Hardwood Floor Facts | Wood Flooring Facts and Information

Hardwood Floor Facts & Information

Humidity Controlled Warehouse

Knowing the hardwood floor facts is half the battle. We purchase top quality material, and maintain good quality over that material by storing our wood in a heated warehouse and monitoring the moisture content in the wood along with the humidity levels in our warehouse facility. We usually purchase 24,000 feet of wood at any one time direct from the manufacturer. Sometimes it may become necessary to purchase from wood brokers. Both sources have similar warehouse facilities to our own, and feel it is very important to start with top quality materials prior to the start of any job.

Shrinking Floors

All wood is made up of microscopic cells. As moisture leaves these cells, they shrink, creating hairline crevices between the boards. It is normal for the interior home to become dry during the heating season, and somewhat dryer in the later months of February and March. Under these circumstances, expect cracks between the boards about as thick as a dime. Some cracks may become larger, but this would most likely be due to a structural problem, such as a shifting of the beam, loly column and plywood underneath the floors.

Buckled Floors

On the other hand, it is a facts that hardwood floor has the ability to gather moisture from the air. When the heating season is over and the air becomes more humid, the boards will expand and close up any hairline cracks that may have appeared during the heating season. If too much moisture is absorbed, the boards will expand to the point where they will lose their posture and buckle. A buckled floor can be the result of several factors. One factor is poor building practices such as inadequate site preparation, poor under floor ventilation, or improper nailing. In Connecticut, homes are built very rapidly and under very difficult environmental conditions that can change from day-to-day.? For example, one day pleasant, followed by two days of rain, and then days of high humidity and dew points. All this unsettled weather can affect the wood floors in your home. Another situation that can cause abnormal movement in your wood floors is a wet or damp basement. This most often is not the fault of your builder, but just one of the unknowns and unfortunate conditions that can occur with a home of any age.

Keeping Dampness Out

To maintain the natural beauty of your floors it is important to maintain a constant moisture level (humidity) in your home. To achieve these conditions, we recommend the following practices:

Proper site preparation and sound building practices
Use of dehumidifier when moisture levels are high, especially during the summer months
Use of humidifiers to add moisture to the air in the winter and early spring seasons

Ventilating basement air is also very important. Opening windows on nice, dry days will remove moist air from the home. It may also be necessary to seal your concrete floor to prevent moisture from entering.

Floor Finishes

Fact, Patrick Daigle Hardwood Flooring uses high-quality urethane finishing products for wood floors. Urethane finishes provide better protection and a longer-lasting luster and require less maintenance. Unlike waxed floors, urethane floors can be damp-mopped and recoated when worn to restore the natural beauty.

Although urethane-coated floors are the easiest to maintain, they don’t provide the smoothest floor. If you desire a floor as smooth as a piece of furniture, then we suggest a wax finish. A furniture-like finish, however, will not withstand everyday traffic and abuse as well as urethane.

Encountered a Problem with your Wood Floor?

Call us! We know the hardwood floor facts and we can help you in any situation and supply you with answers. We have the knowledge and experience to make sound recommendations, and our expert craftspeople are eager to assist you.

Our Service Areas

Connecticut: ANDOVER 06232 06238 ASHFORD 06278 AVON 06001 06032 BERLIN 06023 06037 06051 06052 06111 BLOOMFIELD 06001 06002 06117 BOLTON 06043 BOZRAH 06334 06336 BRISTOL 06010 06011 BURLINGTON 06010 06013 06057 CANTON 06019 06020 06022 06059 06092 CHAPLIN 06235 06247 06256 COLCHESTER 06415 06474 COLUMBIA 06237 COVENTRY 06237 06238 06251 CROMWELL 06067 06416 06457 DURHAM 06422 EAST GRANBY 06026 06081 06096 EAST HADDAM 06415 06423 06469 EAST HAMPTON 06414 06424 06456 06480 EAST HARTFORD 06108 06114 06118 06120 06128 06138 EAST WINDSOR 06016 06088 ELLINGTON 06029 ENFIELD 06083 06088 FARMINGTON 06030 06032 06034 06053 06085 06087 06107 FRANKLIN 06254 GLASTONBURY 06025 06033 06067 06109 06073 GRANBY 06035 06060 06090 HADDAM 06422 06424 06438 06441 06469 HARTFORD 06101 06103 06105 06106 06107 06108 06109 06110 06111 06112 06114 06117 06118 06119 06120 06152 HARTLAND 06027 06060 06063 06065 06091 HEBRON 06231 06248 LEBANON 06237 MANCHESTER 06040 06041 06042 06045 06108 MANSFIELD 06226 06250 06268 06269 06286 MARLBOROUGH 06447 MIDDLEFIELD 06450 06455 06481 MIDDLETOWN 06023 06450 06455 06457 06459 NEW BRITAIN 06050 06051 06052 06053 NEWINGTON 06111 06131 06153 PLAINVILLE 06052 06062 PORTLAND 06073 06416 06480 ROCKY HILL 06033 06067 06073 06109 SALEM 06420 SIMSBURY 06070 06081 06089 06090 06092 SOMERS 06071 06072 SOUTHINGTON 06052 06062 06410 06444 06467 06479 06489 SOUTH WINDSOR 06028 06042 06074 06120 STAFFORD 06071 06075 06076 06077 06279 SUFFIELD 06026 06035 06078 06080 06093 TOLLAND 06084 UNION 06078 06242 06281 VERNON 06066 WEST HARTFORD 06105 06107 06110 06117 06 119 06127 06133 06137 WETHERSFIELD 06033 06106 06109 06114 06129 WILLINGTON 06265 06278 06279 WINDHAM 06226 06256 06266 06280 WINDSOR 06002 06006 06064 06095 06120 WINDSOR LOCKS 06088 06096 06199

FAQ

What is the best way to inspect a floor after it hasbeen installed & finished?

