East Hartford, CT Hardwood Floor Refinishing — Carpet Removal Reveals Beautiful Hardwood Floors
East Hartford, Connecticut | Rentschler Field / Silver Lane Area | 06118
Sometimes one of the best hardwood floors in a house is the one you can't see.
That was the case with this recent hardwood floor refinishing project in East Hartford, Connecticut, near the Rentschler Field and Silver Lane area.
Our customer, Hallie, had carpeting covering the existing hardwood floors. We removed and disposed of the carpeting, exposing the wood underneath and giving us the opportunity to bring these floors back to life.
After sanding the floors back to clean wood, the next decision was color.
Hallie originally selected Early American stain, but instead of simply staining the entire floor based on the name of a color, we looked at how the sample actually appeared on her wood.
She decided she wanted something a little darker.
After discussing the options, we moved to Provincial stain.
That turned out to be a great choice for the home.
Why We Sample Stain Colors on the Actual Floor
After more than five decades working with hardwood floors, one thing I've learned is that you shouldn't choose a stain color from a name or a small sample board alone.
Early American, Provincial, Weathered Oak, and other colors can look different depending on the wood species, age of the flooring, sanding, lighting, wall colors, and even the room itself.
That's why Hallie's project is a good example of the value of seeing the color on the actual floor.
Early American was the original choice. Provincial became the final choice.
Once the Provincial stain was applied to the freshly sanded wood, it gave Hallie the darker appearance she was looking for while still showing the grain and natural variations in the hardwood.
From Raw Stain to the Finished Floor
There's another part of the staining process homeowners don't always expect.
Immediately after stain is applied, the floor can look somewhat flat compared with the final result.
Then comes the finish.
For this East Hartford project, we applied three coats of Bona Mega water-based finish over the Provincial stain.
That's when the floor really came to life.
The finish brought out more depth in the Provincial color and highlighted the grain patterns throughout the hardwood.
Water-based finishes also offer lower odor and generally lower VOC emissions than traditional oil-based polyurethane systems, and the system we selected helped us keep this project moving on a much faster schedule.
A Two-Day Hardwood Floor Refinishing Project
One of Hallie's priorities was getting her home back together without a long interruption.
A traditional stained hardwood floor project can sometimes take three or four days depending on the stain, finish system, floor condition, repairs, square footage, and drying conditions.
We completed this particular sanding, staining, and finishing project in two days.
Hallie was able to get back into the home the following day and begin putting things back together while following the appropriate instructions for the newly finished floors.
That doesn't mean every stained floor can be completed in two days, and being ready for limited access isn't the same as being fully cured.
But modern water-based finishing systems have given us options that weren't available when I first started working on hardwood floors with my father many years ago.
What Did the Homeowner Think?
For me, the best part of a project isn't simply taking the final photograph. It's hearing that the homeowner is happy with the work.
After we finished her East Hartford floors, Hallie left us this Google review:
“Brian and his team were amazing, ripped out and disposed of the carpet and the hardwoods underneath look good as new! Will for sure be using them again for the rest of the house next spring!” — Hallie
That means a lot to us.
It also tells the story of this project better than we could ourselves.
The carpeting came out. The hardwood underneath was professionally sanded and refinished. Hallie chose the color she really wanted after seeing a sample. And instead of covering those floors again, she can now enjoy the hardwood that had been there all along.
We're also looking forward to returning next spring to work on the rest of the house.
Hardwood Floor Refinishing Near Rentschler Field in East Hartford, CT
This project was completed in East Hartford, Connecticut, near the Rentschler Field and Silver Lane area.
East Hartford includes the 06108 and 06118 ZIP codes, and we regularly work throughout this part of Central Connecticut.
From established neighborhoods around Burnside Avenue and Main Street to homes near Silver Lane, Rentschler Field and the Manchester and Glastonbury town lines, there are many properties in East Hartford with existing hardwood floors that can potentially be restored.
We also perform hardwood floor refinishing and wood floor refinishing in nearby communities including Manchester 06040 and 06042, Glastonbury 06033, South Windsor 06074, Wethersfield 06109, Newington 06111, and the surrounding Hartford County area.
Before You Replace That Carpet, Look Underneath
Hallie's project is a good reminder for homeowners considering new flooring.
If you have carpeting in an older Connecticut home, find out what's underneath before assuming you need to purchase an entirely new floor.
You may already own the hardwood floor you're looking for.
Depending on its condition, professional sanding can remove years of wear and old finish. From there, you can choose a natural appearance or change the look with a stain such as Provincial.
For Hallie's East Hartford home, what started as carpeting ended with beautifully refinished hardwood floors.
And next spring, we'll hopefully get to do it all over again in the rest of her house.
Four Generations of Hardwood Flooring Experience
Patrick Daigle Hardwood Flooring is a fourth-generation family hardwood flooring company.
Our family's flooring history dates to 1927 in Maine, with our Connecticut operation beginning around 1972.
Today, we continue to provide professional hardwood floor sanding, refinishing, repairs, custom staining, and installation throughout Central Connecticut.
Projects like Hallie's are one of the reasons we still enjoy this work.
You remove an old carpet, uncover a floor that hasn't been appreciated for years, sand it back to clean wood, work with the homeowner to find the right color, and suddenly the room looks completely different.
Thank you, Hallie, for choosing Patrick Daigle Hardwood Flooring and for the wonderful review. We look forward to seeing you again next spring.