Do you have hardwood floors in your house? There are different kinds of floors that have become popular these days. But it is very important make sure you choose your flooring very carefully. There are certain factors that you might need to consider before choosing the floors.

One of the most popular types these days is the hardwood. It is very important to take proper care of these materials. Even if you take care it will suffer from wear and tear after a few years. At this point of time you can choose to refinish a hardwood floor.

But some people are worried about the amount of money they need to spend for the refinishing. There are certain tips that can help you find out how to refinish hardwood floors at lower and affordable price. You will be happy to know that you can do it yourself.

It is quite easy to do it without the professionals if you follow these tips properly. But for this you need to spare some time. If you compare the cost of that the professionals charge with your work then you will find how much more these professionals actually charge.

So if you want to start working on refinishing a hardwood floor then you need to gather the materials that you will require. To refinish you will have to sand the floors. For this you will need a drum sander as well as a belt sander.

You can get these two items from the local hardware store. Other than this, you have to purchase the sand papers and stain and finish for the floors. If you visit the hardware store they will provide you proper information about the type and quantity of products you will require.

To refinish a hardwood floor you will also require plastic and dust masks. If you choose to go for a professional then he will charge you on the basis of square foot. They usually charge $3 to $5 per square foot. This is quite high but if you do it yourself you can complete the whole procedure within $20 to $50.

You will be happy to learn that fixing the hardwood floor is not very a difficult task. But before you start refinishing a hardwood floor you need to find out the find out the damage and its cause.

If you are using a sander then you must learn how to control it. You must make sure that you keep the sander moving all the time. You need to be careful with the machine. Make sure you are not afraid of it.

Once you remove the old finish you have to put the new finish and the stain. It is very important to select the right kind of finish for the floor. Oil based and water based is the two types available. If you refinish a hardwood floor yourself then you might at least save $1000 for yourself. So you can easily improve the look of your home through refinishing.

If you follow the right steps and care for your hardwood floor, you don’t have to worry about its repair and maintenance costs. Also the best tools to keep your hardwood flooring clean and bright are inexpensive and most can be found in your home itself.

Quick, Effective Ways to Clean Your Hardwood Floors

A slightly damp mop is one of the quickest ways to clean your hardwood floor. You will need to remove all the dust from the floor before you use the mop. To remove the dust, you can use a soft broom. You need to sweep your floors gently, especially in areas such as the hallway and the kitchen which tends to retain the most of the dust particles.

Soft brush attachments in vacuum cleaners are great ways to clean your hardwood floors too. The soft brush will ensure that there are no scratches on your floor and the vacuum will efficiently clean the dust and grime.

If you find water marks on the surface of your floor, you will need to remove the protective layer of wax, and rub the marks with fine steel wool.

Stains can easily ruin the look of your floor. There are a number of chemicals to treat stains which might be caused by alcohol, food, ink, grease or even urine.

Most importantly, you can prevent any damage to your hardwood flooring by placing attractive rugs in the walkways so the dust and grime does not settle in quickly. With this you can avoid stains too. Also, ensure that your lift your furniture while you move it across your floor and avoid scratches.

With a little maintenance you can ensure that your hardwood floors lasts for decades. If you need help to maintain your floor, you can choose to contact a hardwood flooring company too. Callatis Flooring, LLC is a leading company which offers custom solutions for all your flooring needs.

Hardwood floors are a type of flooring using any kinds of materials that is bought from a timber. With modern looking furniture and a long array of designs available, hardwood flooring is becoming more popular every minute. And today’s hardwood flooring (solid and engineered) is expensive.

So once you have installed the flooring of your choice, you certainly want to make things look good for a long period of time; and by looking good, what I mean is to shine. So whenever you want that you will take shelter to a floor cleaner. Now the question is with so many floor cleaners available, which one to use.

Traditional Cleaners

One of the best known and certainly easiest ways of cleaning hardwood made floors is to use a solution of vinegar and water. Although there are a few variations in the ratio of the ingredients, the mixture is a well known one. There are also other ways like linseed oil and vinegar in 1:1 ratio, using mineral oil (soft baby oil) etc. These are basically recommended by home users and are basically home remedies.

