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SOLID HARDWOOD FLOORS THAT LAST A LIFETIME (RATHER THAN ENGINEERED WOOD OR BAMBOO)

SOLID HARDWOOD FLOORS THAT LAST A LIFETIME (RATHER THAN ENGINEERED WOOD OR BAMBOO)

Solid wood flooring will last lifetimes. Homes around the world with solid wood flooring date back into BC’s, and the most recent in our state of Maryland, Virginia and Washington DC, dating back to 1500, 1600, 1700, 1800, 1900’s and up-to-date in newer homes.

Now, why or whom installs engineered wood flooring or bamboo in their homes? Typically, condominiums, apartment buildings or areas that are built with a concrete underlayment. Engineered wood flooring are made of millimeters thickness; starting from 4mms > and up. Meaning, sometime you just CANNOT sand really thin engineered wood flooring. A handful can be sanded once or twice depending on the sanding sequence your wood flooring specialist approaches when sanding. And; if you hire a non-specialist good luck. You might end up damaging the engineered flooring and sanding it too far down past the wood veneer and creating spots that seem like brown cardboard.

Bamboo flooring is also installed for the above-reason referenced on the prior paragraph and typically clients install it for its look and bamboo feel. We seem to find bamboo engineered flooring or simply solid Bamboo in higher end condominiums near the White House or in Arlington Virginia, Clarendon, or Bethesda Maryland high rises. Bamboo is part of the grass family. Mostly produced in South Asia. It’s made of compressed Bamboo strand. Giving the flooring the Natrual bamboo appearance of knots and horizontal lines. Generally a uniform and pale yellow. Bamboo is marketed as hard/medium hardness rating by janka hardness. However, it seems to mark and dent easier than oak. Meaning; if you’re going to throw a party or special venue, and if people are dancing or walking around in high heels and or hard heels shoes, or boots, it will become damaged and you will see heel dents throughout the Bamboo flooring.

In conclusion solid oak or solid wood flooring is always better than engineered or bamboo flooring. It’s thicker, it will last for decades, centuries and it’s much harder. Engineered flooring is made of a nail thick wood veneer and the remaining bottom end of the plank is typically made of composites, or cork flooring and other substrates in the market. However, sometimes if you desire wood flooring in a condominium or apartment, or a concrete underlayment area, engineered wood flooring becomes the only options on installing real wood flooring.

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ON-SITE REFINISHING V. PRE-FINISHED WOOD FLOORING

ON-SITE REFINISHING V. PRE-FINISHED WOOD FLOORING

What is the difference between on-site refinishing and pre-finished wood flooring?

Well, exactly as it is referenced. On-site refinishing happens when we sand and refinish the existing wood flooring in your home. Most homes in Maryland, Virginia and the Washington DC area, usually have oak floors or pine wood flooring. And these existing wood flooring can last lifetimes. Dating back to 1500, 1600, 1700, 1800, 1900’s and up-to-date.

A pre-finished wood flooring is typically already pre-finished and manufactured pre-finished from the factory. In different colors and sizes. Popular brands such as Bruce, Mohawk are readily available when repairs of such wood is necessary. Pre-finished wood flooring is popular amongst a small fraction of clients. Typically, the ones wanting to avoid the sanding process. Or, when matching another pre-finished wood flooring area(s) in the residence.

Now, which one is better? Pre-finished or un-sanded wood flooring? The answer is both per-finished and un-sanded wood flooring is better than carpet or tile. They both bring a warmth of natural beauty and eco-friendly environment within the home. Un-sanded and pre-finished wood flooring are also available in a number of width and thickness. The un-sanded flooring is typically 2 ¼ width and ¾ thickness. The pre-finished wood flooring is also manufactured in the same size or wider and less thick planks. Other sizes available are 4 inch, 5 inch, 6 inch, and so on; and, if needed, Refinish My Floors can process a special order of a desired Length. The method of installation for un-sanded and pre-finished wood flooring can be glue-down on below grade or concrete underlayment. And for above grade, staples and nails.

Call Refinish My Floors at 240.277.5953 to discuss your wood flooring pre-finished install or to install and sand and refinish your existing wood flooring. Or, if you have any wood flooring related questions I’m here to help. Give me a call or send me a brief text.

