The Hardwood Flooring Blog

1. Troubleshooting Hardwood Floor Finishes (Part 2)
   
   

   Problem: Discoloration

   
   

   Discoloration is almost always a result of direct sunlight and oxidation.  All oil-modified floor finishes will amber over time, due to natural reactions with ultra violet light.  Water based floor finishes will tend to lighten or yellow over time, due to the same reactions.  Shading your windows and doors can help to slow the reaction, however, the floor system is going to change color. 

   
   

   As for a “fix”…  Refinishing may be the only option with large areas of discoloration.  If it is a small area that has been covered by an area rug… Simply remove the rug for several weeks and see if the floor starts to “catch up”.  That may be all you need.   

   

   
2. Troubleshooting Hardwood Floor Finishes (Part 1)
   
   

   I have decided to do a several part series of posts on troubleshooting hardwood floor finishes.  Although many finish issues can result with the finish, many times the underlined cause is not due to a finish problem.  In each post in this series I will discuss a problem and solutions to those problems.  I am fully aware that SOME issues arise due to product or contractor problems; however, I am going to limit causes to the most likely.

   
   

   
   

   Problem: Excessive and Early Finish Wear

   
   

   The most likely culprit to excessive wear is improper floor system maintenance that does not effectively remove grit from the floor, or using strong cleaners and water.  Unprotected furniture legs are also a big contributor.  Proper, regular maintenance consists of an approved hardwood floor cleaner and an approved mop cover.  Simple, but important.  Another simple way to minimize your heart ache… Felt pads on the bottom of all furniture legs and appliances.

   
   

   What is the fix to early or excessive wear?  Unfortunately it is a re-coat.  You should contact your local wood flooring professional and get it scheduled.  The longer that you let excessive wear go, the closer you are getting to a full blown refinish!

   

   
3. How Many Times Can My Hardwood Floor Be Sanded?-
   The number of times your hardwood floor can be sanded depends on several things.  Flooring manufacturers recommendations, the type of sanding equipment used, flatness of the floor, remaining wear layer and the skill of your floor sanding professional sanding your floor.  
   
   
   Always measure the remaining wear layer thickness in a few different areas.  This will give you an idea of the flatness of the floor system and help you determine whether you should even attempt sanding.  You can measure the wear layer either by removing floor register covers or shoe molding so that you can see how much "life" is left before you hit the blind nails.  Another option to measure the wear layer is to locate a gap between floor boards and use a "feeler" gauge to measure down to the tongue of the board.  This method will work well on solid hardwood floors, however, I do not suggest using the gauge on engineered products, as they are a ply construction and the "real wood" wear layer will NOT go all the way to the tongue.  If the wear layer measures less than 3/32"...  No sanding!
   
   
   Another point I would like to make, while on the subject, has to do with factory pre-finished products that have micro-bevels.  Should you decide to refinish these types of floor systems...  Please be aware that there is no way to sand these floors without completely eliminating the bevels!  If they are not completely sanded out, they will be extremely inconsistent across the floor system.  In other words... It looks bad!  Also, keep in mind that by sanding out micro bevels, you will also sand off more of the wear layer on the floor system's first on-site sanding than you will on the second or third sanding.
   
   
   Using the proper grit sequence on the sanding equipment is also very important in managing the life of your floor system. The rougher the paper, the more life you are sanding away...  Why start with a 24 grit paper when you can start with 40?  Educate yourself on the sanding process and your local sanding professionals...  After all...  A bad job will cost you more money and limit how many times your floor can be sanded.  Remember... You get what you pay for!

   

   
4. Hardwood Installation: Minimum Acceptable Job-site Conditions
   Wood flooring is one of the last jobs of any construction project.  Prior to delivery of the wood flooring, a site evaluation should be done.  Check for the following:
   
   
   -Job site should be completely enclosed.
   -All outside doors and windows should be in place and have all latching mechanisms installed.
   -Surface drainage and grading should direct water away from the job site.
   -All wet trades (drywall, plumbing, etc) should be complete and dry.
   -All texturing and painting primer coats should be complete.
   -In warmer months, the job site should be well ventilated.
   -Ensure that the flooring material will not be exposed to extreme humidity or moisture. Interior environmental conditions must be near the average for the geographical location.
   
   
   Crawl spaces must be dry.
   
   
   -Crawl space must be a minimum of 18" from the ground to the underside of the floor joist system.
   -Crawl space earth must be covered completely by a vapor retarder of at least 6 mil.
   -Where proper ground cover is in place, the crawl space should have perimeter venting equal to a minimum of .1600 of the crawl space square footage.
   -Vents should be properly located to foster adequate cross ventilation.
   
   
   Check moisture content of the floor system substrate.
   
   
   -Wood and concrete sub-floors should be checked by an appropriate method for establishing moisture content.  Average sub-floor moisture content should be within appropriate ranges as specified for the product and according to the product specifications. 
   -Assuming all minimum job-site conditions are present, the flooring material can be delivered and stored in the room(s) in which it will be installed.
   
   
   Many times, flooring contractors are rushed in reference to the job site conditions and end up fielding calls of floor system failures.  Often, these failures occur due to improper job site conditions.  It is the flooring professional's responsibility to properly educate their clients and ensure that all of the above mentioned conditions are present prior to any flooring installation.  
   
   
   Rushing your hardwood flooring project can have disastrous consequences!  Remember, you get what you pay for! 

   

   
5. How Do I Protect My Hardwood Floor From Dog Nail Scratches?
   The following blog post is a recommended post by one of our followers.  Several of our clients have had great success with this protection application and have added years of life to their hardwood flooring systems.

   
   

   The following information was obtained from:   www.softpaws.net

   
   

   
   

   
   

   “Invented by veterinarian Dr. Toby Wexler, Soft Paws has been on the market since 1990. Soft Paws nail caps for dogs are vinyl nail caps that glue on to your dog’s nails. They cover your dog’s nails to keep them blunt and harmless. This fantastic product helps protect you and your belongings against problem dog scratching.
   
   Soft Paws offers protection against the following situations: 
   Damage to Household Surfaces: Hardwood Floors - Doors - Walls - Screens - Furniture - Carpets. The nail caps effectively blunt your dog’s nails so their ability to scratch surfaces is significantly reduced.
   Canine Skin Conditions: Allergic Skin Conditions - Chronic scratching. By blunting the nails, less damage occurs when your dog scratches. This can help your dog’s skin heal faster.
   Protects from Dog Scratches: Dogs That Jump Up & Scratch You - Elderly People with Fragile Skin - Diabetics - People Taking Blood Thinners. Soft Paws can help you to feel more relaxed about enjoying your dog’s affection by blunting your dog’s nails

   
   

   
   

   The application is simple. Just fill each nail cap with the adhesive provided & slide it over the nail. It's that easy! 
   
   Soft Paws are extremely safe and non-toxic. Even if your dog swallows one, no harm will come. The nail cap will safely pass through the digestive system.
   
   Each Soft Paws kit contains 40 nail caps, adhesive and easy to follow instructions. The cost is only $18.95 per kit. 
   The length of time each kit lasts depends on your individual needs. Each application lasts approximately 4-6 weeks. Depending on your needs, you will apply the nail caps to all four paws or just the front paws. For example, if you are using Soft Paws to protect against your dog scratching the doors, walls or screens, you may wish to apply the nail caps to the front paws only. This will give you four front paw applications per pack, and the package will last you approximately 4-6 months.”