The main reason that is most commonly sited against the use of recommended floor cleaner is that they are expensive and may be useful, while these are inexpensive and are definitely useful i.e. these work. That is why the vinegar-water solution is known as the best hardwood floor cleaner.

Is It Safe?

While traditional hardwood floor cleaners are easily available, inexpensive and proven safe for daily purposes, most people do not notice that these cleaners produce a long term ill-effect while used over long years. Cleaning hardwood floors is an art, which makes it essential to choose the media wisely. Vinegar, chemically known as acetic acid, is a solution having acidic qualities.

Though it looks to have cleaned the floor, over time its effect will be negative, making the floor look dull gradually. Moreover, wood is a well-known hygroscopic element, which in common tongue simply means that wood attracts water. So if water is used as a hardwood floor cleaner, over a long period of time, it will also make a negative impression on the floor. Similar effects would be seen for oils, too.

Remedy

So in our quest of how to clean hardwood floors, we have seen that the best hardwood floor cleaner are merely the best enemies of hardwood flooring. So maybe the best thing to use is the cleaner recommended by the manufacturer. A best hardwood floor cleaner certainly requires a good quality floor restorer.

Mopping the floor with your regular solutions (containing water, oil and vinegar) is definitely not a good idea and it is far better to spray the solution in case this is necessarily unavoidable.

When cleaning hardwood floors, it is important that you choose the right cleaning products. This is because there are many misleading retail products that can cause irreparable damage, loss of warranty and additional expenditures.

Make sure that before you purchase your cleaner, that you read the labels thoroughly, and ensure that they are right for your floor. Remember to never let your cleaner stand on the floor for a long period of time, as this can cause damage your hardwood floor.

It is better to use your floor cleaner in sections with the help of a dampened cloth or mop. There should never be any puddles before you move onto the next section.

The wrong cleaning products can void your warranty

Be sure to look at the manufacturer’s warranty before purchasing your hardwood floor cleaner. Warranties from most manufacturers are termed void if you use the wrong cleaning product on your hardwood floors.

While oil and wax based cleaning products should be avoided, you should also never use cleaning products that have to be mixed with water. Never use wax, polish, steel wool, paste or scouring powder to clean hardwood floors.

Besides choosing the right product for cleaning hardwood floors, you should also remember to choose the right area rug and rug pad to use on your floor. The wrong rug can cause discoloration and marring. If this happens, you may have to sand and finish to restore the look of the floor. This can be expensive and time consuming. In most cases, it’s best to hire a professional if you do in fact have to refinish your floor.

The great thing about hardwood flooring is that it never goes out of style. Carpet colors and styles come and go, but wood floors always look great, provided that they are well maintained. Of course, some people prefer carpet and it does have its advantages. It typically keeps the house well insulated and it can dampen sound like nothing else. Still, if you are sick of carpet and would like the classical look of hardwood flooring, here is how you can change over.

The first thing you want to do is determine how much of your house you want to replace with hardwood flooring. Some people like to put in everywhere, while others just like to put it in the main living areas and the front foyer, leaving carpet in the halls and the bedrooms. Decide what you want to do and then measure carefully the square footage you’ll be working with. You’ll need these measurements later when it comes time to purchase your supplies.

Next, you’ll need to figure out the thickness of the wood you’ll require. The standard when it comes to installation is 3/4 of an inch. However, if there is already a plywood subfloor installed beneath the carpet, this could present a problem. Putting in a floor of standard thickness could cause it to rise too high, making trouble for your doors and even the trim around your walls. If this is the case, you’ll want to go with a thinner product.

Finally, it’s time to decide what type of material you want to go with. Hardwood flooring can come either unfinished or prefinished. If you go for prefinished product, it will already be coated with polyurethane and will be ready to go. If you go for unfinished, the wood will have to be treated after you’ve installed the product. You can get unfinished wood for much cheaper, but the process of treating the wood after installation can be a big hassle, especially if you’re living in the home.

