let excessive wear go, the closer you are getting to a full blown refinish!

How Many Times Can My Hardwood Floor Be Sanded?-

2011-10-21T12:37:00.000-04:00

The number of times your hardwood floor can be sanded depends on several things. Flooring manufacturers recommendations, the type of sanding equipment used, flatness of the floor, remaining wear layer and the skill of your floor sanding professional sanding your floor.

Always measure the remaining wear layer thickness in a few different areas. This will give you an idea of the flatness of the floor system and help you determine whether you should even attempt sanding. You can measure the wear layer either by removing floor register covers or shoe molding so that you can see how much "life" is left before you hit the blind nails. Another option to measure the wear layer is to locate a gap between floor boards and use a "feeler" gauge to measure down to the tongue of the board. This method will work well on solid hardwood floors, however, I do not suggest using the gauge on engineered products, as they are a ply construction and the "real wood" wear layer will NOT go all the way to the tongue. If the wear layer measures less than 3/32"... No sanding!

Another point I would like to make, while on the subject, has to do with factory pre-finished products that have micro-bevels. Should you decide to refinish these types of floor systems... Please be aware that there is no way to sand these floors without completely eliminating the bevels! If they are not completely sanded out, they will be extremely inconsistent across the floor system. In other words... It looks bad! Also, keep in mind that by sanding out micro bevels, you will also sand off more of the wear layer on the floor system's first on-site sanding than you will on the second or third sanding.

Using the proper grit sequence on the sanding equipment is also very important in managing the life of your floor system. The rougher the paper, the more life you are sanding away... Why start with a 24 grit paper when you can start with 40? Educate yourself on the sanding process and your local sanding professionals... After all... A bad job will cost you more money and limit how many times your floor can be sanded. Remember... You get what you pay for!

Hardwood Installation: Minimum Acceptable Job-site Conditions

2011-04-23T09:28:00.000-04:00

Wood flooring is one of the last jobs of any construction project. Prior to delivery of the wood flooring, a site evaluation should be done. Check for the following:

-Job site should be completely enclosed.
-All outside doors and windows should be in place and have all latching mechanisms installed.
-Surface drainage and grading should direct water away from the job site.
-All wet trades (drywall, plumbing, etc) should be complete and dry.
-All texturing and painting primer coats should be complete.
-In warmer months, the job site should be well ventilated.
-Ensure that the flooring material will not be exposed to extreme humidity or moisture. Interior environmental conditions must be near the average for the geographical location.

Crawl spaces must be dry.

-Crawl space must be a minimum of 18" from the ground to the underside of the floor joist system.
-Crawl space earth must be covered completely by a vapor retarder of at least 6 mil.
-Where proper ground cover is in place, the crawl space should have perimeter venting equal to a minimum of .1600 of the crawl space square footage.
-Vents should be properly located to foster adequate cross ventilation.

Check moisture content of the floor system substrate.

-Wood and concrete sub-floors should be checked by an appropriate method for establishing moisture content. Average sub-floor moisture content should be within appropriate ranges as specified for the product and according to the product specifications.
-Assuming all minimum job-site conditions are present, the flooring material can be delivered and stored in the room(s) in which it will be installed.

Many times, flooring contractors are rushed in reference to the job site conditions and end up fielding calls of floor system failures. Often, these failures occur due to improper job site conditions. It is the flooring professional's responsibility to properly educate their clients and ensure that all of the above mentioned conditions are present prior to any flooring installation.

Rushing your hardwood flooring project can have disastrous consequences! Remember, you get what you pay for!

How Do I Protect My Hardwood Floor From Dog Nail Scratches?

2010-09-30T09:57:00.002-04:00

The following blog post is a recommended post by one of our followers. Several of our clients have had great success with this protection application and have added years of life to their hardwood flooring systems.

The following information was obtained from: www.softpaws.net

“Invented by veterinarian Dr. Toby Wexler, Soft Paws has been on the market since 1990. Soft Paws nail caps for dogs are vinyl nail caps that glue on to your dog’s nails. They cover your dog’s nails to keep them blunt and harmless. This fantastic product helps protect you and your belongings against problem dog scratching.

Soft Paws offers protection against the following situations:
Damage to Household Surfaces: Hardwood Floors - Doors - Walls - Screens - Furniture - Carpets. The nail caps effectively blunt your dog’s nails so their ability to scratch surfaces is significantly reduced.
Canine Skin Conditions: Allergic Skin Conditions - Chronic scratching. By blunting the nails, less damage occurs when your dog scratches. This can help your dog’s skin heal faster.
Protects from Dog Scratches: Dogs That Jump Up & Scratch You - Elderly People with Fragile Skin - Diabetics - People Taking Blood Thinners. Soft Paws can help you to feel more relaxed about enjoying your dog’s affection by blunting your dog’s nails

The application is simple. Just fill each nail cap with the adhesive provided & slide it over the nail. It's that easy!

Soft Paws are extremely safe and non-toxic. Even if your dog swallows one, no harm will come. The nail cap will safely pass through the digestive system.

