Best Basic Products For Cleaning Hardwood Floors

Why Buy Special Products?

Hardwood floors can last a lifetime! One of the most significant parts of maintaining your floors is having them refinished every seven to ten years. With proper care, you can go longer intervals between having them refinished. However, if the floors are neglected, they will get damaged and need to be refinished more frequently. Giving your hardwood floors proper care will not only prolong their life but also save you money and time on keeping them in great shape.

This article will look at a couple of must-have products for caring for your hardwood floors.

How Often Should I Be Cleaning My Hardwood Floors?

Every situation and home will be different. However, there are some general guidelines for cleaning your hardwood floors. Floors that experience moderate to heavy traffic should be swept or dry mopped with a microfiber dust mop daily. The floors should be vacuumed weekly and cleaned with a professional quality floor cleaner once a month.

Cleaning solution

There are many cleaning solutions on the market, with new and updated products coming out each month. However, there has been one cleaner that has stood the test of time. Murphy Oil Soap Concentrated Wood Cleaner. This product has been on the market for over 100 years for a reason. What we like about it is that it doesn’t leave a heavy residue behind after being used. It is also an affordable product that is easy to acquire. Sure, there are “fancier” and more involved products, but Murphy Oil Soap does the job without damaging the integrity of the floor’s finishing.

The only downside to Murphy Oil Soap is that not everyone likes the smell. This isn’t the biggest deal, but it should be noted. Also, the product must be mixed since it comes as a concentrate.

Mops

For an all-around, workhorse dry mop for daily dusting, it’s hard to beat the Mr. Signa Professional Microfiber Mop. It’s not a fancy-looking piece of equipment, but it does the job as good or better than anything close to its price range. It also comes with multiple mop pads, so all you have to make is one purchase for the mop and the microfiber pads.

What’s even better about the Mr. Signa Professional Microfiber Mop is that it also doubles as a wet mop for your monthly use of cleaning solution. Just add your cleaning product to the microfiber cloth and attach it to the mop, and you’re good to go.

Swiffer makes some decent sweeping and mopping kits, but we’re not crazy about the integrity of the mop handle or the quality of the solution they use for the damp cloths. However, these will work in a pinch, but we highly suggest the small investment of time and effort to buy a professional cleaning solution and a microfiber mop.

Rugs

Finally, let’s talk about rugs. This might sound like an obvious suggestion, but you would be surprised at how effective rugs are in protecting and extending the life of your hardwood floors in high-traffic areas. We don’t have any specific suggestions here, but area rugs and runners should be a consideration as you look to preserve and protect your hardwood floors.

Even with the best care and maintenance of hardwood floors, they will need to be refinished and sometimes repaired by a flooring professional. If you would like a free estimate for hardwood flooring repair or refinishing, we would love to be able to assist you. We are currently serving Florida as well as Westchester Country, NY. For questions or quotes, please reach out to us today!

Are Hardwoods Better Than Carpet?

Are Hardwood floors better than carpet? This has been a highly debated topic for years. Of course, there are pros and cons for each. However, if you had to choose only one for an entire house, we believe there is a clear winner.

A Case For Carpet

Most people do not choose to use carpet for their entire house. However, a lot of people decide to use carpet in certain situations. It is also important to remember that each family and home is different, and this is ultimately a personal decision.

Staircases can be essential parts of a house to use carpet on. Hardwood flooring can sometimes be slippery on a staircase, especially if someone wears socks or slippers. This is even more true when toddlers or children live in a home with hardwood staircases. Using a rug “runner” in the middle of a staircase with hardwood is a way to make stairs safer, but using carpet is a more straightforward solution and is usually more cost-effective.

Carpet can also be a great way to make a bedroom or den feel cozy. For many, carpet creates a space that feels warm and comfortable. Carpeted rooms are where people want to sit back and kick their shoes off. Even if it is only a bedroom or child’s playroom that gets carpet, these rooms tend to break up the floor design of a home and make it a special place to relax and be more comfortable.

Carpets are typically less expensive compared to hardwood floors. Even some engineered hardwood flooring options will cost more than carpets. This is also the case for most luxury vinyl options.

We have surprisingly seen a slight rise in the popularity of carpets. Of course, they are not as popular as they once were, but carpets might be making a bit of a comeback in the housing market. Only time will tell if they once again become the go-to for functional, family homes.