If you will be installing the floor yourself, you can proceed to purchase the materials. If you have little experience with installation, talk to the people at the store where you are purchasing the wood. They may have some helpful material for you to look at and some advice. If you will be hiring an installer, you can usually purchase the materials through them. Whichever route you choose, you’re sure to enjoy your new hardwood flooring for years to come.

Home improvement is definitely a tedious task. However, it is strongly recommended in order to keep the value up on your home. Whether you have just removed the carpet over the hardwood flooring or been using it over the years, this is the perfect chance for refinishing hardwood floors in your house.

Refinishing your floor is definitely going to require hard work and discipline. Because of the effort involved, there are people to go for professional help. In contrast to hardwood installation, refinishing your floors can be done even without professional guidance. Most of the important tools and equipment are easy to use and can be found at the rental centers near you.

Waxing is one way of maintaining the floor and is usually done to give a good shine, however; in order to regain the glamour of the hardwood floor, refinishing should be done to keep the beauty and richness of the wood.

Another reason why refinishing a wooden floor is important is because it can increase the value of your house. When your house is appraised, you have to make sure that every part of it has high value to the market. Refinishing wood floors helps you get the best value your house deserves. Check if your floor has existing damage. If your hardwood floor has only shallow scratches or a rough surface, a simple top coating would be enough.

Refinishing your hardwood floor is a job that you can do without spending too much. If your floor has started to show signs of being rough and uncomfortable to the feet, you can try sanding that part to smoothen the rough surface. If you have decided to refinish the a large part of the floor in a particular section of the house, you might need tools like the following:

1. Ear protection, dust masks, safety goggles
2. Floor edger
3. Drum sander
4. Buffer
5. Orbital/ palm sander
6. Putty knife and scraper
7. Sanding materials such as lamb’s wool foam applicators and natural bristle brush

When refinishing hardwood floors, you have to make sure that you sand the surface lightly because sanding takes off a great part of the wood. Sanding is recommended for scratches in the wooden floor. However, a wood floor can only be refinished so many times because each sanding takes off more wood.

Too much sanding might compromise the rest of the joints of the wood because that over sanded portion may not be as thick as the rest of the floor. This might cause accidents as it might snap over great weight. You can check at floor edges to see how much wood remains.

Temperature is the main factor that causes the wood to either contract or expand. This greatly affects the wood floor. Expanding wood generally causes the floor to crack. On the other hand, when the hardwood floor contracts, it usually leaves a gap that is very hard to ignore. This is another reason for refinishing hardwood floors.

Many homeowners today still prefer the use of hardwood flooring because it only takes minimal effort to care for them and to maintain the cleanliness. If you compare hardwood from that of the engineered wood, hard wood is still preferred because they can be refinished many times. In the long run, the value of hardwood can also increase. In order to maintain the life and beauty of hardwood, an ongoing care should be maintained.

In our effort to maintain the house floor that is made of hardwood, homeowners must be cleaned, repaired, refinished and protected all the time. Since more and more households are having interests in having hardwood floorings, the Internet can provide you with so many ideas on how to find the right company that is experienced and have an efficient craftsmanship when it comes to this. For example, if you are a home owner and you are in the state of Idaho, you can try to search keywords like Sun Valley Hardwood Flooring, Ketchum Hardwood Flooring, Twin Falls Hardwood Flooring, Elko Hardwood Flooring, and Twin Falls Flooring. To make your search more detailed, you can specify places.

The most prominent element that makes hardwood become unclean is dirt and grit. If these elements are not properly removed, they can cause scratch or marks on your flooring. To clean your hardwood flooring is as easy as sweeping and dusting or a regular basis. Daily sweeping is not also advisable because they can cause damage to the hardwood. To sweep the floor at least once a week is the best thing that can be done except of course when there are especial occasions that need proper cleaning. It is better to use vacuum cleaners compared to sweeping and scrubbing.

If the flooring that you have in your home is made with shining or glossy finish, you can use a damp mop because the hardwood is protected with either oil or wax. When using a damp mop, make sure that there is no water spills being drifted on the floor. Some people also make use of neutral pH hardwood floor cleaner while cleaning or mopping the floor.

