Keeping your Hardwood Floor looking great!
There is a reason why in most of our homes, you find that hardwood flooring has been preferred, such as more than carpet, pre-finished, vinyl, ceramic, etc… Hardwood is a great flooring material for our homes as it comes with many benefits. Some of the benefits of wood flooring include that it is easy to clean, durable, and enhances the overall value and appeal of your home. Moreover, hardwood flooring is useful in refining indoor air quality, and it is decoratively versatile and environmentally friendly.
Having seen some of the benefits of using hardwood flooring, there is one vital
thing that you must always ensure you do in your home. That is, maintaining the
finish by keeping it clean, check valves hoses and appliances for possible
leaks at least on an annual basis will reduce the chances of having water
damaged hardwood floors. Wood flooring
is still reacting to its environment, it is still alive and lives in your
home. A hygrometer is your best friend
with hardwood flooring. You can live in
peace knowing exactly the humidity level in your home every day, you really
want to place at least one of these of these in your home where you frequently stop
and it is convenient, if you do not already have that as part of your HVAC
system. If the humidity in your home
is higher than your specific species can accept before it will begin to expand. The humidity in your home should in remain in
constant range of no less than 35%, or else the wood flooring will start to
contract causing gaps between the boards and breaking of the finish. If the humidity is higher than 55%, your wood
floors will start to expand, causing the wood to expand and swell, which causes
buckling, warping or waviness if left unattended for too long which is why when
you leave your home for a period of time, always leave the air conditioning on
to keep the floors stable. The air conditioner will pull excess humidity out of
the air for you, in the winter when you run the heater, it will dry the air out. When this happens, the humidity level will
start to drop the moment in which you turn the heather on. The only way to control the humidity from dropping
would be to put moisture back into the air.
A humidifier, this is when you will need a humidifier to assist in maintaining
the humidity level.
Maintenance and repair of your hardwood flooring is something you need to do to protect your investment. Properly caring for and maintaining your hardwood floor has the potential to make them last a lifetime. Consequently, read more below to see the value of maintaining, repairing, sanding, and refinishing of hardwood floors.
1. Improves the Value Of Your Home and Adds Warmth
When someone, including your guests, enters your home, the first thing that attracts their attention is your floors. It is thus essential that your home’s flooring makes a positive impression on your guests or even potential buyers.
As per the National Association of Realtors, most buyers tend to pay more if
the home you are selling has hardwood flooring than when it is wall-to-wall
carpeted. For some buyers, carpet flooring may even prove to be a turn off
ultimately.
A hardwood floor is low-maintenance and adds warmth and boosts the overall
appearance of your home. Hardwood flooring improves the value of your home in
that it can also work with different decoration and renovation styles. Hardwood
flooring works with various decoration styles, from traditional to modern.
Likewise, hardwood flooring can also be done using many different wood types
such as walnut and oak.
Repairing and replacing wood flooring, especially if it is recent, further enhances its value and ability to be sold. It also makes it possible for your children and grandchildren to receive and use the flooring when still in good condition.
2. Increased Safety
When a hardwood floor is damaged, not only does it look bad, but it also poses a risk to those who live within the home. For instance, a splintering hardwood floor could lead to your foot being harmed or injured severely.
Replacing wood flooring is necessary for addressing any potential or existing
safety hazards to protect you or someone else from an injury.
3. Wards Off Pests
A hardwood floor that is damaged provides a perfect, welcoming environment for different types of pests, including ants and termites. The unwanted pests in your home will live in the wood craters and crevices and use their time well to cause maximum damage to your wood flooring.
Repairing hardwood floors is a sure way of discouraging unwanted, invasive
pests from attacking your floors and your home.
4. Save Money
Refinishing wood flooring as soon as possible can significantly reduce the chance of having to deal with extensive flooring damages. Without refinishing, you will then have to deal with replacing wood flooring, which costs more. Refinishing, sharply, reduces the need for all-encompassing repairs.
5. Beautiful Floor
Repairing hardwood floors involves doing away with dents, scratches, and gritty surfaces. Any repair or maintenance work will be very useful in guaranteeing that your floor looks new and great again.
How To Avoid the Need for repairing hardwood floors regularly
There are various ways you can rely on to keep your hardwood flooring in excellent condition and avoiding the need for replacing wood flooring.
First, understand that with every season, different risks of damage are posed to your wood flooring. For example, with winter, snow and ice can damage your wood floor. On the other hand, there are more leaves and dirt in the fall that can also damage your wood floor. Subsequently, below are reliable tips for maintaining your wood flooring.