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MARYLAND HARDWOOD FLOORING EXPERTS

MARYLAND HARDWOOD FLOORING EXPERTS

How do we determine if someone is an experienced aged, craftsman in the hardwood flooring industry? First, we need to begin by asking questions, and checking the wood flooring contractors’ credentials. Before, we hire or invite anyone into our home we should know the type of service they provide. Are they painters? Are they home remodeling contractor? A tile contractor? If they are, I hope this is the individual or company you are NOT hiring to service you wood floors.
A fraction of our calls at times call and desire to hire one contractor for tile, carpet and wood floors. Due, to Refinish My Floors, craftsmanship, we ONLY focus in the art of wood floors. Why? Because a wood flooring expert takes an abundance of knowledge and craftsmanship in order to produce an artistic wood flooring project in the state of Maryland.
Refinish My Floors LLC is the sister company of L and A Floors. L and A Floors is the acronym for Luis and Armando. Armando is my father, he was around since the late 70’s, 80’s and 90’s and, my older brother Luis finally laid him off in the 2000’s. Luis and I are wood flooring technicians that love the craft and grew a passion for wood flooring because it is part of our family. We are not here to work with prospect client’s budget, we are here to produce a work of art, and our clients become awed after the showcase of our craftsmanship.
In order for you to get to know who we are and for a wood flooring expert to produce a showcase work of art; in your wood flooring project, it will take a team such as, Refinish My Floors and L and A Floors to produce those desired work of art in your wood flooring project. Our technicians, Alex and Douglas have a total of 16 years in the wood flooring industry. My Brother Luis has been in the field with my father, Armando, since Junior high. And My first day in the field, I was seven years old.
Fast forward to 2019, we are now Maryland Top’s Wood Flooring Company. We focus on providing top notch services to our current clients, engineers, and architects, who build custom homes in the Washington DC, Virginia and Maryland.
In addition we are Bona Trained Professionals and Part of the National Wood Flooring Association. Becoming part of these two large wood flooring associations, it allows us to produce our consumers and client’s like you with the most updated scientific, innovative products in the Wood Flooring industry. Being part of the National Wood Flooring Association, allows you to learn more about your wood flooring. The number of brochures provided by the association on learning about your wood floors before and after the services of sanding or installation of your wood flooring, in which you can find in our website.
In another perspective, your wood flooring contractor you invite over your home shall know a number of variables when providing an estimate. Refinish My Floors investigates the wood flooring environment of the home. Starting by understanding the moisture and wood content. For example, think of your wood floors as a living organism in your home. If the wood experiences cold or hot acclimation during the summer and winter seasons, and if you do not keep the inside of the home within the living conditions, you will experience a number of problems in your wood floor. In other cases, if a contractor decides to accomplish a job under bad conditions, you will end up with disaster in your wood flooring project.
A Maryland Wood Flooring Experts can identify your wood species and a number of other factors before your project begins. Therefore, next time you decide to hire an amateur or hiring someone without any skill or craft in the wood flooring industry, GOOD LUCK! Or, simple avoid all future wood flooring problems by contacting Refinish My Floors at 240.277.5953. Or, simple make your online appointment.

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HARDWOOD FLOORING DAMAGE

HARDWOOD FLOORING DAMAGE

Hardwood Flooring Damage: The Danger of Air-wick or Bath and Body Works – Or Plug-Ins in General – They will disintegrate the surface and the finish of your wood flooring.

We know that sometimes your place needs to diffuse with welcoming aromas throughout the home. We tend to purchase air fresheners for the main area of our living spaces. We purchase air-wick products, bath and body works plug ins, and products of such akin. However, when placing these plug-ins on the surface of your wood flooring, it can cause permanent damages to your wood flooring, or the single plank where you or maybe your housekeeper places it.

Now, the type of damage usually happens when you place the scented oil refills onto the surface of the wood flooring. Keep in mind these are strong oils that create a chemical reaction with the polyurethane or water-based finish of the wood flooring.