Hardwoods

Hardwoods seem to be the popular choice over carpets, especially in recent years. There are many stories about homeowners ripping up their carpets to find beautiful hardwood floors. Replacing carpet for hardwood floors is still a first step when most people plan on renovating older homes.

Hardwood floors are much more durable and easier to clean and maintain than carpets. Hardwood flooring can last for the lifetime of a house if adequately maintained. They are far superior in terms of waterproofness and durability. They can also be repaired and refinished without replacing an entire room of flooring. Hardwood floors are also much more hypoallergenic, where dust and pet dander can’t hide in the carpet fibers.

Another advantage to using hardwood over carpet is they are much better suited for high-traffic areas, especially in the entrances to your home. Dirt and grime that get brought into your home are much better handled by hardwood flooring. Even with diligent cleaning and upkeep, carpets will age quickly if used in high-traffic areas of a house.

A downside to hardwood flooring will be the cost. If you’re trying to save money, hardwood flooring can get expensive. However, hardwood flooring has different price points and features that can be adjusted to your budget. If cost is an issue and you want that hardwood floor look, there are some incredible luxury vinyl flooring options that look almost identical to hardwood.

Everyone is different, and so are people’s tastes. However, we believe that hardwood flooring will always be a superior flooring option over carpet. Carpet is a great way to go for special rooms and surfaces or unique circumstances, but maybe it isn’t the best bet for an entire house.

If you would like some pricing on hardwood flooring options, we would love to hear about your project and find ways that we can help. So for all your flooring needs in Florida or Westchester, NY, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us!

Tile Vs. Hardwood Floors For Kitchens

When deciding on the best type of floor to use for your kitchen, there are two options you have to consider: Tile and Hardwood flooring!

Tile and hardwood flooring can both be great options for your kitchen. New tile and hardwood floors can elevate your home into something that makes you say, “wow!” However, tile and hardwood floors have advantages, so choosing between the two will depend on what is suitable for you. Let’s take a look at the benefits of each.

Tile Flooring

Tile flooring has been the go-to for many families for years. People who grew up with tile floors in their kitchen might not realize they might be biased towards choosing tile flooring for themselves. Here are some advantages of tile flooring for your kitchen:

Waterproofness

We often discuss waterproofness when it comes to hardwood floors. However, one of the main reasons tile appears in many kitchens across America and the world is because of its waterproof construction. In an area of spills, splats, and messes, tile floors are better designed to deal with it all due to their waterproofness.

Scratch Resistant

Alongside being waterproof, tiles are more scratch resistant than hardwood floors. The kitchen is typically a high-traffic area, especially for larger families or families with children and pets. If your family keeps a busy schedule and an informal kitchen table inside of the living room serves as a hub for the family, tile might be an excellent choice for you. In addition, tile will better handle the spill, scrapes, and furniture slides you can throw at it!

Tile Breaks Up The House

The last reason tile wins over hardwood is because it is a great way to break up the space of your house when used for kitchen space. Some people like the change of scenery tile flooring gives the kitchen area of a home. It makes the room feel different from the rest of the house and, often, more “homey.”

Hardwood Floors

Hardwood floors can just as well be the best flooring option for your specific needs. Here are some of the advantages of using hardwood for the flooring in your kitchen:

Cost

In most cases, hardwood flooring will be a more affordable option than tile flooring. Tile for floors can be a bit pricey, especially including the cost of installation. You will definitely save some money when installing the same hardwood throughout a home, including the kitchen.

Hardwood Looks More Spacious

Using hardwood in adjacent spaces that connect to your kitchen will make the area seem larger and roomier. By choosing not to break up the space, from your living room to your kitchen, your home will feel more significant by using the same hardwood.

Easier To Keep Clean

Over time, hardwoods will be easier to keep looking clean rather than tiles. Although tiles can be more durable, they tend to get dingy and discovered much quicker than hardwoods. Also, hardwoods can be refinished and touched up when they start showing their age. Tile floors, however, are much harder to keep clean and hold on to that “new” look.

Hardwood floors and tile floors can both be great options for a kitchen. If you have any questions about what would be the best for you and your unique situation, please contact us for help! We are currently serving all of Florida and Westchester, New York.

Engineered Vs. Hardwood Floors

If you’ve decided on using genuine hardwood for your floors, there are two options you’ll need to consider: Traditional hardwood and engineered hardwood.

Until recently, engineered hardwood floors weren’t considered a quality alternative to traditional hardwood. Instead, engineered hardwood flooring was considered a compromise to conventional hardwood floors. However, engineered hardwood floors have been developed to a level that is now a great option when considering hardwood flooring. This article will consider the pros and cons of traditional hardwood vs. engineered hardwood.

