What to Expect

Once you've decided to install or refinish your wood floors, you may wonder what will happen next. Knowing what to expect before, during, and after the work takes place will help ensure a high-quality job.

Before work begins, remove all furnishing, draperies, paintings, and other items from the room. For new installations, the wood will need to be acclimated, which will vary from a few days to two weeks depending upon the environment.

If your floors are being installed, sanded, finished or refinished, be prepared for some noise and disruption. Dust containment systems can minimize debris, but no system is 100% effective, so cover any items that you want to keep dust-free. When the finish is applied, stay off your floors until it has dried. The time required will vary depending on the type of finish used. Our technicians will cover this topic with you.

After the finish has dried, put felt pads on the bottoms of any furniture to minimize scratches and dents. As your floor ages, some color change can occur. This also is normal, but can be minimized by limiting exposure to direct sunlight, and periodically moving your area rugs. Seasonal humidity changes may cause the wood to expand and contract. Cracks are normal and will appear and disappear between the floor boards during seasons of high and low humidity. Flooring inspectors recommend inspecting the floors from a standing position and in normal lighting to identify irregularities.

Finally, keep your wood floors looking their best by properly maintaining them. Maintain fluctuations in home relative humidity to 10% to 20%. Maintain humidity in the winter at 35-45% to help lesson the contraction of your hardwood floors. Use a cleaning product recommended for your floors and use it regularly to keep them looking beautiful for years to come.