What do I do if my hardwood floor gets water damage?

Here are some steps to follow if your hardwood floor gets water damage.

1. Mop up as much water as you can, as quickly as you can.
2. If you plan on making an insurance claim call your insurance agent.
3. Wait 30 days.
4. Call a wood flooring contractor to come look at the floor and give you an estimate.
5. Get a second opinion – If the two opinions vary greatly get a third opinion (this step is unnecessary if you have someone you have worked with before and you trust them.)

     Step 3 is very important! It is hard to wait when you want it fixed and looking good tomorrow. The wait sometimes pays off and you will need less repairs than it looks like originally. There is no way to guess what the wood will look like after 30 days. It could have cupping or crowning or warped boards or it could go back to what it looked like originally. I have seen it all.

     Also moisture in the subfloor needs time to dry out completely so it will not affect the repaired floor or new floor. You never know how deep the moisture has gone. Be patient and trust me it will payoff.

What type of wood floor finish do I need?

Once you feel comfortable with the wood flooring professional you’re going to hire, discuss the finish options available. There are three different types of wood floor finishes that I recommend, however there are more to choose from.

1. Acid Cure: It is one of the hardest and oldest finishes on the market. It does amber over time, but it is rich in appearance. (sometimes called Swedish finish) Please note: This finish requires you to leave the home while it is being applied and until it is dry.
2. Oil Polyurethane: This finish is a rich looking, but soft finish and does yellow over time. This is a perfect fit for those who want to enhance the richness of their floor. Please note: This finish will scratch the easiest of the three mentioned.
3. Two-component Water Base Commercial Rated Finish: The two manufacturers I recommend are Bona Traffic and Basic StreetShoe. They are both commercial rated products, which makes them as hard or harder than the acid cure products, and they resist yellowing over time. In some cases where intense daylight hits an area the finish can bleach. I recommend using an oil sealer to bring out the richness in the wood then topcoat it with one of the water finishes. 

Remember all finishes are chemicals and chemicals change in color and fade or darken over time because of UV light and oxygenation. You can review these options with your flooring contractor and make the best choice for your needs. A little homework will go along way. For more information here is a link to the National Wood Flooring Association.

Hard surface flooring option for laundry rooms, craft rooms, playrooms or anywhere else you need an easy to clean durable floor.

VCT is a 12” X 12” X 1/8'' thick vinyl composite tile used mainly in grocery stores and big box stores. But VCT is a great option for residential use in laundry rooms, craft rooms, playrooms, storage rooms, food storage rooms etc. because it is durable and easy to clean.

You can buff it like the stores do to make it shine or keep it the original matte finish. Just damp mop with a properly diluted neutral detergent solution. I like this product because it comes in a wide variety of colors and allows you the option of a fun checker pattern or any pattern you desire using 12 X 12 tiles. The tiles do come 45 to the box and are usually sold in full boxes. I have seen clients get really excited when they realize this as an option that allows them to spruce up or have fun with an area without great expense.

Material and labor are relatively inexpensive, but you need to check with a flooring contractor since this is more of a commercial product, not all retailers offer VCT. If you are a do-it-yourself person, you'll find it easy to install. Simply square out your room, make sure it is balanced with a 12"x12" product, make sure the floor is smooth and you are ready to glue.

There are several manufactures of VCT: Armstrong, Mannington, Azrock, Tarkett, Congoleum, and many more. Start your search by looking for a qualified commercial flooring contractor. Don't worry you’re not a small job anymore. Everyone wants work and you will be surprised who is willing to help. Have fun designing your floor.

**Photos are courtesy of Armstrong, click here to see more**

How do I clean my carpet?

This is a question frequently asked of flooring suppliers. The truth is most of those who sell carpet do not clean it. They usually rely on a professional carpet cleaning service. Some flooring stores do have an in house cleaning service and if not can probably recommend someone they use. But for everyday spots and spills most manufacturers have a guide on their website that can really help. If your receipt does not specify what manufacturer your carpet is from, then call your salesperson and ask. If you have a warranty on your carpet most manufacturers require it to be cleaned at certain intervals or the warranty is void. Also the Carpet and Rug Institute website is a great reference for cleaning and other carpet questions, and recommended by the carpet industry.

Here are some of the major carpet manufacturers websites for care and cleaning:

Shaw

Mohawk

Stanton

Royalty / Camelot

Masland / Dixie Home (pdf)

Unique Carpets Ltd. (wool)

What kind of carpet pad should I use in my home?

Pad helps extend the life of your carpet and increases the insulation making your home quieter and warmer. Poor quality of pad with lack of support for the carpet will allow the carpet to wear out quicker and begin to wrinkle or buckle. Pad comes in different types, weights, and thickness. Your pad choice will depend on your subfloor, type of heat, type of carpet and the use of the area being carpeted. Generally for residential use pad should be no more than 7/16”(pad thicker than ½” voids many manufacturer’s warranties) and no less than ¼’ thick with a 6 to 8 pounds per cubic feet density. This makes it soft enough for comfort and dense enough to wear well.