There are so many things that we should not do with our floorings. The primary thing to consider is not to use ammonia, bleach, regular floor cleaner, dusting products. Also, avoid using wax on a floor that has a glossy finish or urethane. We should never wash our flooring we can use a damp mop to clean but not with a mop that is dripping with water.

In our effort to maintain the proper condition of our flooring, there are also protective and repair measure that we must follow. For example if there are burn marks in the hardwood, we can lightly sand the affected part, use a damp cloth to remove the grit and then we can refinish them. Scratches and gouges can be concealed using wood putty. We should let the wood putty dry and then we can sand them and refinish.

The first thing that a person notice when they enter a certain home is the floor. In this regard, it is extremely vital that we maintain our flooring on its best condition. One of the biggest improvements that most household owners do to their flooring is to refinish them. It is also vital that any damage should be repaired back in order to prevent early damage on the hardwood. We can also use absorbent rugs especially in areas where frequent water or liquid spills is always unavoidable. With proper care and maintenance, our hardwood floors will retain their beauty for a long time.

Are you renovating your house? Is hardwood flooring going to make your refurbished home more elegant? But do you know about the types of hardwood floors and their features. If you do, it will help you in selecting ideal hardwood flooring. In case, you don’t, read on.

The hardwood mainly depends on what effect you actually want. If you’re looking for traditional look, black walnut would be a great choice. It is also known as American walnut and is being used for ages. Beauty is not only the feature of black walnut hardwood flooring but its durability as well. You would hardly find any stains on the hardwood even if you’re using the same floor for years. If you compare American walnut with other hardwood laminate flooring such as oak, cherry and mahogany, you’d find it bit softer. Therefore, not ideal for high traffic areas.

Another option for fine and stylish hardwood flooring is cherry. There are few people who use laminate flooring decorative papers to give feel of cherry to the hardwood. But real is real and red tint of the hardwood will make your home unique. The best thing in using cherry as hardwood flooring is that you can use it an area with high level of traffic or moisture. If you don’t want to typecast your hardwood flooring, go for reclaimed wood which you can get from old wooden buildings, wagons and wooden barrels. Since you’d be using different types of wood for the flooring, uniqueness will definitely be there. The fact that makes people to avoid reclaimed wood is that it is quite expensive and you’d find it quite difficult to use.

Despite existence of various types of wood used for flooring, majority of people use oak for hardwood and laminate flooring. Durability and resistance makes it one of the most popular hardwood types. Even in oak, you have numerous options. White oak and red oak are among the most popular ones. Red oak gives a light pink effect whereas white oak has quite light color. If you’re opting for white oak, you’d need to look after it with proper care. Oak will be the best choice of you’re looking for hardwood for heavy traffic areas.

There are several benefits of oak but there is a drawback as well. Oak is not a good option, if you’re installing hardwood in kitchen or bathroom because it cannot resist moisture for longer period of time. This is the only drawback otherwise oak is very beneficial, if you’re installing it in a place where there is no or very less moisture. Moreover, installing oak hardwood is a very easy process. These days manufacturers has come up with pre finished hardwood floorings. Buy hardwood floors and install on your own. It can save hefty amount of money. However, if you consider the time in installing the laminate floor and want a perfect touch in your hardwood floor, you should hire a professional. You’d need to pay some extra bucks but a wonderful floor that too in very less time is guaranteed.

Engineered Hardwood Flooring

Engineered Hardwood Flooring

Engineered hardwood flooring is a product made of a core of hardwood, plywood, or high density fiber and a top layer of hardwood veneer that is glued on the top surface of the core. It is available in almost any hardwood species. The product has the natural characteristics of the selected wood species as opposed to a photographic layer. The “engineered” product has been designed to provide greater stability, particularly where moisture or heat pose problems for hardwood floors.

Wood floors come in two basic types:

o Solid wood flooring
o Engineered wood flooring

Solid Wood Fl is fabricated from 3/4″ thick solid wood and tongue and groove sides to join the boards. Some manufacturers make a thinner version that is 5/16″ thick. The main advantage of solid wood flooring is its ability to be re-sanded and refinished over many years. It is not uncommon for solid wood floors to last 50 years or more. Solid wood floors come unfinished or prefinished in almost any wood species.

