HardWood Floor

By Vic Nagy

If all your floors have previously been carpeted like a lot of places did in the 70s and 80s and you want to get back to wood flooring look you have to remove the carpets obviously. This is an easy job. You go to one corner of the room with a pair of pliers grab some of the carpet and pull up. Usually the way I do it pull enough of it up and you can start cutting a 2 foot strip from the edge the length of the carpet you can roll this into a bale if the bale is too big, shorten the bale length causing it to lose its overall diameter. Then tie up the bales and take them out of the room.

There will be strips of wood with little nail sticking out of it all the way around the edge of the floor. You might need to invest in a molding remover pry bar which will get underneath the tack strips and pry away from the floor once you have it lifted away from your hardwood floor take a pair of pliers to completely remove it from the floor, being careful not to prick yourself in the fingers with the sharp little tact barbs.

Your hardwood floor should now be ready for sanding.

Quick note: you're spending a lot of time and effort into making a new hardwood floor so don't waste your time with unprofessional sanding equipment. Unless the floor space is really small like 3 or 4 feet square. On smaller space like this you can get away with probably an orbital square pad sander and a 30 or 40 grit sandpaper, you most probably won't go too far with a piece of sandpaper. You might end up using two pieces of paper per square foot of area so this could be expenses if you try to do a larger floor. And this is why it's better to go with professional equipment. I also use a very sharp wood paint scraper to go around the edges and hard spots where the sanding machine won't work. The trick with the wood paint scraper it has to be very very sharp and I tell you to keep it sharp by having a file on hand. When you're using the wood paint scraper try scraping in the direction of the grain. You can be very accurate with the paint scraper getting into the smallest little crevices and edges.

Caution! Be careful about leaving your.collection bag on the sander I never leave the bag full of sanding dust, since you've been working the machine hard it got hot and you have a bag of dust which is flammable you could end up with spontaneous combustion.

After working on hundreds of homes a lot of experience has been acquired. If you're interested in tapping into my knowledge come see me at Diy Restorations. Here you can learn more about home improvements and renovations.

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By Albert Martin

Sanding a wood floor has various advantages besides the fact that it not only gives your house a great look, it is also warm and very comforting. However in order to keep a wooded floor looking great it needs to be maintained periodically. Wood sanding is the only way that this can be done.

Reason for sanding no 1

The first reason that you should consider wood floor sanding is to repair your floor. Wooden floors do get worn out over a period of time. Planks can break or become loose, nails could come out etc. All of these need to be reinforced or changed from time to time. Sanding of the floor takes care of all of this.

Reason for sanding no 2

Staining is another reason that you should consider wood floor sanding. Wooden floors tend to lose their original stain with wear and tear of furniture movement and floor cleaning. When you sand your wooden floor you can also re-stain it. This means that you can give your flooring a whole new look.

Reason for sanding no 3

The most important reason that you should consider wood floor sanding is to preserve your flooring. The final step of the sanding process involves a lacquer or an oil coating on the wood. This seals the wood preventing water, dust etc from entering it and therefore prolonging its life. Even if you choose not to stain your flooring, varnishing it must be done.This is the only way that your flooring will look good and more importantly last a life time.As important as the sanding process itself is the need to make sure that you get it done by professionals who know their job.A bad floor sanding job could ruin your wooden flooring.

Get more info on Wood Flooring Sanding
and Floor sanding

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By Talia A.

Flooring is the most important aspect that people consider before constructing a house. Several homeowners opt for marble floors or tiles, but this trend keeps up for few years. Some people follow the latest trend and opt for hardwood floors and laminate floors. This is the latest ongoing trend and many people are going for it. The fashion of marble and tile floors will keep for a short period, as the wear and tear power of these floors is very less. This is the reason why numerous people are opting for hardwood floors, these days. Hardwood floors are the best options to retain quality of floors for years.

Hardwood Flooring

Hardwood floors are a quite expensive deal, but there is a guarantee of longevity. Another advantage of using hardwood floors is that it increases the value of property. One should take care of these floors in order to retain the quality and life of the floor. Hardwood flooring is the best option for any room in the house but it is not recommended for bathroom as it can not hold water. It can be installed depending upon the choice and type of hardwood floors. There are several types and styles available in the market that people can choose.

Wood Species

Maple and oak are mainly used in the manufacturing of hardwood floors. Other options include fir, beach, walnut, cinnamon, cherry, pine and birch. Each and every floor has its own benefits and disadvantages, so it is recommended that customers should consult any flooring professional prior to making investment.

