Myth: Wood Floors Are Difficult
“The one thing that is consistent when it comes to wood floors is that there is a great deal of inconsistency in terms of awareness about installation and how to care for them.” Chris Palmer, Owner and General Manager of Imperial Wood Floors
“It’s the same with many types of home building materials and their maintenance,” Palmer adds. “The combination of new technology in manufacturing better products and new techniques and products for installing and maintaining wood floors has changed what used to be conventional wisdom.” Palmer says the first thing he urges people to do when considering wood flooring is find out what’s new. New developments have created more durable products, better finishes and easier care regimens.
Below are Chris’s top 4 Wood Floor Care Myths:
MYTH #1 Caring for a wood floor is expensive. Caring for a wood floor costs much less than most people expect.
MYTH #2 When you renew a finish, the dust and dirt get everywhere in the house. Dust control & containment systems make traditional dust problems a thing of the past. Technology makes the process easier and clean.
MYTH #3 The odor of the wood sealant is very powerful. There is an entirely new generation of no-odor polyurethane that has little or no detectable smell. In fact, the odor from an average bottle of Windex is stronger than the polyurethane.
MYTH #4 Wood floors are inconvenient because of the sanding or refinishing.
Maintenance wood floors need vary widely depending on the use of the floor. A floor that receives light use might need attention every 7–10 years while a floor subjected to dirt and grit with heavy traffic might need attention every 2 years. Refinishing wood floors takes less than a day and requires about the same amount of scheduling as getting your carpets cleaned.
When Your Floor Needs Additional Attention:
“Too often homeowners put off even the most basic care for the floors,” Palmer adds. “And, when that happens, you have to consider sanding deeper and completely refinishing. Homeowners can identify the major problems. The big three are:
? Look at your wear patterns: if you have visual wear patterns with grooves and grit worn through the finish and into the wood, it signals deep cleaning will be needed. Where previously a light sanding will brighten up the floor,wear patterns will still be evident.
? If you have ever used an oil or wax, a new, deep sanding will be required — light sanding and refinishing with polyurethane will
not work because the finish will not stick to the oil or wax. To rejuvenate the sheen and rich look of the floor, deep sanding is a must.
? Chris says buffing should rejuvenate your floor. If it looks only “O.K.,” your floor is past the point of light sanding. If it isn't rejuvenated, it’s in need of a deeper sanding and refinishing.
