FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT HARDWOOD FLOORING

Hardwood floors are a type of flooring made from solid wood, typically sourced from hardwood trees like oak, maple, cherry, or walnut. These floors are known for their durability, classic beauty, and long lifespan. The wood is usually cut into planks and installed in a variety of styles, such as straight planks, herringbone, or parquet.

It depends. There are many variables to this question, and no two homes will get the same recommendation. It's important to understand that the location of the wooden floors in your home, the amount of traffic walked on them, the weather in your area, the humidity and the long term plans for the home are all factors to weigh in when choosing hardwood floors.

With proper care, hardwood floors can last 50-100 years or more.

There are two main types of wood floors - solid hardwood floors and engineered wood floors. They differentiate by how they're made - hardwood floorboards are made from a single piece of wood, while engineered wood floorboards are made of layers of wood and topped with hardwood veneer. Engineered wood floors are more resilient to weather, moisture and fluids compared to traditional hardwood floors.

Hardwood is great for living rooms, bedrooms, and hallways but not ideal for moisture-prone areas like bathrooms or basements (unless using engineered hardwood).

Yes, but engineered hardwood is recommended, as solid hardwood requires a plywood subfloor.

DIY installation is possible, but mistakes can be costly. Professionals ensure a flawless, long-lasting finish.

We prioritize eco-friendly products and practices in every step of our installation, restoration and refinishing process. Our dedication to sustainability guarantees that your floors are both stunning and environmentally conscious.

Use a soft broom or vacuum with a hardwood setting. Avoid excessive water and use a wood-friendly cleaner.

Cleaning wood floors is a simple process. First, clear the floor from any object that can be moved. Then, vacuum with the brush extension or dry mop the entire floor. After most dust and debris is removed, you can mop the floor using water and a few drops of dishwasher soap, or a special cleaning solution for wooden floors. Mop with the grain in smooth strokes across the room.

IMPORTANT: If your floors are coated with Shellac or lacquer, don't use water. Your floors aren't waterproof and the water will cause damage to the floors.

Last step of cleaning wood floors would be to buff the floor with a dry cloth or mop. This will make your floors shine and remove any soapy residue left on the floor's surface.

You have two main choices - simple screening and refinishing, full sanding and refinishing or a complete replacement of the floors. To decide which way is best, you better consult with hardwood floors experts, who would be able to take into account all the factors and give you the best advice.

Some of the factors affecting such decision - the floor's condition, the wood's age, the condition of the finishing, where the floor is located in the house, and of course - your budget for the project.

Use furniture pads, rugs in high-traffic areas, and avoid wearing high heels or dragging furniture.

Yes, but pet nails can cause scratches. Harder woods like oak, hickory, or maple are more resistant.

The best protection for your wood floors is by proper maintenance and care. This includes two parts -

Protecting wooden floors on regular basis: Clean the floors with the right cleaning materials. Make sure you don't have water or fluids standing too long on the floor. Watch out for water damage to your wooden floors. Make sure you don't scratch or gouge the floor because of dragging anything, and if you did - try to minimize the damage by taking care of it as soon as possible.

Special protection of wooden floors: in some cases, to protect your wooden floors would require refinishing them, or even restoring them. The common cases would be:

• It's been more than 10 years since the last refinishing of the floors.
• There are lots of scratches and you want the floors to look new again.
• Water damage to the wood floors would require your immediate attention to stop the damage from spreading.
• You're renovating the house and want the hardwood floors renewed as well.
• You're moving into a new home - if you bought a home, the best thing to do is refinish the floors so you'll know when it was done and by who.

Polishing hardwood floors helps enhance their natural shine and can make them look newer and well-maintained. Here's a step-by-step guide on how to do it:

• Clean the Floor Thoroughly: Move furniture and sweep or vacuum. Use a hardwood cleaner and let it dry.
• Choose the Right Polish: Only polish polyurethane-finished floors (not waxed or oiled ones).
• Apply the Polish: Squirt polish on the floor and spread with a microfiber mop in thin, even layers. Follow the wood grain.
• Let It Dry: Let dry for 1-2 hours. Wait 24 hours before moving furniture back.

It depends on the room size and complexity, but most installations take 1-3 days, plus additional time for acclimation and finishing.

A simple refinishing will take as little as two days, where one day would be preparation, sanding and coating the floors, and another day waiting for the polyurethane to dry. In more complex jobs, or when the size of the job is big, it may take anywhere between 3 days and up to 7 days in total. If you plan to stain the floors as well, you need to add 24-48 hours to the schedule.

In addition, if the refinishing is due to water damage or includes restoration of a part of the wood floor for whatever reason, the refinishing can take 10 days and even more.

It requires several steps:

• Clean the floor and prepare the room
• Sand the floors - from coarse to fine grit sandpapers, until the surface is smooth
• Stain/seal the floors
• Apply coating (polyurethane)
• Wait for it to dry

You can read more here: What is Hardwood floor refinishing?

Yes. And no. Engineered wood floors require lots of attention and very delicate handling of refinishing. Not all engineered wood floors can be refinished, due to their structure and characteristics. If you want to find out, call hardwood refinishing experts who can help you further, or call the engineered wood floor manufacturer for more details.

It is important to mention that not all solid hardwood floors can be refinished either. If the floors have been refinished several times or damaged for some reason, it could be impossible to refinish them without creating further damage.

Restoring hardwood floors can help bring them back to life, especially if they're worn, scratched, or dull. Here's how you can restore them:

• Assess the Condition:
• Clean the Floor
• Repair Minor Damage
• Sand the Surface (If Necessary)
• Apply a Fresh Coat of Finish
• Buff the Floor
• Let the Finish Cure

If your floor has deep scratches, gouges, or has become too worn or damaged, you may need to refinish the entire floor, which involves sanding it down to the bare wood and applying new finish coats.

For regular maintenance, cleaning and polishing or restoring should be done periodically to keep your floors looking fresh and protected.

Restoring your hardwood floors, when done properly, can significantly extend their lifespan and enhance their beauty.

Prices vary based on wood type and quality, ranging from $3 to $15 per square foot, plus installation.

Yes! Hardwood floors are a major selling point and can increase resale value.

Wood species, plank width, finish type, labor costs, and whether subfloor prep is needed all impact the total cost.