Engineered Hardwood Flooring

Contrary to what most believe, engineered hardwood floors are genuine hardwood. What differentiates engineered hardwood from traditional hardwood floors is how they are constructed. Classic hardwood floors are solid pieces of a wood species fashioned into planks. Engineered hardwood floors are built mainly of pressed wood or plywood with a thin layer of hardwood on the top. Both traditional hardwood and engineered hardwood floors present genuine hardwood to be walked on and enjoyed. Engineered hardwood flooring has many benefits compared to conventional hardwood.

Pros Of Engineered Hardwood

Engineered hardwood floors are less expensive than traditional hardwood. Price is one of the most significant factors that push people to go with engineered rather than conventional hardwoods. With some engineered hardwoods being almost indistinguishable from traditional hardwoods, being more affordable is a great reason to choose them.

Engineered hardwoods are also less susceptible to water and moisture damage. Hardwoods can be very temperamental, warping and buckling due to moisture and humidity problems. Since engineered hardwood floors are constructed chiefly of plywood or pressed wood, they are more tolerant and resistant to warping out of shape when exposed to humidity and moisture. However, it is essential to note that even engineered hardwood floors aren’t “waterproof.” A few new brands are now offering waterproof options, but both traditional and engineered hardwood floors are susceptible to water damage.

Lastly, engineered hardwood floors are typically easier to install. Engineered hardwood can be installed in a variety of ways. Some have a click and lock system that makes laying them down much more manageable than traditional hardwood floors. Others can be glued straight down on concrete floors or subfloors.

Cons Of Engineered Hardwood

Engineered hardwood floors do have some disadvantages compared to traditional hardwood floors. The largest of the drawbacks is their life expectancy. Traditional hardwood flooring can last anywhere from two to three times as long as engineered hardwoods. They can be finished and refinished almost indefinitely before having to be replaced. Engineered hardwood floors only have a limited number of times they can be sanded and refinished before the thin layer of hardwood is gone.

Another con of engineered hardwoods compared to traditional hardwood floors is their resale value. Homes with classic hardwood floors will generally appraise higher than homes with engineered hardwoods. However, traditional hardwood floors are still considered a more luxurious flooring choice that fetches a higher premium when selling.

We hope this article has shed some light on the differences between hardwood and engineered hardwood floors. If you are in New York or Florida, please reach out with any questions you may have when considering the two. Let a friendly flooring professional help!

Termite Damage In Hardwood Floors

Termites can be a real pain for homeowners and property owners. The National Pest Management Association estimates that termites cause yearly over $5 billion in property damage. Termite damage can be costly to repair and is often hard to diagnose before it’s too late.

Hardwood floors are not off-limits to termite issues. For years, homeowners have been dealing with termite problems regarding their hardwood floors. Most people will have their first run-in with termites as they begin to restore old hardwood floors to their original condition. Maybe you’ve discovered hardwood flooring underneath the old carpet, but they have some termite damage. Depending on the damaged area, flooring can sometimes be repaired rather than completely removed and replaced.

This article will discuss options when dealing with termite damage, how to identify termite damage, and what you can do to protect yourself from termites.

Repairing Termite Damage In Hardwood Floors

If the termite damage is minimal and the damaged sections are small, the damaged wood divots can be dug out, cleared, and then prepared to be filled with a wood epoxy filler and finished a wood filler. The treated area will need to be sanded and smoothed out before a new layer of stain and finisher can be applied.

Repairing termite damage is a slow and tedious process. However, you can save a lot of money by fixing the damaged areas. Also, remember, everyone loves original, restored hardwood floors. Restoring old floors is a great way to increase the value of a home!

Before deciding how to address the damaged sections of floors, we advise having a licensed hardwood floor installer or salesman help you make the best decision.

Identifying Termites

Termites aren’t always easy to identify. If you’re considering buying a property, hire a qualified termite inspector to go through the entire property. If you are restoring some hardwood floors and are unsure if a section of flooring has suffered termite damage, look for mud tunnels, hollow wood sounds, pieces of flooring that are sagging, or wobbly and shaky areas of the floor.

How To Prevent Termites

There are many ways to protect your home and wood floors from termites, but pesticides are the most effective. Another way to keep your wood floors, and homes, free of termites are various bating systems. We highly recommend hiring local and licensed pest control specialists to keep your hardwood floors safe.