Treatment

Hardwood floors can be of two types which include finished and unfinished. Unfinished type involves the finishing and sanding of the floor after the installation, while in case of finished floors there is no need for any type of treatment.

Adds up the Value of Property

Hardwood flooring not just beautify the interior of the home, but it is completely environment friendly as well. These floors are recyclable which is an added advantage for the home owners. Hardwood flooring is widely used from centuries and is now becoming a part of the latest fashion. After its installation, the owner does not need to worry for the refinishing of floors. These also add value to the property and facilitates if the owner wishes to sell the home. The greatest thing about the floor is that it suits the taste of all the people having different life styles.

Online Alternatives

There are numerous websites that are offering hardwood floors at very reasonable prices. Several websites are providing great discounts to the people who purchase the hardwood floors online. One can choose the designs and styles online as there is a huge list of designs and styles are mentioned there. So, hardwood flooring is the best option in order to enjoy longevity of the floors. One just needs to select any of the floor type and design, and add them into the wish list.

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By Jenna Laine

At a time when homeowners are pinching pennies, hardwood floor installation continues to be one of the top trends in home improvement. Why? Because it's guaranteed to bring value to a home, it's seen as classic and transcends through decades, and it's relatively inexpensive.

When it comes to Hardwood Floors, Bruce Hardwoods is considered a leading manufacturer because of quality, aesthetics, and selection. Bruce Hardwoods come in several varieties, with hundreds of styles and color combinations. The most popular woods used include oak, ash, birch, beech, maple, and hickory. With so many different options to choose from, how do you know which is right for your home?

For an elegant, formal setting in your home, darker woods and finishes add a sense of warmth, such as the stunning Dundee Plank by Bruce Hardwood in a cherry or mocha. For everyday use, opt for contemporary maple, or even a combination of maple with oak, such as Bruce Hardwood's Liberty Plank flooring.

If your style is a bit on the retro side, or you want to add some Americana flare to your home, go with American Vintage Walnut from Bruce Hardwoods. If you have kids or pets, the highly durable Bruce Park Avenue Premium Laminate Wood is eight times more resistant to scratches and surface stains than any other wood on the market, and it's backed by a 30-year warranty.

In addition to type of wood used, you will need to select a pattern. The most common patterns are strip and plank, although a popular trend among homeowners is to integrate their own custom designs in the wood.

Talk to a Bruce Hardwoods floor installation specialist to discuss your options. When choosing a color and cut, be sure to request samples, and don't forget to ask about cleaning. Different woods require different cleaning methods, and some floors can only be cleaned professionally. When making a home investment such as this, you don't want any surprises!

Hardwood Floor Experts
Bruce Liberty Plank

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By Melville Jackson

Hardwood floors don't retain their shine forever. They gradually fade away and lose their luster. To re-infuse them with shine you can try waxing them. But if you are looking forward to retain their original glow then you will have to go for hardwood refinishing. This is a very tough process and it is recommended that you hire a professional for it. Maple floors in particular are quite tough to handle and hence, refinishing them should preferably be done by a professional.

Though it might make your home look new, many a times it so happens that refinishing is not at all required. So first of all you need to assess whether your floor needs refinishing. If there are minor scratches on the surface or the luster has diminished, just doing a top coat of finish might work well enough. On the other hand, it is possible that the floor has worn off enough and even refinishing might not help regain that lost shine. In such cases entire planks of wood might have to be replaced. Planks that have become soft, spongy or sagged require total replacement. Hence, in such cases, refinishing is not an option.

Refinishing is not always recommended because it takes wood through the process of sanding. Hence, it can be carried out only for a certain number of times after that the floor has to be replaced altogether. You can always check the amount of wood that is leftover by just scrutinizing the edges.

The refinishing process

The process begins with sanding. Prior to the sanding process you must make sure that gaps are filled. Gaps in the wood during winter are quite obvious, but if you find gaps during summer you have to fill them up. Sanding requires tools like drum sander, floor edger, buffer, palm sander, and a shop vacuum. This process makes a lot of noise so it is advisable to use ear protection. One necessary precaution is that the sander should not be left to sit at one spot because it causes a lot of damage.

Sanding is followed by staining. Before you begin using stain make sure that you are using the right type and shade of stain. The stain should be applied with the grain in 5 foot wide sections. It takes almost a day to dry and your new floor is ready.

As we see, this process is difficult but a rewarding one. Even so it is not always recommended as it erodes wood. So, before you indulge in it, make sure you absolutely require it.

Austin Hardwood Flooring - Floor King offers an extensive selection of wood floors, including the widest selection of species, finishes and grains in Austin. Order now.

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