FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS FROM HARDWOOD FLOOR OWNERS

At Bank Floor Sanding We get many great questions from hardwood flooring owners. If someone was looking for the answer, we believe there are many hardwood floor owners who would benefit from learning more about hardwood floors. Here are some of the most frequently asked questions about hardwood floors.

Can I damp-mop my wooden floor?

No. No. If you have a sticky spillage, you can use a dampened mop to remove it. However, excessive moisture can cause problems. Standing water can cause the surface to become dull and discolored. You should immediately wipe any water that has gotten on the wood floor with a clean cloth.

What can I do to prevent scratches from wood flooring?

Grit and dirt can cause scratches. To help capture the grit, sweep and vacuum frequently. These should be swept often. You can also use felt pads to place under the legs of furniture. When moving furniture, lift it up and don't scoot it. Keep your pets' nails trimmed if they are house pets.

Are there any cleaning products that can be used on wood floors?

No. No. Your wood floors' finish can also be damaged by self-polishing acrylic waxes. These waxes can cause wood to become slippery or dull, and may need to be refinished to fix the damage. Follow the manufacturer's recommendations. For more information, see our blog post on caring for wood floors.

How can I tell if my floor is in need of refinishing?

To determine if your floor needs to be refinished, there is an easy test. Pick a high-traffic area that is most worn. Sprinkle a tablespoonful of water on the floor. Your floor will be fine if the water beads up. If the water soaks into the wood it is not a problem. You need to refinish your flooring.

Why are there gaps in my floor?

Hardwood floors expand and contract naturally with changes in moisture. It is common for planks to be separated by larger gaps during winter when indoor humidity drops. As soon as humidity levels return to normal, the wood will go back to its normal state. You may consider a humidifier if you are concerned about the gaps. Humidity levels of between 45% to 55% should reduce gaps between planks.

Why do my floors squeak?

Humidity changes are often responsible for squeaking. The wood expands and contracts as the nails hold it in place. We rub the planks against each other and cause them to squeak when we walk across the boards. When indoor humidity is low, you'll notice that homes squeak less in winter. Sometimes, squeaks may be caused by pipes scraping against joists and loose heating ducts. Squeaks can be fixed by inserting shims between subfloor and joists. To hold the planks in place, a professional flooring contractor can use 2-inch finish nails to drive through the subfloor diagonally.

This will hopefully answer some of your burning questions about hardwood floors. At Bank Floor Sanding .You can visit our blog to find more information on hardwood flooring installation, maintenance, repair, trends, and other useful information.

Wood Flooring for Hall Areas

Hall places are just one portion of the house that get put through their paces. If you don't live exclusively on the fourth floor of an apartment block which has carpeted common locations, your hallway is most going to bring a normal beating. With wet and gritty feet coming in from the outside on a regular basis, not only is it necessary to have the ideal door mats set up, it is also of extreme importance that you make great decisions concerning the flooring you select for your hallway places.

Front and back hallway areas each have a challenging period, albeit in various ways, so what matters should you concentrate on to ensure the wood floors you select for your hallway areas is the very best?

Finish

When you are placing a wood floor into your hallway, it's a good idea to give consideration to the footfall and visitors your hallway gets prior to choosing your finish. If you live alone or are part of a house-proud few, you can probably afford to be a bit less worried, but if you are a family of 5 with two puppies, then a little more maintenance is probably called for.

When it comes to choosing the ideal end, both most durable are lacquered and oiled. A lacquered finish is a particularly hard finish that effectively sits on the top of the board and helps prevent water penetration into a larger extent than an oiled finish would. That said, 1 drawback of a lacquered conclusion is that it will display scratches and dents a tad more than the oiled finish will.

If you opt for an oiled finish, what you get is a remedy that goes to the core of the board and camouflages scratches and dents more effectively. Having said that, if there's significant risk of water being brought into your hallway on feet, on pets or by dripping umbrellas, then lacquer will be resilient.

The end you ultimately choose will be based very much on personal taste. If you want a matt finish and are ready to be vigilant when it comes to water puddles from feet, then you could definitely get away with an oiled finish. That said, if you do not wish to be worrying about mopping up, and you can live with the odd bit of tear and wear, then a lacquered finish would provide you an easier life.

UV filter

Hallways have a propensity to be among the sunniest part of many houses. While this mightn't be a significant problem, as a precaution, it is well worth choosing hardwood flooring to your hall areas which has a UV filter at its finish. Here's a stunning oiled finish solution that will work well in a hallway and this lacquered finish alternative would be perfect too.

Colour

The color of wood floor you choose for your hallway will, in several ways be determined by the overall look you're hoping to achieve. If you've got a light and airy hall, then you can pretty much pick any color you prefer. However, in case your hallway occurs to be dim, then the likes of those light oak floors would work a treat to help clean your room with light. The only thing about choosing an extremely light option is you might need to be somewhat stricter with your foot wiping rules!

Board Dimensions

When studying the proper hardwood flooring for any hallway, it is well worth considering carefully
the size of your area and getting creative if you are not 100 percent pleased with the form or dimensions of your hallway. Long, narrow halls by way of instance can be challenging for a lot of folks, but smart use of broad boards running round the hall can produce a very effective illusion of greater width. Instead, if your hallway is lacking any kind of allure, the likes of parquet floors will deliver it into a new degree instantly.

Top layer depth

You may never really get it done, but knowing you can, is reassurance in itself. Here we are discussing re-sanding and re-finishing your flooring. Because halls occasionally take such a beating in regards to footfall and visitors, realizing that, from time to time, you can re-sand and re-finish the flooring is really a relaxation. To be able to attain this reassurance, ideally you need to pick a engineered plank using a slightly thicker surface or a solid wood plank .

