Caring for Hardwood Flooring: Refinishing and Polishing

Installing hardwood flooring is a worthwhile investment for any home. It adds a warmth and character that no other flooring type can provide. As with any flooring, there are pros and cons that will affect your decision to install hardwood, but once installed, you will be glad you did. Natural color variations and different grain characteristics of certain wood species add a unique decor other flooring types try to duplicate. Another appealing benefit of hardwood flooring is its maintenance. Compared to surfaces like carpet, hardwood is better for allergy sufferers and easier to clean. No need to worry about stains and marks from dirt left by active families with hardwood. Quickly cleaning up messy spills is far easier than with carpet.

It is easy to protect your investment by maintaining and caring for your hardwood flooring. Or, if you have inherited hardwood floors, they may need a facelift. Pesky rocks and pebbles caught in shoes, excited pets running back and forth, or dirt tracked in through the house are all common causes for light damage to hardwood floors. Over time that glowing shine has faded to a dim shimmer, and polishing hardwood through simple cleaning methods isn’t cutting it anymore. That is certainly no reason to hesitate when considering installing hardwood flooring in your home.

An attribute of hardwood that no other flooring type can boast is its refinishing ability, provided the wood’s core is still in good condition. Refinishing hardwood floors is often an invasive and messy job. Some companies in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) boast dustless refinishing methods. Truthfully speaking, no job is completely free from harmful dust particles. Why go through all the mess when there is no need? Scratches, small dents, and other surface blemishes can be polished without refinishing by way of a buff and coat process. Experienced contractors offer this method of polishing hardwood floors without refinishing. Also known as scratch and coat, a screen is used that is less aggressive than sandpaper, but textures the surface of the hardwood just enough to remove scratches, scuffs, and other marks. The floor is then buffed, and a urethane or polyurethane is laid down on the floor. The contractors shine the floor to a polish. All in all, a very easy method that will restore your hardwood floor to its original shine.

Polishing Hardwood Floors Without Refinishing Them Costs Less Than You Think

Connecting with professional hardwood flooring refinishers can be daunting. With the availability of information at our fingertips through Internet searches and social media pages, how do you choose which professional? The thought of dealing with contractors is tough too. Unless you know someone who can do the job for you, it’s hard to know whom to trust. Contractors have a reputation for not following up, missing appointments and failing to return phone calls. In a service demanding society, clients are frustrated by the lack of service they receive from independent contractors. All this doubt and misinformation leads to potential customers being frustrated and nervous about how much polishing the hardwood floors in their home would cost them, so they often opt for a complete redo job.

Sadly, there is a misconception about the cost of refinishing hardwood floors. Assumptions are made without consulting with a professional contracting company about cost and homeowners’ lack the know-how, which brings up the idea to tackle the project on their own. Too often perfectly salvageable hardwood floors are replaced as a result, or covered up by laminate or vinyl flooring. This is unnecessary as the cost of refinishing or polishing hardwood floor is far less than a complete replacement. Taking out deep grooves and marks can be done by refinishing hardwood floor, but a better alternative is available. It is true: polishing hardwood floors without refinishing is possible.

Hardwood Floor Maintenance Includes Polishing, Refinishing

Hardwood floor is easy to maintain. Take care not to get caught up in gimmicky cleaners boasting care for all floor types. You invested in hardwood floor. Ensure you maintain it with cleaners specially designed for the properties of hardwood floors. Buff and coat treatments are part of hardwood floor maintenance, preventing the need for aggressive refinishing later on. Top quality recoating maintains floor durability, but use of improper cleaning products will exclude your floor from working with the treatment. There are some common dos and don’ts to follow when caring for hardwood floors. The list of the don’ts include these steps:

· Don’t use a steam mop on hardwood floors. Excess moisture will cause the floor to swell and buckle.

· Don’t apply oil soaps despite the claim on the label that it can be used on all polished floors. The main ingredient in oil soap is vegetable oil and will leave a residue on the floor.

· Don’t use refinish or refresh cleaning products. This is the main maintenance point to consider if you want to buff and coat your floors later on. These products apply an additional layer of urethane or polyurethane onto the floor.

Use of incorrect cleaners will affect your ability to refinish with the buff and coat treatment professional contractors use to polish hardwood floors without refinishing, particularly the last point on the don’t list. Use of these refresher treatments over time prevents the "scratch” pad from creating enough texture on the floor to adhere the professional coating.

Professional Buff and Coat: Polishing Hardwood Floors Without Refinishing

Refinishing hardwood floor is an invasive process. Harmful dust particles fly airborne and can take weeks to finally clean up despite the best housekeeping methods! Professional contractors who specialize in maintaining the natural beauty of hardwood flooring know particular methods, such as buff and coat, to bring a shimmer back to dull and worn hardwood.

There is a demand for specialized contractors who team with a customer savvy attitude. This is possible in the GTA by way of a unique service model receiving rave reviews in HomeStar and Houzz testimonials. Imagine combining a team of experienced customer service specialists who understand the hardwood flooring business with a team of top-notch contractors who provide high-quality workmanship. Both teams exceeding client’s expectations on all levels! This model exists and the results are speaking (loudly) for themselves.

The first step in the process is to complete a survey. Customers interested in polishing hardwood floors without refinishing provide details including floor condition, etc. Based on the needs of the client, the customer service team selects a contractor perfect for the job. All logistics pertaining to the install is handled by the service team. The contractor merely shows up, completes stunning work, and leaves your floors better than new!