Each Soft Paws kit contains 40 nail caps, adhesive and easy to follow instructions. The cost is only $18.95 per kit.
The length of time each kit lasts depends on your individual needs. Each application lasts approximately 4-6 weeks. Depending on your needs, you will apply the nail caps to all four paws or just the front paws. For example, if you are using Soft Paws to protect against your dog scratching the doors, walls or screens, you may wish to apply the nail caps to the front paws only. This will give you four front paw applications per pack, and the package will last you approximately 4-6 months.”

What Rooms Should Hardwood Floors Not Be Installed In?

2010-02-03T16:57:00.001-05:00

The following post was a suggested topic by one of our followers, “Mindycure”

Thanks for the suggestion!

Even though hardwood floors can be installed in any room, I typically do not recommend installing hardwoods in full Bathrooms, Laundry rooms or in very active Kitchens. I will go a little more in depth as to each in just a moment. Having my recommendations in mind… If you are conscious of spills and proper maintenance, hardwoods will perform just fine in these areas.

Full Bathrooms… A bathroom with a bathtub / shower, toilet and vanity w/ sink. With as much wet activity that occurs in a full bath, hardwoods will be much harder to maintain. Getting out of the shower, washing hands in the sink and potential for toilet overflow are all factors that could cause a hardwood floor to fail or sustain water damage. Installing hardwood in half bathrooms, or bathrooms with no tub or shower, typically get less use and therefore are acceptable for hardwoods.

Laundry Rooms… Rarely will I install a hardwood system in a laundry room. There is a high potential for water damage with washing machines because they do leak quite often. Most of the time, home owners have no idea they are leaking because the water hoses in the back of the machine frequently spring pin hole leaks that weep for weeks or months unnoticed. In addition, dryers produce a large amount of steam that can negatively affect the relative humidity in the room that can cause a hardwood system to react drastically, ie: cupping and (or) crowning.

Very Active Kitchens… What I mean by an active Kitchen is a commercial set up or medium to large family residence that uses the Kitchen several times per day. The Kitchen is the most likely room in the house to have a spill. Spills equal moisture introduction, which means added moisture content to the hardwood floor system. Refrigerators, especially those with ice makers, produce condensation that can run onto the floor as well. Dish Washers produce a lot of steam… So forth and so on.

To sum it up… The above recommendations are just that… My recommendations based on my training and experience. A hardwood floor can perform properly in any area that you desire one, assuming you are willing to put the time in that is necessary to keep it performing properly. Area rugs, proper and frequent maintenance are the key to keeping your hardwood flooring system looking great and performing for years.

What is "Racking" a Hardwood Floor

2010-01-22T18:49:00.008-05:00

“Racking”… Some might think this term refers to some medieval torture device. Some of my old Army buddies might think I am going to sleep… Racking is also something we use in the hardwood flooring world when we are installing a new floor.

Video of "Racking" a Hardwood Floor

After preparing your sub-floor and rolling out a moisture membrane, an installer will completely lay out the floor that will be installed in the room. By “laying” out, I mean completely cover the sub-floor with the flooring material that will be nailed down. Racking is a very important step in the installation process because you get a chance to see how the final floor covering will look after it is nailed in. This helps a great deal because if there are boards or areas that don’t look quite like you want them to… replace them. A heck of a lot easier to do before you nail it down.

After racking out all of the floor covering, go ahead and start making your cuts at the walls. Something else that makes nailing and actually installing go a lot faster. No waiting for your cut person to run outside, cut it and bring it back. Efficiency! The key to making money in any business.

I have had other contractors tell me that racking takes too much time. Granted… it does take a little time, but it is so necessary to view the final floor covering before you nail it all down. For me… It is worth the extra time and honestly, the more you rack floors, the faster you get at it. Thus, actually saving time.

It’s that simple. Racking a hardwood floor is not rocket science, but a very necessary and important step in the installation process.

Tips To Going "Green": Household Cleaners

2010-01-20T23:05:00.008-05:00

A simple sponge and the following safe items can take care of most of your household cleaning needs.

-Soap
-Water
-Baking soda
-Vinegar
-Lemon juice
-Borax

Instead of using your normal store bought cleaning chemicals. Try these cleaning tips next time. These tips are ultimately safer and better for the environment… And you!

1)      For Unclogging Drains: Pour a quarter cup of baking soda down the clogged drain, followed by a half cup of vinegar. Close the drain until fizzing stops, and then flush with boiling water.
2)      For Glass Cleaner: Mix white vinegar and water at a 1/1 ratio.
3)      For Carpet Freshener: Use baking soda or cornstarch.
4)      For Mold & Mildew Remediation: Mix white vinegar and lemon juice at a 1/1 ratio then add ¼ cup of salt.

If you have to use a store bought chemical for cleaning purposes… Remember, use as little as possible and always dispose of chemicals at an approved Haz. Mat. disposal location.

Support the Haiti Disaster Relief Effort

2010-01-15T22:23:00.000-05:00

Please take a moment to consider... Imagine this being the "Support the U.S. Disaster Relief Effort."

What is Hardwood Floor De-lamination?

2010-01-12T06:35:00.003-05:00

Most often associated with engineered hardwood flooring systems, de-lamination is one of the most common repair issues that my company fields. 90% of the time de-lamination is associated with ply constructed materials; however, occasionally some of the softer species (Douglas Fir, Pine) will develop this issue along the spring grain of the floor boards.

