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Understanding the nature and performance of hardwood
flooring prior to the investment is very important to your satisfaction with
the finished product and the steps involved in the process.
- Time and thought need to be put into the type of flooring you choose for
your home. Depending on many factors such as price, time, and personal lifestyle
will determine the right floor for you. Knowing what to expect from hardwood
flooring and the installing/ refinishing process is absolutely important.
Accent Custom Floors believes in expressing to their clients the pros and
cons of all types of flooring. If a floor type does not seem practical, even
if it is hardwood, we will not refrain from expressing so to you.
- As hardwood floor specialists we personally believe that a tightly installed
square-edged floor, sanded and finished "on the job" is the best possible
finished look you can have in a hardwood floor. While prefinished floors
save time and sanding and boast limited warranties, the finished look is
never as impressive as job-finished floors. With that being said, here are
some things that are not possible with a job-finished floor and should NOT be
expected by the client:
1. A Table-top Finish Each piece of wood (plank or strip)
sands differently depending on its grain type (plain or quartered), direction,
knots, etc. This makes it impossible to obtain a seamless, table-top smooth
finish.
2. Dust-free Finish Since a floor is finished "on the job" it
is impossible to achieve a "sterile" environment. Some dust will fall into
freshly applied finish. If the area is not kept isolated, other debris may
accumulate.
3. A Monochromatic Floor Wood is a natural product and there
will be variation from piece to piece such as color and grain consistent to
the species and specific grade of flooring purchased. It is very essential
that these characteristics are completely understood by a client when deciding
and purchasing hardwood flooring.
4. A Floor That Will Not Indent Despite the term "hardwood",
wood flooring will indent under pressure such as high heel traffic (especially
heels in disrepair), heavy furniture being dragged across but also if the weight
is pinpointed to a small point, even a plastic tip. We suggest a felt-bottom
coaster for heavy furniture to disperse the weight more evenly. All chairs
and furniture should have felt pads properly attached to the bottom. The
finish applied to the floor will not prevent dents.
5. A Floor Without Cracks or Separations Although the most
effective modern installing techniques are used on your hardwood floor, as
a natural, organic product, a wood floor will continue to absorb and release
moisture. This natural process will cause the flooring to expand and contract
from season to season, resulting in cracks between some of the boards. Some
light stain colors may show this process more than others (such as white or
pickled stains).
What To Expect When Refinishing an Existing Floor:
- All wood flooring has a wear layer which may vary in thickness from different
manufactures. The ability to resand your wood floor will depend on the condition
and remaining wear layer of your floor. Once the wear layer has been sanded
off the floor will become weaker with nail heads visible on the surface.
- Due to age, prior care and maintenance, pet stains, water damage, improper
sanding, and other specific issues your floor may not look brand
new when resanded.
- Some stains may not sand out entirely.
- Some "waves" or "dips" may remain due to the original sand job or settling
of the house over the years.
- Cracks and gaps in between your existing floor boards will remain. Trowel
filling is an additional process which is considered an extra service and
usually not recommended due to expansion and contraction of older floors.
Upon request we will trowel fill but it will be stated in writing that no
guarantee will be given and that the filler can crack or work itself loose
from between the boards. This is due to experience that we take these actions
and it would be dishonest to not disclose these possibilities.
- Old carpet tack holes and set nail heads, although filled with putty, may
still remain visible from either rusting or discoloring into the surrounding
wood, or slightly indented from the filler settling or sanding down.
- Sun-bleached areas where carpet runners or area rugs were placed for numerous
years may not sand out entirely and may remain visible after sanding and/or
staining.
- Some nail heads may remain visible due to inability to set due to numerous
reasons. An example is old square head cut nails may actually weaken when
set or cause damage to the boards such as cracking or splitting.
- Deep gouges where heavy furniture has been dragged across the floor may
still be visible after heavy sanding. Razor blade cuts from carpet installers
often are discolored and are too deep to sand out entirely without dipping
or sanding too much of the wear layer.
- Matching an existing floor color and/or finish sheen can be close but probably not exact
due to age and unknown products used originally. This is why we can never
guarantee an exact match to any other finished wood, sample piece, or furniture.
- As with any construction or remodeling, factors of dust, dirt, and displacement
of furniture and family members (especialy pets) always need to be considered
before the work begins. We are very careful and use the most modern techniques
available to keep dust contained and cleaned up. However, some dust may remain
and final cleaning such as washing and dusting are the responsibility of
the client or builder unless otherwise stated in our contract. We do not
move any furniture, appliances, wall hangings, or draperies unless otherwise
stated in our contract. It is the responsibility of the client to have all
arrangements made for us to begin and continue work without delay due to
any of these logistics.
- Carpet covering hardwood floors including tack strip, padding, staples,
and metal pieces will be removed by the client prior to sanding unless otherwise
stated in our contract. There will be a charge for any delays due to not
complying with these instructions.
- Once work has begun no pets or people may enter the work area without permission
by us. Failure to contain pets and children especially can damage to our
workmanship, in addition to potentially causing harm or injury.
Conditions Which Must Be Met To Enable Timely and Top
Quality Workmanship:
Electrical needs must be met:
- Working electrical service is required.
- Access to the breaker/fuse box.
- A double pull 20 amp breaker will be needed to draw power from for sanding.
- Numerous grounded 20 amp plug receptacles in all areas that work is to
be performed.
Water needs must be met:
- Running water that is accessible will be needed for the finishing process.
Security needs must be met:
- All entrance areas must be lockable, not only to secure our equipment,
but to protect the floor from being accidentally walked on during key stages
of installing and finishing.
Climate control needs must be met:
- Temperature and humidity are very important to the installation and finishing
process.
- All flooring must acclimate (sit in the room intended to be installed in).
- Before install begins, the heating and cooling systems must be operating
and climate should be as it will when the building is occupied.
- Subfloor moisture must be within allowable standards.
- All drywall mudding and painting should be complete prior to hardwood acclimation
because they can add moisture to the building while drying.
- All exterior doors and windows must be installed and properly flashed to
keep all weather out and away from subfloor and finished flooring.
- Basement must be dry and free from standing water.
- All down spouts should be functional and working.
Coordination with other trades and/or family members must be met:
- We need the entire area that is being installed and/or
sanded to have no one other than ourselves working or traveling through it.
This applies not only during the install and finishing, but especially after
the final coats are applied for the number of hours or days that we instruct
to you. Failure to due so may damage our workmanship and your floor. If these
standards are not met we may incur delays and additional charges will be
billed.
Thank you for your time and attention. Any questions or comments, please feel
free to call us at our office at (330)783-WOOD (9663).
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