The main issue to consider with solid wood floors is its susceptibility to expansion and contraction due to humidity changes in the home. To accommodate for movement, these floors are typically installed with a 5/8″ to 3/4″ gap around the perimeter of the floor along the wall. This gap is covered by shoe molding and baseboards.

The 3/4″ thick floors should not be installed in a below grade condition, such as a basement. However, the thinner 5/16″ wood floors may be used in that application. When installing a solid wood floor over new or existing concrete, be sure the manufacturer’s recommendations on limits of moisture in the concrete are followed.

Solid wood flooring is available in three main types:

o Strip flooring is denoted by the thickness and width of the wood planks. Strip flooring has a set width, but the thickness can vary. Strip flooring ranges in thickness from 5/16″ to ¾” wide. It is available only in widths of 1 1/2″, 2″, and 2 1/4″.

o Plank flooring comes in two thicknesses, but unlike strip flooring, the widths can vary. It is available only in thicknesses of 1/2″ or 3/4″ and a range of widths from 3″ to 8″.

o Parquet flooring has a very different look from typical hardwoods. They are made up of geometrical patterns composed of individual wood patterns composed of individual wood slats held in place by mechanical fastening or an adhesive.

Laminate flooring is not real wood, at least not in the way that hardwood and engineered wood are. It is comprised of a thin top layer of resin-infused paper, all on top of a wood chip composite. Technically, it is wood. It is an amazing simulation of wood. The resin layer is essentially a photograph of wood. Laminate flooring is an alternative to wood flooring. It is scratch resistant and it works well in topically moist environments like bathrooms and kitchens, unlike hardwood flooring. Additionally, laminate flooring is very easy to install.

Engineered wood flooring solves a lot of the problems hardwood and laminate flooring have:

o Solid Hardwood does not tolerate moisture well.
o Solid Hardwood can have uneven quality
o Laminate Flooring does not tolerate moisture well
o Laminate Flooring is fake wood and can not be sanded.

Basics of Engineered Wood Floors

Engineered hardwood floors are constructed similar to that of basic plywood with the top surface being actual hardwood. Products come in two to ten ply construction depending on the manufacturer. Many manufacturers have increased the surface (also known as veneer or wear layer) layer that will result in some engineered floors lasting as long as the traditional ¾” solid flooring. One of the most important factors contributing to the longevity of any hardwood floor is the amount of refinishable material.

Solid 3/4″ hardwoods have approximately 1/4 of an inch above the tongue and groove construction. Once it is sanded to that level, nails or staples begin to appear and should be replaced. The better and thicker engineered hardwood floors have 1/8″ to 3/16″ above the tongue and groove. Since the veneer is real wood, it can be sanded up to two to three times.

Engineered floors are the ideal solution for hardwood flooring on concrete. The dimensional stability of the way they are constructed. Each ply layer is pressure glued and set in the opposite direction. Engineered hardwood floors expand and contract with high humidity, as opposed to hardwood flooring. The more plies the greater stability.

Installation of most engineered hardwood floors are done by the glue down or floating floor method. It is very important to note that not all engineered products have the same type of installation specifications. Some floors may be floating, glue direct, or staple only. Maunufacturers specifications should be followed explicitly. The majority of prefinished engineered hardwoods have limits on lengths at 42 to 48 inches, opposed to most solid hardwoods at 72 to 84 inches. Typically, lower end flooring will have shorter pieces. Typically, longer lengths are preferred as they offer a more appealing look on completion.

What is a floating floor? It is a method of installing a floor rather than a specific type of flooring material. In this method, the individual planks or boards attach to each other – either by means of gluing or snapping together, but do not attach to the sub floor on which it is being installed. This is in contrast to a solid wood floor which requires nailing down to the sub floor. A jigsaw puzzle is one great comparison. With a jigsaw puzzle, pieces connect to each other, but not to the table. A floating floor is like a jigsaw puzzle. An advantage of the floating floor method of installation is it allows for the floor to move and expand in response to changes in the room’s humidity.