Engineered hardwood flooring systems are constructed from a number of “layers” of, typically, Birch, backer with a single layer of hardwood adhered to the top of the board. De-lamination is caused by exposure to excessive moisture which causes the real wood top layer of veneer on the engineered board to swell and separate from the under layer of the ply system (see photos).

Generally, if the source of the excessive moisture is located and repaired, de-lamination is contained to a relatively small area. Unlike cupping, de-lamination is almost always caused by topical moisture introduction. This is good because de-lamination damage can usually be fixed by just replacing the de-laminated boards. Cupping, on the other hand, will require moisture abatement and, possibly, refinishing.

Tips To "Going Green"

2010-01-06T19:49:00.004-05:00

Although this is a hardwood flooring blog, I think it is important for all of us to start thinking “greener.” Periodically, I will be posting tips on “thinking green,” regardless if the post is directly related to hardwood flooring or not. Some of these posts will be from other blogs and articles and some will be from me. I have taken a personal interest in a “greener” movement and hope that other late comers, like me, will take an interest in a “greener” way of thinking as well. This is the only planet in the galaxy that we know of, that can sustain our lives. Although I don’t have any of my own, I am doing this for your children and grand-children. Please consider a “greener” lifestyle! It really does take little effort to make a huge impact!

Tip of the Day:

How many times do we go out of town and leave all of the electronics plugged in? We are all guilty of it! Next time you go on a two or three day get away… Unplug those non essential electronics. TVs, DVD players, printers, microwave… You get the idea. More importantly, when you aren’t charging your cell phone, MP3 player or Bluetooth device; unplug the charger from the outlet. Even though electronics are not performing their designed function, they still pull energy when they are plugged in.

Hardwood “vs.” Laminate

2010-01-03T13:46:00.000-05:00

This seems to be one of those things that haunt me on a daily basis. Is laminate better than hardwood? Well… I guess it depends on the look you are going for and your expectations. Is laminate hardwood? No… It’s not. It’s laminate, or a picture of hardwood on a composite backer. It does not perform the same as hardwood and in many instances can be a much larger problem to maintain than hardwood flooring.

Repairing a hardwood floor, although time consuming and difficult, can be addressed on a board by board basis most of the time. Laminate products that require a repair usually have to be torn up to the point of the repair area. In other words, if a laminate floor system needs to be repaired near the wall where the floor was started, guess what… Chances are the entire floor system will have to be torn up to get to it.

Water damage is a big concern when dealing with laminate, as laminate products have a tendency to swell a great deal when moisture is introduced. Typically, a laminate system will swell to the point that the match ends will separate or break when water is introduced. Even with a relatively small amount of moisture. I’m not saying that all laminate is bad… Only that you must be sure that a laminate system is what you want!

Laminate systems CAN NOT be sanded! What you have after install is what you get. Therefore, most laminate systems will only last about a ¼ of the life of a real hardwood floor, assuming proper maintenance. Be sure it is what you want! Here again, realistic expectations of performance are the key to choosing a laminate floor system.

Keep in mind that if you are flipping a house or renovating it for the market, that a laminate system IS NOT hardwood floor. Therefore, you can not promote hardwood floors to aid in the selling process. As hardwood floors will raise the value of your property, there is a developing trend that laminate floors are becoming a deterrent to some prospective buyers.

My only real advice to hardwood or laminate is… If you want a hardwood floor… Buy a hardwood floor… If you want a laminate floor… Buy a laminate floor… Do some research and make an educated decision before you commit. Remember, you get what you pay for! Oh yeah… There are also some really good engineered products out there… But I will leave those to another post.

The Green Movement

2009-12-29T23:28:00.005-05:00

The following information I find extremely intriguing... If this product is indeed what it claims to be... Behold the future in hardwood floor finishes. as brought to you by

11004 FM 969

Austin, TX 78724

877-870-8111

"Going Green"

"The Wood Experts are extremely proud to announce WOOD PROTECT, a zero VOC nano particle formula specially designed for exotic woods.WOOD PROTECT is a one of a kind invisible wood treatment that boasts an impressive 3 year life expectancy on IPE and other tropical woods with just one coat. WOOD PROTECT is so enviromentally friendly it can be sprayed on docks over public water, around fish ponds and can be walked on in bare feet in less than one hour after application."

"Uses"

"WOOD POTECT was designed specially for hard to seal tropical species like Ipe and Massaranduba but can be used on any woods with terrific results. WOOD PROTECT is truely invisible and allows the natural beauty of the wood to shine while keeping it from turning silver. Fences, docks, decks, and outdoor showers are only a few of the many uses for WOOD PROTECT"

Will My Hardwood Floor Scratch?

2009-12-27T13:19:00.000-05:00

Ok… I have decided to start posting articles on some of the questions that people ask that just seem to defy common sense. I’m not sure what it is about spending large amounts of money that seems to employ a thought process in people’s minds that the more expensive, the more extraordinary a product performs.

I was out on an estimate last week in an upscale neighborhood in our area for an installation and refinish. The home owner was a very nice young lady with a lot of questions. Questions are good… Don’t get me wrong… But there is a measure of common sense that applies to everything… This includes hardwood flooring.