Pad comes in three basic forms:

1. Foam pad There are two different kinds of foam pad: A - recycled rebond foam pad is the standard pad that is used most often. It does not use foam that is recycled instead it uses new foam scraps from furniture manufacturers and other industries. This pad looks like what it is- a bunch of small foam pieces stuck together. This is a good functioning pad and works well for most residential applications. Not only does this product keep scraps from other industries out of the landfill but it is also recyclable. B – pure or solid foam specially manufactured to be carpet pad. This is a solid piece of foam cut into sheets and has many of the same properties as the rebond pad but is firmer and a better insulator, due to these qualities we wouldn’t recommend it for a floor with radiant heat. It is also costs 3-5 times more than the rebond.
2. Rubber pad comes in 2 types as well: a molded waffle pattern that is soft and resilient and good for residential use and a flat sponge rubber that is used more in commercial applications and under flat weave carpet.
3. Fiber pad is made of natural and or synthetic fibers that are interlocked and pressed into sheets of felt in different thicknesses that usually comes graded as to how much traffic it can take: light, medium, or heavy. Fiber pad is usually used under commercial carpet if the carpet is not glued down or if commercial carpet is used in a residential setting.

Take a moment in your shopping experience and discuss pad with your carpet supplier and ask to see what they recommend and why, especially if you have radiant heat or other concerns. You can also get pad coated with plastic to make it moisture resistant, moisture proof and or pet proof. Some pads perform better depending on the dryness or humidity of your climate.

A good overall pad would be a rebond either 3/8” or 7/16” 8 pound.

Here are some links for additional information: 

http://www.carpetbuyershandbook.com/carpet-basics/carpet-padding/ 

Shaw Floors Pad resource

How much carpet do I need?

Carpet is advertised by the square yard or by the square foot depending on the market you live in or the store you go to. A square yard is 9 square feet. Pricing by the square foot can help you compare costs with tile or laminate or wood flooring. So if the carpet you are looking at is sold by the yard just divide by 9 to get your square foot cost.

 

Knowing how much carpet you need is not as easy as figuring out the square footage of your room. That approach works fairly well for tile and wood floors, if you figure in a 5-10% waste factor. Carpet is different because it is manufactured in 12 foot or wider pieces. Carpet is a textile and when it is laid it all has to run the same direction on the floor or it will not appear to be the same color. If the room is wider than the carpet you will have seams where the pieces of carpet are connected together and a decision will have to be made on where those will look best. Also if the carpet has a pattern that needs to be accounted for, you will want the pattern to match on the seam so it will be less noticeable. You can take a diagram of your room(s), including measurements with you when you go to look at carpet, generally people at the store can give you a close estimate of how much you need. But before you buy you should have a flooring professional come out and measure. They can then tell you exactly how much carpet you need depending on the width and pattern repeat* of the carpet you choose.

 

You will want to get three estimates before you make your purchase. So you can compare apples to apples, the estimate should include:

• carpet
• labor
• pad - since there are many types of pad make sure they are quoting the same kind.
• stair labor - if applicable
• tear out and disposal of old carpet - if you are not planning on doing this yourself

We found a great resource for how to create a simple floor plan at The Assistant Product Group site.
Click here to download the pdf instructions.

Look for articles in the near future about types of carpet (wool, nylon, polyester etc.) and types of pad.

*Pattern Repeat is the length and width of the pattern in the carpet.

Dustless Floor Refinishing

If you have ever had your floors refinished you know that sanding floors is a huge dusty mess. Is there a better, cleaner way? Yes, there are specially designed dust containment systems from manufacturers like Bona that take the mess out of sanding. Just like a big vacuum the Bona system pumps the dust out to a trailer. All the equipment used (belt sander, buffer and edger) are connected by hoses so the dust particles can be captured during the sanding process and sent directly to the containment trailer.

The man who invented the original dustless containment system, was said to be, a professional carpet cleaner who realized that by reconfiguring his carpet cleaning machine he could make it suck in dust rather than water. Such a simple notion but it has revolutionized floor refinishing. Less particles floating around in the air means a cleaner, healthier, environment for your family. Wood dust is not healthy to breath and neither are the chemicals in the old finish being sanded off your floor. OSHA states; 

“Wood dust becomes a potential health problem when wood particles from processes such as sanding and cutting become airborne. Breathing these particles may cause allergic respiratory symptoms, mucosal and non-allergic respiratory symptoms, and cancer.” 

So a dustless system means your family can stay in your home while the work is being done without worry.  This saves you time, money and stress of displacement. It also means a clearer finish because there is less chance of dust settling on the finish before it dries. 

Dustless systems have been around for less than 10 years but are becoming an industry standard. The cost in your area can be similar or a little more than a regular sand and finish but the health and other benefits easily outweigh the costs.

Make sure to ask your flooring professional about dustless refinishing.