Hardwood Flooring Articles
In the modern day, there are more people than ever who are choosing to have hardwood flooring in their homes. Because of this, many people have started to wonder about what you might have to ... Read more
Because there are more people than ever before choosing to install hardwood flooring into their homes, this means that environment experts have been considering the effect that it is having on the planet. Because of the fact that it is made out of wood. ...Read more
A lot of people are choosing to get hardwood flooring for their house these days because of the fact that it looks so attractive. With this being the case, is seems only fair that we provide you with a guide to how you can choose the perfect flooring option for you. ...Read more
FLOOR PROTECTION
The life of a hardwood floor is not determined by the type of finish that was used on the floor or the type of cleaning products the home owner is using, but by the way we protect it from the day to day traffic and ware. Just imagine the difference between the floor in a commercial space and the floor in your home. The 1st thing to compare the floor with is the furniture inside your home. Both are made of wood and both have the same finish. While we take care of our furniture, we tend to neglect the wood floor inside our homes. Of course we have to walk on it but a little more care will prolong the life and the look of any kind of floor. Leaving your shoes at the door will definitely help. Our shoes are always picking up dirt and debris from outside, which act like a sand paper on the wood finish, ultimately resulting in the finish removal and exposure of the bare wood or stain. Women should be careful and not wear high heels and stilettos as the pressure they put on the tiny heel will always create gauges on the wood surface. Dragging furniture or any other object on the floor is never a good idea, even if pads are installed. Excessive water, neglected spills of any kind, not clipping your pet’s nails are all contributors to damage caused to your wood finish. If the floor is treated like a piece of furniture it will last for a lifetime.
HUMIDITY
The humidity level inside a home is the most important before and after a wood floor is installed. When the floor is installed the installer will ask the homeowner to set the humidity to a comfortable level and suggest keeping the same setting throughout the year. The wood will be stored inside the home until the moisture level and the room humidity are balanced. Any change in the humidity level after installation will affect the wood floor resulting in expansion and contraction, sometime even to an extreme which can result in damage. An increase in humidity with about 25% above the normal level can expand the floor about 2” for any 10 ft. Also a drop or no humidity will result in gaps between the boards as wide as ¼” if not corrected in time. Keeping the humidity level between 35% and 45% is ideal. Constantly check the humidifier installed on the house furnace as they are prone to break often and cut the water supply. Replace the furnace and humidifier filters as often as possible.
TEMPERATURE
The temperature also has to be constant year long as high temperature will dry the air making the humidifier useless. During the summer time when the humidity is high, the furnace will circulate the air and drain the excess of water. There is no suggested temperature but whatever makes you comfortable should be maintained throughout the year.