Inspection should be done from a standing position with normal lighting. Glare, particularly from large windows, magnifies any irregularity in the floors and should not determine acceptance. When study is required to observe the condition, the condition is not likely acceptable.

A finish similar to that found on fine furniture should not be expected. Trash in the finish, a wavy look along strips, deep swirls, or sander marks, and splotchy areas can be indications of inadequate finishing or cleaning. The quality of the finish can be acceptable and still include some of these problems, but they should not appear over the entire floor.

The perimeter and hard to reach areas (i.e. under radiators, around cabinets and cabinet cut-outs, closets, corners, etc.) are most likely to contain these irregularities.

Again, when inspected from a standing position these irregularities may be present but should not be prominent. One, two, or three irregularities in a floor do not make the floor unacceptable. Depending on the nature of the irregularities a spot repair may also be warranted.

Is there a resale value to using wood floors in home?

Yes! Residential real estate agents say homes with hardwood floors hold their value better, sell faster, and fetch higher prices than a carpeted house. The beauty of our finished product maximizes these advantages.

What type of wood flooring should I select?

Selecting a type of wood involves many factors: color, price and durability. Your personal preference is also a factor in determining the type of wood you select. Select a floor that complements your style of living.

Our experts are skilled at helping people narrow their choices.

Why use wood versus other floors?

Wood floors are softer, warmer and easier on your back than tile floors. They are very easy to maintain and are considered a healthier environment. They add a sense of relaxed luxury to any room.

Are hardwood floors recommended for kitchens and bathrooms?

Yes. New wood floors stand up to water and traffic. Wood flooring wears well in bathrooms, kitchens and other higher-stress areas. Our polyurethane finishes resist wear and stains better than other finishes and require no stripping, no buffing and no waxing.

How do you maintain your wood floors?

Surface finishes like polyurethane require only simple care…Just dust mop, sweep, or vacuum regularly. Always follow the manufacturer’s cleaning recommendations. When cleaning no longer restores shine, recoat the floor with a surface finish. Never wax a surface-finished floor.

How should I clean my floors?

When cleaning a floor, follow the manufacturer’s recommendations. You may generally use a dampened (near dry) mop to maintain a wood floor.

However, excessive moisture will cause damage. Standing water can dull the finish, damage the wood, and leave a discoloring residue. If water spills on a wood floor, immediately wipe it up with a clean cloth.

How can I prevent scratches on wood floors?

Place throw rugs or mats at doorways to help protect wood floors from grit, dirt and sand. Place felt pads under furniture legs and vacuum/dust your floor regularly. Tibets Almond Stick can help hide a scratch.

Is hardwood flooring healthy for allergy suffers?

People suffer from sensitivity to chemicals and toxins. Tests by allergists have proven that wood flooring provides a healthier environment for these allergy sufferers. Wood doesn’t harbor irritating dust and microorganisms. Simple regular maintenance – such as dust mopping or vacuuming – keeps wood floors sanitary.

Are we protecting our forest?

Yes. Far from a depleted resource, hardwood is more available now than ever before. Of the 486 million acres of forestland in the United States classified as commercial, substantially more wood is added in new growth each year than is harvested.

How long will my wood floors last?

One hundred years or so. Simple care and maintenance keeps wood floors looking beautiful for a lifetime. Instead of laying an entirely new floor when the original is worn the wood floors can be rejuvenated with sanding and refinishing.

When done by a wood flooring professional, wood floors need only to be refinished every 10-15 years or 10-12 times during a floor’s life.

Can you reuse recycled wood?

Yes. Wood salvaged from a variety of sources, including old barns and factories, is a popular high-end design trend. Wood recovered from riverbeds is another growing segment of the wood flooring industry. Logs that sank during logging operations years ago are being recovered by a number of companies and used to create truly unique flooring.

Is it okay to tape paper to the floor in my new house to protect the floor?

The National Wood Flooring Association recommends that you do not use any type of tape (even blue painter tape) and tape it to the floor. The glue on the tape will set-up and adhere to the finish. Then when you pull up the tape, you will pull up the finish. Whenever protecting your floor, please tape paper to paper or tape to the trim.

Will moving my refrigerator across the wood floors damage the wood?

Yes. If you move your refrigerator across the wood, the weight of the refrigerator is positioned on four wheels. The amount of weight per square inch will make an indentation in your wood floors by crushing the wood fibers. Whenever moving your refrigerator, you should always protect the floor with plywood or sheets of Formica. Cardboard is not hard enough to protect the floor from your refrigerator.