I. Use Furniture Pads
One of the toughest problems you will encounter when it comes to wood floors is scratches. Understand in advance that some scratches are inevitable, while others can be prevented.
Using felt furniture pads is one way to prevent wood flooring scratches. The furniture pads are placed under the legs of your furniture like tables, chairs, sofas, etc.
II. Clean Spills Quickly
According to the NWFA (National Wood Flooring Association), spills are notorious for instigating widespread damaging of your wood flooring. The negative impact of spills tends to worsen with time.
More levels of wood humidity cause the gapping, cupping, and splitting of the
wood. One way to reduce the effect of humidity on your wood flooring is to
clean your spills straightaway. You can use a slightly damp or dry cloth.
What is more, your home temperature should be kept between 60-80 degrees
Fahrenheit to reduce the potential effects of humidity on your wood floor.
III. Dust Daily
Dust forms daily in your home, even if there is a no-shoes policy in place. The dust settles between floorboards, which causes a hygiene issue and provides a suitable environment for pests to live and attack your wood.
IV. Re-finish After A Few Years
You should refinish your wood flooring between 1 to 4 years or whenever it has a dull appearance. Recoating will renew the appearance of your wood floors and safeguard against pest attack.
Replacing Water Damaged Hardwood Flooring
Hardwood floors, though extremely durable, are quite susceptible to water damage. Moisture damage of hardwood flooring does not only happen when your home has encountered flooding.
Most of the time, the damage is a result of an imbalance between the wood moisture and air moisture. Therefore, you always have to be on the lookout for potential telltale signs of water damage to your hardwood floor, such as:
· Cupping- It is when the wood expands due to moisture, resulting in higher board edges when compared to the center.
· Crowning- This means that the edges of the board rise in the center. Hence, board crowning is the opposite of board cupping.
· Buckling. This is caused when board cupping or crowning problem is not corrected. Buckling is when a board is lifting above the subfloor, and this can lead to a further damaging of your hardwood floor.
· Black/dark staining which often appears along the board edges.
There are times when a simple refinishing and sanding of the water damaged hardwood flooring may be enough for repairing hardwood floors. However, other times, eliminating and replacing water damaged hardwood flooring is the only solution.
Eliminating and replacing boards in your flooring takes time and requires the expertise of a contractor. Thus, there is a reason we remain the go-to wood flooring company for replacing water damaged hardwood flooring. We will help you find the perfect replacement planks. Our replacement planks match the current wood species and the flooring grain and texture.
Furthermore, once you have installed the replacement planks, you will often see that the hue varies from the already existing, sun-drenched planks. That is where our refinishing service comes in handy. Our spot repair makes sure that the stain of planks, new and existing, match.
As a professional and highly-skilled contractor, our service enables the perfect placement of new planks next to the existing boards. Each board is of the proper size for producing seamless repair work.
Why Use Our Service for Repairing Hardwood Floors
When you have a hardwood floor in your home, you will realize that it does not fade with time. And if you keep your hardwood floor longer, that would translate into your home value and warmth increasing significantly.
See to it that your hardwood floor is always in pristine condition, which can be achieved by occasional refinishing and basic weekly cleanings. You can always seek our service as a professional wood flooring contractor.
We guarantee only to use quality flooring materials. We install the hardwood flooring according to your preference and tastes. Quality work is observed from the installation of wood flooring to finishing. We are available if your wood flooring needs any repairs and maintenance and repair work, like refinishing and dustless sanding.
For instance, our dustless sanding of hardwood floor is preferred by most homeowners due to numerous reasons. Our dustless sanding is useful in indoor air quality maintenance since the activity is efficient and healthy, unlike regular sanding. Similarly, dustless sanding requires less cleaning up.
Our service of repairing hardwood floors and replacing wood flooring is done faster than other contractors, and without compromising on quality. Our service standards are high-quality, and we strive always to go above and beyond your expectations. We ensure that your flooring is solid so that it lasts longer.
In Conclusion
If you suspect that your hardwood floor is damaged or maybe about to be damaged, we are always within reach. You should always seek the service of a professional and experienced company to solve your damaged floor. Do not be tempted to do it yourself.
For instance, replacing water damaged hardwood flooring is not an easy or cheap process. Due diligence is a must to safeguard your flooring from destructive, extreme weather elements. Such as, if you do not space your flanks decorously, they may warp because of the effect of water and humidity. However, you do not have to worry; we are here for any of your wood flooring needs. We have your best interests in mind. Contact us today.