Termite repair is serious business and you to make sure you do it right the first time. If you are in Westchester Co, NY, or the Orlando area, we would love to help you with any of your hardwood flooring issues. Call us today!

Can Hardwood Floors Be Repaired?

Hardwood floors can be life-long investments in your home or property. However, hardwood flooring needs care and upkeep to stay vibrant. When a homeowner experiences issues with their hardwood flooring, it can be challenging to determine what to do about getting their issue resolved.

Most of the issues that a hardwood floor owner will experience can be repaired without completely replacing the damaged areas of the floor. Here are the most common problems with hardwood flooring that can be fixed without replacing them.

Cracks

Cracks are one of the more straightforward repairs that can be made on a piece of hardwood floor. Repairing a crack consists of filling the crack with wood putty and refinishing the floor.

Gaps

Filling in gaps in your hardwood floors is also a relatively easy fix. All that is needed is to cut small hardwood strips and fit them into the floor’s cracks.

Scratches

Scratches are also an issue that can be remedied without having to install a brand-new piece of flooring. The solution can range anywhere from cooling in the scratches with a furniture bump and scratch filler to completely refinishing heavily scratched areas.

Stains

Stains on a hardwood floor are harder to remove, but it is still possible. Most of the stains a hardwood floor will get will require a complete refinishing to fix. There are exceptions to the rule, but for the most part, stains will need to be sanded out, and the floors will need to be refinished.

Fading From UV Light / The Sun

Direct sunlight can become devastating to hardwood floors over time. There are many ways to prevent this, but once the damage is done, the floors will most likely need to be refinished.

High Traffic Wear & Tear

Most floors will need refinishing every seven to ten years. If a floor section experiences heavy foot traffic, this number can be bumped up sooner. General wear and tear is to be expected, and the benefit of having hardwood floors is that a thin layer can be sanded off, and the floors can be restored to look brand new!

Minor Buckling, Cupping, & Warping

When a hardwood floor is affected by moisture problems, time is essential to avoid replacing large sections of flooring entirely. When hardwood floors begin buckling, cupping, or warping due to prolonged exposure to moisture, the floors can be saved by first addressing the moisture issue and then refinishing or reinstalling the hardwood. However, once a section of the floor has been exposed to moisture for a prolonged period, completely replacing the floor is often what can be expected.

There are, however, some issues that a hardwood floor owner can experience that cannot be repaired. These are the most common issues that can occur that would require all affected areas to be removed and replaced.

Termites

There is a possibility that minor damage caused by termites can be repaired on wood floors. However, hardwood floors damaged by termites will need to be replaced in most cases.

Warping, Cupping, & Buckling

Hardwood floors do not do well with moisture. Too much water in the atmosphere of a room will cause severe damage to hardwood flooring. The same is true if there is no adequate moisture barrier between the subfloor and hardwood floors. In most cases, warping, cupping, and buckling in hardwood floors will need to be replaced once the moisture issue is dealt with.

Deep Water Stains

Lastly, deep water stains and damage to hardwood flooring will almost always need to be completely replaced. Once the wood floor has absorbed water or other moisture, there is no way to repair the damaged area without completely removing and replacing the individual wood planks.

When it comes to most issues with hardwood floors, a professional opinion is often the safest and most cost-effective way to fix the problem. Talk with reputable experts you can trust when asking for a consultation or advice.

If you are in Westchester Co, NY, or the Orlando area, we would love to help you with any of your hardwood flooring issues. Call us today!

Can Hardwood Floors Be Painted?

Painting hardwood floors is possible. However, we advise against it for most people.

We have seen a recent rise in photos of painted hardwood floors online. Pictures of bright and unique floors are being shared on social media. However, we believe this is a social media trend happening outside the influence of flooring experts and general contractors. Painting hardwood floors can create a novel and exciting look, but we will share with you why we believe painting hardwood floors is not an ideal solution for most people.

DIY Nightmare

Painting hardwood floors can quickly become a nightmare. The preparation isn’t too much different from a typical stain and finishing job, but the actual painting can get overwhelming fast.

A hardwood floor can take between three to five coats of paint. Each coat’s dry time can be between 12 and 24 hours. These staggered dry times can quickly become a week or more work. If the floors are in an area of your home that you need access to, this can become a real pain.

Once you’ve finished your three to five coats of paint, you will need a final layer of some sealer to protect the paint from scuffing, scratching, or chipping. This will only add more time to the project.

