All About Flooring
Alright, here’s the deal. There’s a lot I know about hardwood flooring, and there’s a lot that many of you don’t know about hardwood flooring. There are also a lot of things I really want to let out to the general public, so that customers can be more informed.
So I’m going to dedicate this part of my site to informing people about hardwood flooring.
This is probably going to be an ever-growing section, so if you have any questions that aren’t covered here, feel free to leave a comment with any questions you might have.
Click on a topic in the sidebar to begin.
November 30th, 2007 at 5:21 pm
Hi Stevish,
It’s good to know that someone who knows about it will take some time to share his expertise. Right now I can only think of one question: my wife and I are planning to install some hardwood flooring like this:
http://www.gatewoodfloors.com/
What should we consider before do it?
May 20th, 2011 at 9:07 am
Are staple “bumps” in maple pre-fished hardwood a sign of poor installation or due to the density of the wood?
September 19th, 2011 at 4:45 pm
I had pre-finished hardwood installed today and it doesn’t look nearly as good as I had hoped. I’ve seen a lot of related discussion but I’m not sure if anyone has posted this exact concern. I have many areas where the sides of the boards are damaged and chipped causing the prefinished coating to come off as well as splintered areas. It’s just a hallway and there are a lot of areas that are going to catch socks and all. The installer says he can sand and poly. it but I don’t understand why there is so much damage to the wood during the installation process and how much is normal. I wouldn’t leave a damage tile down and grout it in.
November 16th, 2011 at 7:02 am
We’ve had prefinished Bruce hardwood floors for 6 years. I chose a color that was too dark and I hate the beveled edges. The cracks they produce are hard to clean. We will definitely refinish them in the next couple years. Question: will the sanding do away with the beveled edges?
Next issue: I’ve struggled with how to clean the floors over the years and have used some popular wood floor cleaners like Orange Glo. Now… there is a milky film on the floor and they never really look clean. I read that you should use vinegar.. I’ve read that you should steam them to remove the film and the gunk from the cracks, etc, etc. Until I can get them refinished, how can I remove the waxy filmy look and keep them clean/shiny?
November 16th, 2011 at 1:02 pm
Kelli,
Yes the sanding will do away with the bevels. Just make sure the workers know you want the bevels gone, because some might try to shortcut things a little, but especially when you’re changing the color of the stain, they’ll have to take out the bevels to do it right
As far as the cleaner residue, there is no good answer. Anything you use that can get the cleaner off is going to put the finish in danger. Just remember this, and in the future use either a plain damp mop, or Bona floor cleaner. It’s the only cleaner that I’m SURE doesn’t leave that junk behind eventually.
-Stephen
January 25th, 2012 at 11:13 pm
HI WE HAVE A PREFINISHED MIRAGE FLOOR IN OUR FAMILY ROOM—I WANT TO REFINISH & CHANGE THE COLOR???? IS IT POSSIBLE TO SAND OFF THE COLOR SINCE THIS IS PRESTAINED & SEVERAL COATS OF POLY??? ALSO ROOM IS ON CONCRETE, DOES THIS MATTER???
September 15th, 2013 at 1:27 am
Must be an engineered floor you have since you mention it being on concrete. Make sure there is a healthy wear layer of wood so a refinisher can sand enough to remove bevels and get to raw wood. Next you find out the species, or the refinisher will. Oak flooring stains very nicely. We rarely stain maple and fir as it turns out uneven and blotchy. Some like it, We don’t. If there are bevels, sand those down. And Make sure you hire an experienced flooring crew to stain your floors. Chris – Excel Hardwood Floors.
September 15th, 2013 at 1:35 am
Kelli, sanding a pre-finished hardwood floor can be tough as the aluminum oxide finishes are very stubborn to remove. It is important to sand the pre-finished flooring so that the bevels are sanded gone or else there will be areas of flooring with bevels, and areas without, resulting in inconsistent appearance. Once the finish is removed and the bevels are gone it is like a site finished floor and can be finished with oil or water base sealer and finish when prepared properly. Choosing the right sealer and finish depends on preferences and condition of flooring. Chris – Excel Hardwood Floors.
November 18th, 2013 at 6:59 pm
We are debating between Bruce Dundee and Bruce Fulton Saddle-stained oak floors. I like the look of the Bruce Fulton (straight edges), but my husband thinks it’s too risky and that we may end up with uneven looking floors. Do you have any opinion on Bruce Fulton? I’m a little unhappy about the shorter warranty(25years) as opposed to the Dundee warranty of 50 years, so I am wondering if there’s something in the micro-bevels that makes Dundee longer lasting?
Thanks
April 11th, 2015 at 11:41 am
We just purchased a home with oak hardwood floor. The planks are narrow with beveled edges. I read on this site to use BONA but what tools do I use? There is an overwhelming selection to choose from!
August 13th, 2015 at 11:58 am
Quick question –
We have new European white oak floors. A contractor installed them and I think they came out very well. But now, after about two months, the floor feels slightly sticky in places. We use Bona once a week and I wipe with a very “dry” damp cloth but still feel the stickiness in bare feet. Any thoughts?