After speaking with her and giving my usual run down of what to expect, I always ask, “do you have any questions of me about this project?” Green Light! I was amazed at what was to come next. The first thing she said was, “since we are spending so much money on this floor, it’s not going to scratch, right?” How do you really answer this question? Of course a floor is going to scratch! Unless, of course, you tell me that no one and nothing is going to be on the floor. Hardwood floors scratch… It’s just the nature of what they are… Normal traffic and a variety of environmental conditions will see to it. If there were a finish out there that did not scratch, I would be all over it, and however, that’s wishful thinking.

After explaining to her that yes, the floor will scratch over time and giving her precautionary things that they can do as homeowners to minimize scratching, she said to me; “Well, if we are spending all of this money, it seems like we should not have to be as careful and the floor should take care of itself.” I guess I understand… When I buy a Mercedes, I suppose I expect it to drive me around with no effort from me! Come on folks… Really?

Two days after my visit and 3 estimates later, this same home owner called us back to book the job. Unfortunately, we respectfully declined the job. The red flags had already gone up on that one and there is a lot of truth in; “Sometimes the best jobs are the ones turned away.” Think about it like that Mercedes… You spend a lot of money on that car… You are proud of it… Show it off… BUT… YOU have to wash it… YOU have to put fuel in it… YOU change the oil… YOU take care of it!

Is an expensive hardwood floor any different?

What Cleaner Do I Use on My Hardwood Floor?

2009-12-23T21:37:00.004-05:00

The following post is great information! I don't think I could have worded it better myself. If I had a dollar for every call that we have gotten that addresses the following issue... I wouldn't need to answer service calls anymore...

The following post is from:

Hardwood Flooring Blog - Up To Date Articles, Pictures
Articles for the hardwood flooring consumer. Included; installation techniques, popular products, styles to chose from, and problems to avoid when planning.

"Be careful out there when it comes to cleaning your new or older hardwood floors. Some cleaners may sound great by advertisements or infomercials seen on TV. However chances are the makeup of what's in the cleaner may void any warranty you may have not only prefinished floors, but site finished as well.

For a badly neglected floor you may be telling yourself, anything may be better. However if results are not up to your expectations, you may need the rescue of a professional floor finisher. What you originally applied to the floor may be more troublesome to fix than without. Why?

Some cleaners not recommended by hardwood finish manufacturers may contain residues that dull or cloud a finish appearance. Depending on how much was used, and the condition of the floor, these residues can go deeper into the actual pores of the hardwood (if bare wood is exposed) creating a potential bonding problem with any new finish being applied. In some cases floors have to be sanded to bare wood, getting rid of the harmful residues so a correct finish and proper bond is achieved.

I've seen the same commercials in the likes or Orange Glo or Glow. From a professional and more realistic standpoint I have to wonder how some consumers think such a low cost product is worth using. Ask yourself; would you use a similar product on an antique piece of furniture? That antique could be worth thousands, the same as your hardwood floor.

I have seen some complaints, but I'm not the type that will blame the manufacturer. It's likely what was on the floor originally that could have compounded the problems. It's best to follow manufacturers specifications on prefinished floors and listen to the guy that just refinished your older hardwood floors. After all he's been in business to keep people happy. A wrong suggestion is likely to lead to a failed floor and plenty or irate customers.Better products to clean hardwood floors."
Posted by The Host at 6:16 AM
Labels: Product Reviews

Real Time Answers to Hardwood Flooring Questions

2009-12-17T21:24:00.000-05:00

How many times have you found yourself in the middle of a DIY project and ran into an issue that brings the entire project to a screeching halt? I know I have been there a thousand times and am confident that I am not alone.

On average, my company fields 2-3 calls per week with similar individuals that have started sanding or installing their own hardwood floors and have encountered an unforeseen circumstance. So many times, people have the misconception that sanding a hardwood floor is simply. “Sanding the floor with a piece of sandpaper.” Likewise, “Installing a hardwood floor is just putting a puzzle together.” Folks, I’ve got news for you… I have been a hardwood floor tech for nearly a decade and run into something new on almost every job. So many times I have thought to myself, “I wish there was someone I could talk to right now that could help me out with this.”

About a year ago, I was sitting in one of our logistics meetings, in the office, and had that thought about a custom border installation we were having trouble with. Luckily, I have a phone list on my desk of other professional flooring techs that I occasionally consult and rang one of them. After discussing the issue and coming to a problem solving consensus, I realized that I had been on the phone for nearly an hour. It is possible that during that hour, on one of our phone lines, I could have cost our company thousands of dollars in missed calls. No to mention, long distance to CA…

I remember thinking that there had to be a better way for contractors and trade services to access a quick problem solving network to help with their issues; Especially the professional contractor that invests a lot of money in time. As some time went by without putting much more thought into it, I noticed an increase in DIY’ers contacting our office with the hopes that we might give them some insight with their dilemmas as well. As I have always made an effort to answer any questions that come into our office, it is sometimes difficult to respond to these requests in a timely manner as I am in the field 75% of the time. Therefore, many times it might be several hours or a couple of days before I could respond to the “freebie” questions. Mind you, I have no problem answering questions (as long as they are not proprietary).