Wood Flooring Hardness Rating

The hardness of wood flooring is measured by something called the Janka Test. A.444 inch steel ball is driven into the wood to half the ball’s diameter. The test measures the force needed to embed a steel ballot half of its diameter in the piece of wood being tested, with rating measured in pounds of force per square inch. So with this rating, the higher the number the harder the wood.

Wood hardness is important since one of the key considerations in selecting the species of wood floor, you should be aware how much resistance the wood has to scratches and indentations. For example, if you have a dog with long nails then scratching the floor is a consideration and you should select a species with a higher rating such as hickory, maple, oak, or ash.

While it may seem logical to pick the hardest wood, certain factors should be considered:

o Soft wood can be hardened to some degree by the application of polyurethane finishes

o Hard wood is nearly always much more expensive than the softer and medium grade woods.

o Hard wood is more difficult to saw, drill, and nail than other woods, requiring more time and labor, therefore more money.

Hardwood Floor Appearances Can Differ

Hardwood veneers have the same surface appearances as solid hardwood flooring because they are both natural hardwoods. Different appearances result from the different ways the hardwood is sawn. The different sawing methods are:

o Flat Sawn (also referred to as plain sawn) – can be flat grain, which has a cathedral or gothic effect or vertical grain which has a radial or edge grain effect.

o Rotary Cut – method of cutting wood in which the hardwood layer is peeled off the log using large wood lathes. This peeling method shows dramatic, wilder graining.

o Off-Set Rotary Cut – method of cutting wood which gives a sliced appearance and grain pattern with the added cross grain stability of sliced, without the sliced cost. Hardwoods are more dimensionally stable across the grain, and off-set rotary cutting takes advantage of this property. The yield is lower than a regular rotary cut creating a slight price increase vs. standard rotary.

o Sliced Cut – method of cutting wood in which the hardwood layer is sawn like regular lumber. This shows finer graining.

Alan Trauger is a Building Consultant that performs property condition assessments for residential and commercial properties. An experienced and knowledgeable problem solver, understanding processes and issues related to building structures and their systems. An expert witness, trainer, and educator. To view past newsletters on construction and buildings – newsletters.alantrauger.com [http://newsletters.alantrauger.com/].

Selecting the perfect hardwood flooring for your home demands careful consideration of your overall theme, installation requirements and your budget. You need to be familiar with the different styles of hardwood flooring so you can make an informed choice between products. You will save money by selecting the correct hardwood flooring for your project and the result will be something you can be proud of and enjoy for many years.

Wood Planks

Hardwood flooring styles over about 4″ wide are considered planks. Typical widths range from 4″ to 6″ although you can get planks up to 12″ wide. The problem with going too wide is that there is more expansion and contraction across the grain with the wider planks and you can end up with gaps between the planks.As the humidity in your home changes with the seasons, the wood planks can absorb moisture or give it off, changing their width.

Engineered Hardwood

Engineered flooring is made of layers of wood laminated in alternating grains, like plywood, so it’s very stable for floors. This is the best choice of hardwood flooring if the flooring is being laid on concrete or in the basement since it won’t expand with the higher moisture levels. It has a thin veneer or wear layer of actual hardwood on top so it can only be refinished a limited number of times.Solid hardwood flooring can be refinished many times if necessary.

Reclaimed Wood

Reclaimed wood flooring is one of the hottest trends right now. The reclaimed wood comes from railroad trestles, old barns or logs that had sunk during their delivery trips down river. Recycling the wood is environmentally friendly, but it also gives you wood with incredible character and a unique history. Reclaimed wood is a perfect complement to a rustic or log cabin design.

Laminate Flooring

Laminate flooring is not really hardwood but instead a picture of hardwood laminated onto man-made material. One of the most inexpensive types of flooring and generally the easiest to put in yourself, very good quality laminate flooring is durable and scratch-resistant for pet owners. Often available as a floating floor where the laminate strips click together for fast installation.

By carefully considering your budget along with the distinctive appeal of each of these styles of hardwood flooring, you can find the perfect fit for you to establish the overall look and feel of your home.

If you enjoyed reading about hardwood flooring, you may want to discover where to buy hardwood flooring at a discount.