And a Last word of advice...

To be able to maintain your hallway areas appearing great for much longer, get rigorous on foot wiping patterns. Ensure you've got an outside mat in case your home gives straight on to the outside, and a indoor mat AND insist that most folks use them. Pick top quality mats, and in case you've got the assurance, ask individuals to take off their shoes in the doorway. It may seem crazy, but it will save you a great deal of stress related to your hallway flooring!

If you would like help to pick the ideal hardwood floor for your hallway areas, do not be afraid to get in contact. At Bank Floor Sanding We are obsessive about what timber floors related and we would really like to share our expertise and expertise with you.

CHOOSING THE RIGHT RUG PADS FOR HARDWOOD FLOORS

Area rugs are among the essentials after the installation of hardwood floors. 1 thing often debated is that the use of rug pads beneath an area rug. Professionals have warned against the use of particular pads which might smudge the end on wood floors. In the following report, we will examine the very best sort of pad to get air quality, discoloration, and rug preservation.

The reality is virtually all pads on the market today are imported. Many are full of VOC's (Volatile Organic Compounds), made from petroleum-based substances like PVC which can chemically bond to the polyurethane finishes of your flooring. If an inferior pad is left beneath a carpet too long residue can be left leading to permanent damage to the floor. Some lower cost latex or synthetic rubber pads are made with clay fillers that work nicely then break down and turn into dust. Selecting an excellent rug pad is vital and can prevent potential trouble later on. Here are some of the top reasons for rug pads:

Safety - the most important aim of a pad would be for safety. Rug pads are going to continue to keep the carpet flat and static, preventing any slips or falls from carpet movement.

Security - a pad will prevent the rug from damaging the surface of the floor. Some rugs and carpet are woven on an abrasive secondary backing material which could wear through the finish on the floor if left unchecked. A pad may also prevent any dye-transfer in the carpet to the floor end.

Carpet preservation - A pad may prolong the life of your carpet greatly since they will prevent the rug fibers from being flattened or compressed. The carpet pad also prevents excessive wear to the back of the carpet that can happen when the carpet rubs against the hard floor . This is particularly significant with hand-knotted rugs, as the knots are around the back of the rug and need to be shielded.

Comfort - Adding a pad raises the thickness of this carpet giving a lavish underfoot.

ACCESSORISING TO ACCENTUATE YOUR WOODEN FLOOR

Accessorising To Improve Your Wooden Floor

Stylish, classy, durable, hardwood flooring includes a litany of perks to offer you any home owner. While hardwood flooring looks great and has a timeless quality to it, you will find an assortment of little tweaks and accessories you can add to to make it stand out even more.

Plant It
Natural hardwood floors goes together with vegetation -- together with lush greenery accentuating the muted browns of the timber. Whether you chose a house plant or synthetic, the subtle colours will go a long way to emphasizing the flooring.

Utilize Colours
A shag rug or similarly luxuriant rug can go a very long way to adding some warmth and colour to your wood flooring. If your area is particularly large, empty floor space can often make the room appear bare and uninviting, so a rug that highlights the room is going to be the perfect accessory.

Light It Up
The right illumination can go a long way toward displaying your wooden flooring to its best. Position lamps can be a great way for you to flaunt the sleekly finished surface and reflect light around a large room.

Get Creative
Adding some antiques around the space can really attract the stately and elegant look of a hard wood floor to existence but so can other items such as coffee tables and storage units. Failing that, framing images around the room working with a similar looking kind of wood as your flooring can deliver a uniformity to your room which will look good.

By populating your room with the right accessories, you may create a glamorous room that really highlights and enriches your hardwood floors ensuring that it is a room you never want to leave.

Have a look at the vast range of hardwood flooring around our website -- you might find that the hardest decision is often which type of wood is perfect for my home.

FLOOR SANDING- PROVIDING YOU WITH BEAUTIFUL FLOORS FOR A LONG TIME

Wooden flooring is growing ever more popular with each passing day, and that this floors makes for such a long lasting investment is unquestionably one of the main reasons why many do not hesitate to put in this type of flooring within their own property.

Following your hardwood floor was installed, the specialist who set up it will make you aware of the proper cleaning and maintenance that's necessary to help keep it looking newer for longer. These maintenance and cleaning procedures needn't occupy a great deal of time, but in time you should think about getting your flooring sanded to revive them a little.

In spite of a whole lot of attention and care, over the years small scrapes and marks are almost certain to appear on wooden flooring, although floor finishing can eliminate them.

The floor finishing procedure involves removing the surface of your wooden flooring and replacing it with a fresh one- and the result could depart flooring looking as good as fresh.

While some DIY fans do try and endeavor to carry out the floor sanding process themselves, it is almost always best to let a professional do the job, since this will create the best results and remove the probability of flooring sustaining damage.

What our experts recommend for your flooring?

What our experts recommend for your flooring?


Protecting flooring is saving you money. Other alternatives may appear like a bargain initially, hardwood flooring is not as susceptible to cracking and it demonstrates greatly boost your home value. A good way you can get a safeguard for your home floors is with finish by oil, wax or lacquer. Locating the proper products to take care of your floors can be challenging and here our experts appear with their experience and knowledge. Our company will help you choose the right finish for your own flooring.
The wood flooring makes it possible to breathe much better air, therefore if you prefer to safeguard your home environment wood floor finish is definitely the right solution.
With a growing number of people adding a hardwood floors to their homes or offices the care shouldn't be underestimated.There are numerous of different kinds of ideas to care for your flooring outlook, many of them you can learn from our website and you need to give them some type of finish so they can last longer!

If you have any questions, contact us right away!

Floor Sanding Bank