About 6 months ago, I received an email from a gentleman in Memphis, TN who had gotten our email address from www.refinedhardwood.com . In his initial email, the gentleman, whom we will call “John”, asked the question, “how do I know what grit of sandpaper to start with on my floor.” Now, about a month prior to receiving this email, my company had transitioned all of our company cell phones to Sprint ® Black Berries. Therefore, we now received all of our emails on our phones, with “John’s” being one of them. I was able to answer his initial question and a series of follow up questions right there in the field, almost immediately. Of course, the light bulb was burning me!

Over the next couple of months, I spent some time researching several different options to facilitate an online chat for anyone in the world to use, in real time. After experimenting with a few servers, my company decided on “Google Chat ®”. With this chat function, anyone who visits www.refinedhardwood.com can click the link on our contact page for “Google Chat ®” and chat with one of us in real time. Enquirers can ask questions, opinions or whatever else is on their mind. Basically, it has turned into a very efficient Q&A forum that is also private. Privacy was important to us because I know that it can sometimes be a little embarrassing to ask a “stupid” question in a public forum. Of course I contend, the only stupid question, is the one not asked. Why risk thousands of dollars in potential floor damage because of a “stupid” question? I question who the “stupid” one might be if pride keeps you from asking…

So to answer the question, “is there anywhere I can get real time answers to my hardwood flooring question/” Yes, there is! Visit www.refinedhardwood.com , go to our contacts page and click on the link for “Google Chat ®”. Send us a message and we will get right back with you. Ask a technical question, ask our opinion on a product or just ask us what we are doing… We love hearing from hardwood folks and DIY’ers from all over the world! Our online chat has taken off faster than we could have ever dreamed and we welcome many more to join us.

In the modern age of communication and technology, there really is no excuse in being inaccessible as a service oriented company. More and more people are turning to the internet for their everyday shopping and information. I know that I have always associated the internet with retail shopping and searching for information that I may be in need of at the time. However, who ever said that the service trades can’t have a web presence? No one ever told me that! Maybe that’s why Refined Hardwood Flooring is now one of the best known hardwood flooring contractors on the net. Coincidence? Maybe; or perhaps consumers are in need of this real time solution. I tend to lean towards the latter.

How Do I Choose a Hardwood Floor?

2009-12-14T03:03:00.000-05:00

Probably one of the most difficult dilemmas that my clients run into during their project. You know, I wish I had one line of advice that I could give you on how to choose the right species for your home. However, there really isn't one. All I can tell you is that there are several things that you should consider when choosing. First, you have to choose a species that carries the characteristics that will compliment your home. If you have a high end home with very involved decorating and accent work, then a rustic Pine floor might not be for you. On the other hand, many homes look very nice with a rustic grade of flooring in them. Think about the overall look that you are going for and look at samples to jog your mind. Second, not only is the species an issue but solid or engineered flooring must be decided upon. Keep in mind that in some applications you may only have one option to choose from. Make sure you ask your flooring contractor which options are available to you. Another issue that I run into time and time again is the quality of flooring that people buy, "on their own." Here again, you get what you pay for. I can almost guarantee you that if you are paying $.99 per square foot; it is going to look like it. In addition, your flooring contractor may charge you more to work with a "cheap" floor that is more difficult to work with due to the milling of the floor boards. Most of the time, you will wind up paying less money for the overall flooring project if you buy a more expensive flooring material. I encourage all of my new floor clients to purchase the flooring material from us as I can honor a material guarantee. If you go out and buy the product on your own, guess what, if there is a material defect, you are on your own. Be careful purchasing liquidated or close out products. If you run into an issue a couple of years down the road, chances are you will not be able to re-purchase the same material to do repairs. I have run into several horror stories of houses that have flooded in one room and the entire home's flooring had to be torn out and a new floor installed because the product could not be found anymore. Oh yeah... the insurance company only paid for the room that flooded. Be careful; find something that should be around for a while. When selecting a product, have realistic expectations of the life of the floor. If you buy a solid floor, it should last you a lifetime. If you buy an engineered floor, you will probably only get one or two sandings out of it, if you hire a highly skilled craftsman to sand it (very expensive). If you buy a laminate floor, it can not be sanded. Check with flooring companies before you buy product from a large retail chain. Many contractors are actually Dealer/Contractors that can offer really good deals on flooring believe it or not. Think about it, a flooring contractor makes their money trough the labor to install or sand, not from the flooring purchase. In addition, most professional contractors will only offer mid to upper line products that many times you can purchase for less than you can get a lesser product from the large retail stores. So basically, you get an upgrade in flooring, you get the product from the installer and you get a material guarantee from your contractor. Remember, not all hardwood manufacturers mill their floors the same. Some are good and some are not. You get what you pay for!

