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1. Question: What is a floating floor? Answer: A floating type floor is a floor, which is laid in panels usually 7-8” wide and 4-8 ft. long. These panels are attached together by gluing the tongue and grove along the sides. These panels now become one unit which by their own weight and end moldings float over a urethane type foam which has been laid loose with the edges taped on the sub-floor. 2. Question: Which is better prefinished or unfinished? Can I resand a prefinished floor? Answer: A prefinished floor can be resanded and refinished the same as a floor which initially was sanded and finished on site. The only difference between a prefinished floor and an unfinished floor is the point at which the finish is applied. Prefinished floors have their finishes applied at the factory whereas unfinished have their finishes applied in the customer’s home. 3. Question: Can I install a wood floor myself? Answer: In most cases if a person has basic carpentry skills they can install a hardwood floor themselves. The only equipment needed is a hammer, nail set, and a table-saw. Some installation methods require use of other equipment, check with your retailer. 4. Question: How much should I budget for a hardwood floor? Answer: For ¾” thick strip flooring an average price is $8.50 CDN per sq./ft. installed excluding removal and preparation costs (Canadian dollars for those surfing from afar) plus applicable taxes is a good budget figure. 5. Question: My Housekeeper says she has always used:
Should I let her use them? Answer: All quality manufacturers of prefinished wood flooring also make maintenance products for their floors. Most maintenance products for urethane type floors are interchangeable between manufacturers (check with your retailer). However all of the above products either have too much water in them, which can cause cupping in your floor or contains ingredients that leave a residue which may cause problems when recoating the floor. It is always best to use the product recommended by the manufacturer. 6. Question: Don’t the groves in prefinished floors collect dirt? Answer: The grooves or beveled edges on a hardwood floor are there primarily for an aesthetic reason. They hide unevenness in the sub floor and also hide expansion and contraction. Dirt may collect in these beveled edges and is easily swept or vacuumed out. 7. Question: When installing a wood floor how long will I have to be away from my home? Answer:
8. Question: Should I buy a high pressure laminated floor like Pergo? Answer: Pergo type floors referred to as high pressure laminates are actually more like a vinyl floor than they are a hardwood. They are essentially a digitally created photograph of the graining of a wood floor reproduced as a foil on top of a super high density fiberboard (MDF but much denser) which is coated with an aluminum oxide type finish. They have good short term wear characteristics, stand up well to scratches and dents (warranties do not cover these - they are warranted similar to hardwood). They are disposable type floors - if you wear them out you throw them out. This is unlike hardwood, which in most cases can be resanded numerous times. 9. Question: My floor has large gaps in-between the boards. Is it defective? Answer: Gaps between the boards of a wood floor are caused by lack of moisture. Wood expands and contracts depending on moisture whether it's directly introduced, - improper maintenance or by excessive relative humidity in the home. Some expansion and contraction is normal especially in North America where there may be a large swing in the relative humidity of a home during the transition between the heating and air-conditioning season. The relative humidity of a home should be kept between 35% to 45%. 10. Question: My floor has raised edges where the boards meet. Is it defective? Answer: The appearance of raised edges on the sides of each board is called cupping. Cupping is the result of expansion of each board perpendicular to the grain caused by excessive moisture. To prevent or sometimes even correct this problem the relative humidity must be controlled or the use of water as a maintenance product must be eliminated. The relative humidity of a home should be between 35% to 45% 11. Question: My floor has scratches and dents and it is still within the warranty period, how do I submit a claim? Answer: Most manufacturers of prefinished wood flooring have warranty periods between 5 to 25 years. These warranties cover manufacturing defects and a wear through warranty on the finish. They do not cover scratches and dents. Neither the manufacturer nor its agents have control over the conditions in a home and therefore only warranty that the finish will “not wear through” under normal residential traffic for the specified period. 12. Question: I am going to install a floor myself, how much waste should I add to my measurements for cutting? Answer: While the waste factor for installing hardwood can vary depending on the layout of the rooms as well as the installer the general rule of thumb is to add 5% for regular installation and 12% for installations on a 45% angle. These figures should then be rounded to the nearest box or bundle. 13. Question: Can I put hardwood in my kitchen? Answer: Yes! With the proper maintenance both day to day and preventive, hardwood in the kitchen is a suitable application. However a homeowner must have realistic expectations and maintain their hardwood in the proper manner. 14. Question: Where in my house can I put hardwood flooring? Answer: Hardwood comes in basically two forms. Solid wood flooring is the same species of wood through its thickness. This type of wood flooring can be nailed down only and is suitable for above the soil line only. The second type of hardwood flooring is called engineered flooring and is suitable for all levels of your home. Woodchuck Flooring does not recommend hardwood in, full bathrooms, laundry rooms or at the main entryway to a home. |