Not A Practical Choice

Painting hardwood floors may result in interesting and unique floors. However, painted hardwood floors are very delicate and will begin to show signs of wear immediately. Regardless of how many coats of paint you use and how well you seal the paint, painted hardwood floors will not look fresh for long. This is especially true if the painted floors are in high-traffic areas.

The best you could hope for would be to see fading and discoloration on the floors. But, unfortunately, most painted floors will begin to chip and quickly become a problem.

Painted Hardwoods Are Hard To Restore

Once hardwood floors have been painted, removing all the signs of paint becomes nearly impossible. Hardwood absorbs paint, making it a massive task to sand and strip the floors to return them to normal. Once hardwood floors have been painted, there usually is no going back.

Painted Hardwood Floors Need Constant Maintenance

Painted hardwood floors will need to be repainted at least once a year. For lighter colors, you could expect to have to repaint them even more than that. Repainting isn’t a big deal for some people, but for others, this will become a hassle very quickly.

Consider Staining Your Floors Instead

Staining hardwood floors is an industry standard for a reason. With many different colors and finishing textures, there are many interesting options for your hardwood floors. Staining is a much more efficient way to stylize your hardwood floors and protect and prolong the floor’s life. Not to mention, the maintenance on properly stained hardwood floors is nothing compared to paint.

We hope we have given you some reasons to reconsider painting your hardwood floors. We realize fun and quirky photos of painted hardwood floors are circulating on social media. However, we believe these painted floors are more of an online novelty than a practical and functional solution for the average person.

If you have some questions about stains and finishes for hardwood floors, please do not hesitate to contact us for help!

What Are The Most Durable Hardwood Floors?

When trying to figure out what type of hardwood flooring is the most durable, there are a few things to consider:

• The Janka Scale
• Hardwood And Engineered Harwood Flooring
• Vinyl and Laminate Flooring

The Janka Scale

The Janka Scale is an industry-standard measurement of different wood species’ hardness. This measurement is not just used for hardwood flooring but for all types of woodworking industries that work with wood. The Janka Scale measurement represents the force it takes to shoot a steel ball into the surface of the wood. This measurement is how hardwood floors are rated according to their hardness.

Hardwood vs. Engineered Hardwood

Hardwood floors are solid cuts of wood that are used to make up flooring planks. Engineered hardwood floors are made of pressed wood or other materials with a thin layer of hardwood on the top. Hardwood and engineered hardwood floors look identical to the naked eye. The hardwoods they both use share very similar degrees of durability. These are the most durable types of wood for both hardwood and engineered hardwood floors:

Oak

Many consider oak to be the industry standard of durability. However, there are far more durable types of wood. Nevertheless, when properly maintained, oak floors will last a lifetime.

Hickory

Hickory is one of the hardest types of wood flooring that’s easily accessible to most consumers. However, hardness doesn’t always mean durability. Hickory, if not maintained, can warp and bow, especially when wet. Hickory is an excellent option for most people when looking for a durable floor.

Mahogany

Mahogany floors are also some of the hardest floors on the Janka scale. However, they are considered exotic and might get pricey depending on where they’re sourced. It is also important to note that Mahogany has a distinct wood grain pattern that is not for everybody.

Maple

Maple is one of the most popular choices of durable hardwood flooring. Most large public spaces with hardwood floors are typically made of maple. Most people don’t know that basketball courts are made of maple for their shock absorbent qualities and durability. Maple makes a great, durable choice for a lot of consumers.

Oil-Based And Water-Based Polyurethane

The finishing applied to your hardwood and engineered hardwood floors is crucial for their durability. In most scenarios, an oil or water-based polyurethane finishing will be needed for durability. Hardwood and engineered hardwood will need to be refinished over the floor’s life.

Vinyl vs. Laminate

Vinyl and laminate flooring are very different than hardwood and engineered hardwood. Vinyl flooring, which is made of vinyl, is not a wood-based product. It is entirely waterproof and much more durable than hardwood. Vinyl flooring’s waterproofness and durability are two of the biggest reasons people prefer “fake” wood floors in their homes and businesses over natural hardwood.

Even though vinyl and laminate flooring are more durable than natural hardwood, hardwood and engineered hardwoods can stand the test of time when properly cared for. However, hardwoods are not for everyone. We hope this guide has been a help to you.

For more questions concerning hardwood flooring, engineered hardwood flooring, or vinyl flooring, please don’t hesitate to contact us for help!