Dustless Hardwood Floor Sanding

2009-12-12T04:56:00.001-05:00

OK, this is one of those statements that really get under my skin. There is no such thing as dustless sanding! Plain and simple. There are many contractors out there today claiming this and it really isn't true. There are, however, some very good dust containment systems in the industry now. When I first started sanding floors all we had was an internal fan system that is built into the machines. The dust is collected in a dust bag that is tied to the end of a dust tube and the bag must be removed periodically to empty it. As this method contains a lot of the dust, there is still a lot of residual dust in the air that just isn't picked up by the machine or from the actual dumping of the dust bag. With the new systems out today a lot of that residual dust is now gone. However, these systems are not "dustless" which would imply 0% dust. I know that this post is going to upset some floor contractor out there that is advertising dustless, and before I offend you, let me say that my company does use the Clarke-American CAV 26 dust containment systems. I can not imagine going back to the bag method now. Although these units are not truly dustless, they are amazing in just how much dust is now contained. Anyone out there that has had their floors sanded prior to the day of DCS would be very impressed at how far the industry has come. Do I charge more for DCS sanding? Yes I do. It is worth it! The only thing that I will caution you about is have realistic expectations on the amount of dust that should be produced. Trust me, sanding without dust containment systems should not even be an option.

Award Winning; Refined Hardwood Flooring

2009-12-11T20:40:00.001-05:00

Rising to the Top
Local hardwood flooring contractor rises to the top.

Articles appearing in this newsletter: Gold Award Winner
The 2008 parade of homes featured some of the best new construction in southeastern North Carolina. With over 125 entries in the competition this year, only a hand full of these entrants were awarded the Gold award. Magnolia Trace Town homes were among these stand alone entrants that received the award. Refined Hardwood Flooring is proud to be a part of the team that made this possible. The entered unit at Magnolia Trace featured an engineered Tiger Wood hardwood floor that adds elegance and grace to this spacious and accommodating town home. "We are so proud to be a part of this Gold award," states Dean Allen of Refined Hardwood Flooring. "What a great way to begin the summer." With several sites still available, we encourage anyone who may be in the market for a new home to stop by Magnolia Trace and take a look.

What is "Water Popping" a Hardwood Floor?

2009-12-11T17:18:00.002-05:00

Water popping a hardwood floor is a technique used to richen a stain color that is applied to a raw hardwood floor during refinishing. During the sanding process, the reduction in grit sequence of the sand paper, that produces a smooth finish, naturally closes the grain of the wood. By saying closes the grain, I mean that the courser the sandpaper, the wider the grain fibers become in the sanded floor. To produce a smooth mirror like finish on a job site finished floor, you have to begin the sanding process with a course (low) grit paper to flatten and clean the floor, then progressively climd to higher (finer) grits to smooth the floor. As you climb to finer grits, the tighter the grain fibers become, in essence, making the wood denser and less penetrable. By water popping, you re-open the closed grain fibers of the floor allowing an applied stain to “soak” deeper into the grain of the floor.

Now that we know the purpose of water popping, let’s discuss the most common application method of water popping.

It is imperative that the water applied during water popping flow absolutely evenly across the entirety of the floor to be stained. In almost every circumstance, I use a “T” bar to water pop our floors. Should you fail to apply the water evenly; the floor will show blotchy areas under the stain from heavier or lighter areas of water penetration. Unfortunately, the only effective method of correcting uneven staining is to re-sand. If you are a DIYer, this will be a ton of extra work and additional cost associated with equipment rental, paper purchase, etc. If you are a flooring contractor, well, it’s gonna cost ya!

Water popping a floor with a “T” bar is relatively easy, assuming you have experience with applying water based finishes. It is basically the same process, except you are using straight, non-contaminated water. Many contractors and DIYers alike will use water straight out of the tap. Under most circumstances, this does not present a problem; however, occasionally utility companies add a little too much chlorine to their monthly or bi-annual treatments which can produce issue with cross contamination in some flooring projects. Our company always uses sterile water for all of our water popping applications. In other words, it is better to be safe than sorry! Use a standard watering can, that you water plants with, and pour a 2” line of water down on the floor (with the direction of the flooring grain). Pull your “T” bar in a snow plow position wall to wall, continuing to pour the 2” line of water as needed. Coat (or wet) the entire floor with the non-contaminated water and let stand for 2-4 hours to ensure complete drying.

Once the floor is dry, you will notice that the raw floor has a slightly “gritty” feel to it. Don’t panic! This is the desired outcome of water popping. The “gritty” feel of the floor is the grain re-opening. Inspect the entire floor to make sure that there are not areas that are either rougher, or smoother than the rest, as this is evidence of uneven water popping. Assuming you are satisfied with the results of the water popping, you may now begin to apply your desired stain color.

As in most instances, I recommend that home owners or DIYers not attempt to water pop and stain a floor, as there is a lot of room for error! If you are hiring a contractor to perform this type of hardwood floor project, I would also recommend quizzing them on their expertise and experience with water popping a floor. Just as there is a big misconception that sanding a hardwood floor is, “just putting some sand paper on a wood floor and scratching it up,” there is a lot of technique and ability that goes into water popping rather than just, “smearing some water across the floor.”. Remember, you get what you pay for!