These common areas or damages are usually found in the common areas of your home. Usually, near the power source or electric sockets from your common areas. Such as, your living room, kitchen, bedrooms, bathroom, or any area where you plug-in a scented oil plug-in… Next time, just take a second to look down at the wood flooring areas near your plug-in locations and you might just find the damage on your wood flooring.

One personal experience we encountered was an occasion where the housekeeper would vacuum our wood flooring and then we would find these sticky O-Ring sections on our wood flooring. In order to provide you with a visual, it looked and perceived as my two year old child made a mess with syrup all over the dinning table. Yes, stickie, gooey, and hard to clean (as seen in the photo).

Now, what can we do when we discover this type of damage on our wood flooring. Fist step, try to remove the the oil with a cloth and warm water. Make sure the cloths is damped and only use an appropriate cloth on the wood flooring damaged area or speck. Such as a Bona cloth, or similar to disposable Bona pad. We recommend you DO NOT use any chemicals, such as, soap, vinegar, or, bleach because you can cause more damage to your existing wood flooring. If a damp cloth with warm water does not remove your damage area, then you will new to call Refinish My Floors and we will need to sand and refinish the damage area.

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MOISTURE CONTENT OF WOOD AT VARIOUS TEMPERATURES ET RELATIVE HUMIDITY READINGS

MOISTURE CONTENT OF WOOD AT VARIOUS TEMPERATURES ET RELATIVE HUMIDITY READINGS

Equilibrium moisture content percentage in the recommended temperature/humidity range
Wood flooring will perform best when the interior environment is controlled to stay within a relative humidity range of 30 to 50 percent and a temperature range of 60 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit. Fortunately, that’s about the same comfort range most humans enjoy.

The chart above indicates the moisture content wood will likely have at any given combination of temperature and humidity.

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ACCLIMATION

ACCLIMATION

If you think about a tree, you’ll imagine the roots Leading into the trunk, the trunk branching out into branches, and the branches covered in green Leaves. Those Leaves need a lot of water. So the tree pulls the moisture from the ground and sends it up through the trunk to the Leaves.

That trunk is the very same thing that you will be walking on. It stands to reason, then, that the wood that you will be putting down on as your new floor is exceptionally good at transferring moisture through it. This is good for a tree in the forest, but bad for a floor.

A wood floor will continue to absorb and release moisture from the air. As it does, the plank will bend and flex to accommodate the space needed for the moisture. What this means is that a new floor will need a certain amount of time to get used to the moisture in the air of your home. It is a very bad idea to simply bring the flooring in and install it that day. Instead, the flooring will need to sit in the room for a few days for sometimes weeks) in order to ensure that bowing and bending will be minimal. once it is installed.

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MOULDING PROFILES

MOULDING PROFILES

Moulding accessories are the finishing touch to your flooring remodel. The ones shown here are the most common types of mouldings used in the industry and what they are generally used for.

BABY THRESHOLD

  • Join two flooring surfaces of different heights with a small change in floor level

MOULD

  • Join two flooring surfaces of the same height

QUARTER ROUND

  • Finishing trim along baseboards – Conceal expansion gaps

REDUCER

  • Join two flooring surfaces of different heights with a large change in floor level

STAIR NOSE

  • A clean strip to stair edgings and stair landings
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HOW TO PRICE A JOB

HOW TO PRICE A JOB

So your customer has made a flooring selection. You’ve measured the area of installation, determined any special preparation and repairs to be done and you’ve made a list of all associated trim and labor costs to complete the job. Now what? It’s time to put your quote together!

Do you figure everything at a 20% margin? 30%? 40%? Or do you just add $1.00 per foot to the material and hope to make a profit? No one but you can determine the best method on how to price your work. After all, only you know the profit you need to make. However, it never hurts to take a moment to make sure your method is profitable but also competitive. Below are a couple of factors to consider with each quote you put together.

For the actual selling price and/or quote, a retail salesperson should consider:

  • Their reputation and/or experience.
  • The value of the home and the immediate area cost of living.
  • The market value of professional, quality installation services
  • The size of the job Any extras or oddities that will add time and expenses.
  • Any competitors that may also be submitting quotes to the customer.
  • “How much do I have in supplies?” (i.e. underlayment, fasteners, finish, etc.)