What to expect when you're expecting - your floors to be refinished

All floors tend to leave behind imperfections, many of which are temporary. Contractors and manufacturers are accustomed to these minor imperfections, but we realize they may be startling when seeing your floor for the first time.

With this in mind, we’ve created a list of possible, temporary outcomes after a refinish application.

1. Blemishes and Debris - Settling resins can exaggerate the appearance of blemishes in the early stages of a floor’s life. Any small debris can refract light during this time. However, almost all blemishes disappear entirely as the finish sets.

2. Discoloration - The vast majority of wood types will receive a color enhancement. As the finish sets, you may see very slight color differentiations in your wood floor. These are normal and will most likely even out.

3. Uneven Sheen—Dramatic factors such as humidity, temperature, varying wood species’ composition, and complicated floor layouts can make the application process tricky, leading to possible unevenness. As with color differentiation, sheen variance should even out over time.

4. Screen Marks, Brush Strokes, and Abrasions—Minor screen or brush marks may be slightly visible during initial drying. Likewise, minor underlying abrasions may seem obvious. But as the finish sets, resins tighten across the wood, and many of these marks will seem to disappear.

Overall, you will save yourself a lot of stress if you remember that minor defects are not uncommon in a refinished floor.

Inspecting Your Floor per the NWFA National Wood Flooring Association

Floors should be inspected from a standing position with shoes on, under medium, natural lighting. Inspecting floors by lying down, using canned lighting, flashlights, a magnifying glass, or glare from windows is unacceptable. When finished by hand, floors may contain particulate matter such as hair, dust, sanding, and finish marks. This occurs as part of being a hand-built product in an open environment. We work very hard to minimize any imperfections. Our clients must understand that allowances are made by the NWFA (National Wood Flooring Association) and the finishes manufacturers, and have reasonable expectations for a refinished floor. Industry standards allow for a small amount of sanding marks, buffer swirl marks, and applicator marks. We take great care to smooth and level the floor to the degree possible, regardless of imperfections that may appear on the floor. Still, it’s important to us to maintain the floor’s structural integrity. Handcrafted work of any kind should and will show unique signs that it is handcrafted. Some permanent marks, like deep water stains and urine, may not be removed during refinishing.

The following is a list of expectations the customer should not expect.

1. Tabletop Finish: Each piece of wood sands differently depending on the grain and milling, making a completely flat finish virtually impossible.

2. Dust Particle-Free Finish—It is impossible to achieve a “clean room” environment, and some dust and fibers are expected to fall on the freshly finished floor before it can dry completely. Minor imperfections in the finish will generally disappear within the first 60-90 days of living on the floor.

3. A Monochromatic Floor—Wood varies from piece to piece as a natural product. It is milled from a tree and will have grain and color variations consistent with the grade and species of hardwood selected.

4. A Floor That Will Not Scratch or Dent - Hardwood flooring can be dented by something as common as shoes, pets’ claws, dropping items such as a cell phone, silverware, baby toys, etc. Varying hardwood species have different densities and will show less damage than others.

Maintaining Your Floors

1. Do not use sheet vinyl or tile floor care products on hardwood floors. Self-polishing acrylic waxes can make wood slippery and appear dull quickly.

2. Use throw rugs inside and outside doorways to help prevent grit, dirt, and other debris from being tracked onto your wood floors. This will help prevent scratching.

3. Do not wet-mop a hardwood floor. Water can dull the finish, damage the wood, and leave a discoloring residue.

4. Wipe spills immediately with a slightly dampened cloth.

5. Put fabric-faced felts under the legs of furniture to prevent scratching and dents.

6. Avoid walking on wood floors with cleats, ice spikes, sports shoes, and high heels.

7. When moving heavy furniture, do not slide it on wood flooring. It is best to pick it up entirely when transporting.

8. For wood flooring in the kitchen, place an area rug in front of the kitchen sink, dishwasher, and stove.

9. Be mindful when walking on your wood floors with shoes, as grit and debris can get stuck in the grooves of shoe soles and cause damage.

10. Never allow standing water on your hardwood floor for any time.

11. Be cautious with pets in the house. Animals have difficulty gaining traction on a bare wood floor, resulting in scratches and compression marks.

12. Use a humidifier throughout winter to minimize wood movement and shrinkage.