How To Clean a Hardwood Floor

2009-12-02T20:30:00.000-05:00

One of the biggest issue that I run into out in the field is the lack of proper maintenance of hardwood floors. Just because you can buy it in the store or just because the bottle says, "Hardwood Floor Cleaner" doesn't mean that it is the best product for you floor. In fact, it doesn't mean that the product is in fact safe to use on your hardwood floor. Stay away from products that have any wax or detergent based solutions in them. Remember, the large retail stores appeal to the masses and the masses are relatively uneducated about the Hardwood Flooring industry. Here is an example; how many times have you seen someone mopping a hardwood floor with a string mop and bucket of dirty water? Now, let's take that same bucket of dirty water and wipe down your Grandma's antique Maple Hutch. I don't think so! So why in the world would you continue to push this dirty water around on your antique Maple floors. Folks, there are good products out there designed specifically for your floor. They are little more expensive, but, not near as expensive as the sanding and refinishing is going to be. Check with your local hardwood flooring professional about the best products for you to clean your hardwood floor with.

I am Afraid to Have My Floors Sanded!

2009-12-02T20:28:00.000-05:00

I understand! Many people are scared to death to have their floors sanded. Granted, the procedure can be a little trying with moving furniture around and arranging for a place to stay for a few nights, however, your flooring contractor should not add a lot of stress to an already uncomfortable situation. Research! You have to do some leg work on your own to ensure that you hire the right company for the job. There are a few very simple rules that you should follow when interviewing and considering potential contractors. First, always be sure that the flooring contractor is adequately insured for the project the you will be hiring him or her to do. General liability insurance is an absolute must. No reputable contractor is going to go into your home with the intention of doing damage. After all, you are hiring them to restore or upgrade your floor. Having said this, accidents do happen! Should one of these accidents occur and it is deemed that it was at the fault of the "floor guy", then you deserve to have your property returned to the same condition that it was in prior to the "accident". Most individuals don't have that kind of cash flow. If you ensure that your contractor has Liability insurance, then you should be covered. Never assume that every contractor has insurance. Always ask for a certificate from their insurance company. Second, check your contractor's references. References are a wonderful source to ask the questions that you may feel uncomfortable asking your contractor. Were they on time? Were they professional? Do they have good customer service? Do they do good work? These are just a few examples of the questions that, through my years in this industry, have proved to be some of the most popular. Don't be afraid to ask questions! The only dumb question really is the one not asked. Third, Educate yourself about the procedure that you are having done. Having said this, keep in mind that not every hardwood flooring technician follows a straight and narrow line that is the end all be all of the flooring world. Ultimately the finished product is what we are all most interested in. There are basic procedural events that should take place on every sanding job and those are the things that you should be familiar with. Ask your contractor about their specific procedure and, once again, ask questions. Find out if they use a dust containment system if you are concerned with dust. Ask if they offer a cleaning service after the project has been completed. Educate yourself! Finally, have realistic expectations of how your project will turn out. If your floor is 100 years old, it will not look brand new once your flooring contractor is done. It should look like a 100 year old refinished floor. View your completed flooring job from a standing position as this is how others will view it. I promise, I can crawl around on any floor in the United States and find imperfections in the floor boards, finish or both and I can find these imperfections in job site finished or pre finished hardwood floors. Sanding floors is an art form with imperfections and character. Be aware that there will be defining characteristics of every floor. Many contractors will do everything in their power to fix any problems that you may have with your completed flooring job, however, sometimes trying to fix small imperfections can lead to much larger problems. In closing, sanding your hardwood floor is a large decision that should be thought about and thoroughly planned. Having your floor sanded properly and professionally will save you a lot of heartache and extend the life of your hardwood floor for many years to come. Remember, educate yourself and most importantly, you get what you pay for.

Should I hire a Professional to Sand My Hardwood Floors?

2009-12-02T20:27:00.001-05:00

Most of the time my answer to this question is yes. You see, there are a lot of things that go into sanding a floor rather than just putting some sandpaper on the floor slapping some varnish over it and moving on. There are several things that must be decided upon prior to actually sanding. First, you have to be sure that what you are sanding up is disposed of properly. There may be state and local laws on disposal of what ever product was used to finish your floor previously, IE: varnish, lacquers or moisture cured finishes. A professional hardwood floor contractor should be able to determine what types of finishes are on your floor and be versed in the proper disposal of said finishes. This step is very important as improper disposal could cost you a lot of money in the end. Second, it is very important that the grit selection of your sandpaper minimize the amount of flooring that will be sanded up. A solid hardwood floor should last you a lifetime, however, one bad sanding job could rip a lot of life away. Sanding too aggressively could cause deep machine marks and ultimately require board replacements. It is a common misconception that just because your floor is 3/4" thick that you can sand that much off of it. Nope. Only the top portion of the floor board is sand-able. There is a wear layer on the top of the board and once it is gone, blind nails will begin to appear. At this point, the floor has been sanded as far as it can go. Also, all sand paper is not created equal. Most of the paper on the rental market is not top of the line abrasives. If your sand paper begins to "throw" grit while you are sanding, low and behold, there will be tracking in your floor. You should also be aware that how you operate the machine will reveal itself on the finished floor. If you did not maintain straight lines or moved a little too fast or slow, it will be seen. Third, applying surface finishes to a hardwood floor is not as easy as it may sound. It is important to make sure that you apply the finish at the manufacturer's recommended spread rate. Too thin or too heavy can result in pooling and dry spots. The only time that I may recommend refinishing a hardwood floor on your own is in a inconspicuous place like a closet or small area. Most flooring contractors charge a job minimum price on refinishing because the equipment is very labor intensive. One very important point to remember when hiring a professional is that going with the lowest

How Do I Choose a Hardwood Floor?

