Your Old Floors Will Look Brand New Again
Hardwood Floor Refinishing Specialists in Southern IL
Hardwood flooring is a beautiful asset for any home. However, sometimes that asset is covered by years of dirt and grime or the appeal is damaged by scuffs, cracks and more. Some people even cover up their hardwood floors with carpeting! Hardwood floor refinishing can be a rewarding and beneficial project, especially if there are high-traffic areas that have received considerable damage.
From scuffing and scratches to other types of visible wear, your floors could probably benefit from the refinishing process. Additionally, we can make slight changes to your floors including changing the finish that may help improve the appeal of your floors.
We offer professional hardwood floor restoration, refinishing, resurfacing, restraining & repairs. Hardwood floor refinishing is an opportunity to make additions, color changes or long overdue repairs.
The Refinishing Process
When it comes to the refinishing process, you can expect professional service from our team. While this process includes scraping and sanding the floors down to their natural wood, we take steps to keep the mess to a minimum and work diligently to complete most jobs in a minimum amount of time. We do all that we can to not interrupt your normal schedule or routine.
The process of refinishing hardwood floors requires specialized skills and power tools. We use sanders, power edgers, drum sanders, and floor polishers to reach all edges of the room and pieces of your hardwood floors.
After three or four hours, you’ll be able to walk on the area with socks and move furniture using felt padding. However, if you have area rugs, you will have to wait a week before you can lay them down again.
1. Floor Preparation
When prepping hardwood flooring for restoration, it’s important to have all other remodeling projects completed in the room. It will ensure that workers and equipment will not possibly damage a new refinished floor prior to the completion of the room remodel. Make sure walls are completed, any painting is finished and floors are swept completely clean.
2. Sanding
Sanding is the nest step of the refinishing process. This will help give the floor a smooth finish by removing imperfections. We utilize drum sanders, floor polishers and even offer dustless sanding to speed the whole process up. It’s important for an experienced professional to sand the floors as utilizing the wrong grit could affect the outcome of your project.
3. Staining Hardwood Floors
During the refinishing process, a custom stain sample can be applied to allow you to determine the shade or color that you prefer for your floors. Each different type of wood has unique characteristics that come to life when certain stains and finishes are applied. Our hardwood floor technicians will help you decide what is best for your specific wood species.
4. Finishing Hardwood Floors
Finishing is the final step in the process of refinishing hardwood floors. There are different types of finishes, and our team will help you figure out which finish is best for your specific type of hardwood floors. First, a sealer is applied, usually in two coats. Then, polyurethane surface finishers are applied.
Wood Flooring Repair Solutions Vary Depending on Your Type of Flooring
From termites and pets to scuffs, scrapes and deep scratches, there are many things that could damage your wood floors throughout their lifetime. If you have a piece or section that has been damaged, give us a call. We might be able to just repair and conceal the imperfections until you are ready to refinish the entire floor.
When it comes to repair, hardwood flooring has the most wide-ranging options due to the fact that you can sand down up to a 1/4 inch of your hardwood to remove surface mold, replace stained planks and fix cupping. Solid wood flooring can also be easily replaced with brand-new planks that are retrofitted into your existing floor. With wood flooring options that offer less material to work with, such as engineered wood floors, which are more durable than solid wood, provide less options when it comes to repair.
If your goal is to repair the water damage to your hardwood floors, say no more, we have the proven 5-step process to ensure our customers hardwood floors are restored to their former glory days. Our process:
Step 1: Identify the location of the water and resolve it.
Step 2: Decide which planks are to be replaced.
Step 3: Remove your water-damaged planks and verify the concrete flooring underneath is dry.
Step 4: Retrofit your floor with brand-new hardwood planks.
Step 5: Sand and refinish your entire floor.
Floor Restoration Due to Water Damage
When it comes to water damage for your hardwood floors, repairs will be determined by how long the floor was wet for. With that in mind, read below about the most common problems when it comes to water damage and hardwood floors. We repair the three main issues of cupping, warping and mold.
- Cupping: This occurs when the sides of the flooring curve upward and are higher than the center of the boards, creating a concave shape. This problem can usually be reversed.
- Warping: Warping is similar to cupping but is far more server. This usually involves the floor boards popping off of the subfloor. This can affect all types of wood and is usually a product of humidity fluctuation or water vapor in the air. This can be prevented if caught early.
- Mold: When hardwood floors are damaged by water, mold spores may grow due to wet, damp areas just underneath the floor boards. The mold may spread and grow, causing a health hazard, if it’s not dealt with right away.
Insurance Work & Coverage
If you discover that your home needs new flooring after a flood or other natural disaster, you need to speak with your insurance provider immediately about your specific coverage options.
Replacement
If you previously had hard wood, you will be compensated for hardwood of the same species, width, and treatments. If you choose that you would like to upgrade, you must pay the difference. You may also consider changing your flooring types that cost the same as the repair and replacement. You are given an overall allowance and we will either replace exactly or allow you to use that allowance and pay the difference.
What All Will My Insurance Cover?
While we are unsure exactly these are the most common additional items that your insurance provider may assist you in replacing.
- Moving Furniture
Your furniture needs to be moved when your new flooring is being installed. Customers have the choice between letting our team move it or moving themselves. - Repainting Baseboards
Based off the color of your flooring, your baseboard will most likely need touched up or re-painted. - Hotel Stays
If your floors are being replaced and refinished, you are unable to walk on those areas for several days. If the flooring area blocks your way to bedrooms and or bathrooms—you may be staying in a hotel. - Cleaning
After your new floors are installed and refinished, often there is a mess that has been left behind. It’s important to take into consideration the cleaning after this project.
Hardwood Flooring Maintenance
- Sweep and vacuum as often as needed
- NEVER wet-mop your hardwood floors
- Only utilize cleaners that are recommended by Mater Floor Manufacturers
- Use mats and area rugs to protect high-traffic areas
- Use floor protectors and pads on the bottom of your furniture
- Wipe spills immediately
- Keep pet nails trimmed and buffed
- Keep humidity and temperature levels consistent to prevent warping, cupping & mold