2009-12-02T20:24:00.000-05:00

Probably the most difficult dilemma that my clients run into during their project. You know, I wish I had one line of advice that I could give you on how to choose the right species for your home. However, there really isn't one. All I can tell you is that there are several things that you should consider when choosing. First, you have to choose a species that carries the characteristics that will compliment your home. If you have a high end home with very involved decorating and accent work, then a rustic Pine floor might not be for you. On the other hand, many homes look very nice with a rustic grade of flooring in them. Think about the overall look that you are going for and look at samples to jog your mind. Second, not only is the species an issue but solid or engineered flooring must be decided upon. Keep in mind that in some applications you may only have one option to choose from. Make sure you ask your flooring contractor which options are available to you. Another issue that I run into time and time again is the quality of flooring that people buy "on their own." Here again, you get what you pay for. I can almost guarantee you that if you are paying $.99 per square foot, it is going to look like it. In addition, your flooring contractor may charge you more to work with a "cheap" floor that is more difficult to work with due to the milling of the floor boards. Most of the time, you will wind up paying less money for the overall flooring project if you buy a more expensive flooring material. I encourage all of my new floor clients to purchase the flooring material from us as I can honor a material guarantee. If you go out and buy the product on your own, guess what, If there is a material defect, you are on your own. Be careful purchasing liquidated or close out products. If you run into an issue a couple of years down the road, chances are you will not be able to re-purchase the same material to do repairs. I have run into several horror stories of houses that have flooded in one room and the entire home's flooring had to be torn out and a new floor installed because the product could not be found anymore. Oh yeah... the insurance company only paid for the room that flooded. Be careful, find something that should be around for a while. When selecting a product, have realistic expectations of the life of the floor. If you buy a solid floor, it should last you a lifetime. If you buy an engineered floor, you will probably only get one or two sandings out of it, if you hire a highly skilled craftsman to sand it (very expensive). If you buy a laminate floor, it can not be sanded. Check with flooring companies before you buy product from a large retail chain. Many contractors are actually Dealer/Contractors that can offer really good deals on flooring believe it or not. Think about it, a flooring contractor makes their money trough the labor to install or sand, not from the flooring purchase. In addition, most professional contractors will only offer mid to upper line products that many times you can purchase for less than you can get a lesser product from the large retail stores. So basically, you get an upgrade in flooring, you get the product from the installer and you get a material guarantee from your contractor. Remember, not all hardwood manufacturers mill their floors the same. Some are good and some are not. You get what you pay for!

Refined Hardwood Flooring Donates Floor to Wounded Marine

2009-12-02T20:22:00.000-05:00

Refined Hardwood Donates Hardwood Floor to Wounded Marine Category: Life
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NewswireToday - /newswire/ - ..:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" />Raleigh, NC, United States, 11/20/2007 - Company partners with Refined Hardwood Flooring to help wounded serviceman regain independence...:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

Horizon Forest Products (HFP), a top distributor of products for hardwood flooring contractors and custom cabinetmakers in the southeast, recently donated materials used to upfit Marine Sean Debevoise's home. Debevoise was shot four times while on raid in al Anbar Province in Iraq and after many months of rehabilitation, still walks with a severe limp.David and Melissa Allen, owners of Wilmington-based Refined Hardwood Flooring, found out about Debevoise through an Army acquaintance of David Allen, who served in the Middle East in the 90's. "As an Army veteran, I remember how important it was for me to know that people back home supported me and my mission," explains Allen. "Both Melissa and I wanted to help a wounded veteran and that's when we heard about Sean."Partnering with Horizon Forest Products, Refined Hardwood Flooring removed the carpeting from the common living areas and master bedroom of Debevoise and his wife, Rachel's, home and replaced it with ½" engineered flooring. HFP donated the materials and Refined Hardwood Flooring donated the labor. Allen says that according to Debevoise, the new floor has "made his life easier and his recovery faster."Says Horizon Forest Products' Wilmington Branch Leader, David Blackburn, "As a company, it is an honor and a privilege to help someone that has given so much for our country. In this time, when all you hear are negative stories in the world, we are fortunate to be connected with a story, like Sean's, that we know has made a positive difference."Adds Allen, "It is my hope that others will read this story and remember that we still have many men and women in harm's way, fighting so that we can all continue to do what we love doing day to day. I also hope that we can help other veterans out there that need us."About Horizon Forest ProductsHorizon Forest Products is a top distributor of products for hardwood flooring contractors and custom cabinetmakers in the southeast. The company currently services areas around Raleigh, NC; Wilmington, NC; Greensboro, NC; Charleston, SC; and Knoxville, TN. Horizon Forest Products provides premium materials to cabinetmakers and hardwood flooring contractors and is particularly proud to offer one of the largest selections of exotic and hard-to-find pine flooring.About Refined Hardwood FlooringRefined Hardwood Flooring has been in existence for over three generations. Originally based out of New York State, the large demand for hardwood flooring has called for an expansion into North Carolina. Now based out of Wilmington, RHF offers the expert knowledge of hardwood flooring and the guarantee of complete customer satisfaction. Refined Hardwood Flooring is a proud member of the National Wood Flooring Association.