Questions & Answers
Q. My hardwood floor has some marks and scratches on it from wear over the years. Is this normal? What can be done about it?
A. Hardwood floors come in many different species and some species of hardwood are indeed harder than others. American Cherry, for example, while beautiful in coloration, is relatively soft compared to White Oak or White Northern Maple. (American Cherry can be about 950psf vs White Oak about 1350psf or White Northern Maple at 1450psf - ref. Janka hardness scale rating, measurements are approx as exact region of harvest can determine variance). While American Cherry is soft for most households in the United States, White Oak and Red Oak remain the most popular in the Northwest region because of their increased hardness, or ability to withstand scratch-type wear better than softer species. There are some exotic hardwood species which are exceptionally hard, but that does not necessarily make them a better choice for new hardwood flooring, in fact, it likely does not, as it can be so hard that it is difficult to install, as installers need to nail the hardwood into place (and often glue assist as well). So, is wear normal on hardwood? Yes, it is. Every homeowner should expect a hardwood floor to get some markings, light scratches, etc. over time. How fast is normal? Each home is unique in whether you wear shoes/boots on the floor, move furniture on the floor, or have cats/dog or other animals in the house. Even coming in from a rainy day, you can track debris into the house and that could potentially have an effect on the floor. All to say, expect to see wear over time. Now that the expectation is set, and you can know, your floor is normal with everyone else, the average homeowner is interested in sanding/refinishing their floor about every 8-10 years (if it is a solid hardwood floor which can be refinished - some can, and some cannot). If you have an Engineered hardwood floor it is most likely that it cannot be refinished, because the top hardwood layer is not thick enough to withstand a professional sander, which removes a certain depth of hardwood (to remove the aforementioned wear/scratches). Some luxury Engineered hardwood floors have a very thick top layer of hardwood and those can potentially be sanded/refinished.
Q. I have a solid hardwood floor and it has some damage including scratches and some dark water-stained boards due to a water leak a while back. How do I fix this?
A. This is also a common problem given enough time. Scratches, yes, for all, but I'm talking about water damage on hardwood. While hardwood is the most value-added flooring choice, the one arch-enemy of real hardwood is sustained or substantial water. Water will damage a hardwood floor, if there is enough of it to soak-in decently, or if the water is standing on the hardwood long enough. Often it occurs in the kitchen, either from a dishwasher leak or sometimes behind the refrigerator. You will see it from the black-coloration on your hardwood. We addressed scratches earlier (see above question), so I will address water damage. The approach to this fix depends on a few factors. 1) Is the floor an on-site sand/finish floor or is it a prefinished solid or engineered floor? 2) If it was an on-site sand/finish floor, is that same species still available in raw hardwood for your retailer to source, because for board replacement, they will need to do so? (Also, they will likely need to refinish a larger area besides just the damaged section to make everything look good again). 3) If it is a prefinished hardwood floor, is that prefinished product still available or do you have any extra boxes of it (leftover from the original installation)? If so, that will be needed.
Again, there are many factors to fixing a damaged hardwood floor. The best course of action here is to call a professional flooring retailer from the start and have them visit the site to take a look. Any product information you can give them will be beneficial in their determination for a fix. Can it be fixed? Yes, hopefully, and often is. In certain circumstances, the best option may be to replace the flooring in that room, but again, ask a professional about the options and their experienced advice will help you with the decision.
Q. What is the best way to clean hardwood floors?
A. Since hardwood and water are arch-enemies, do not clean a hardwood floor with a wet mop or with a significant amount of water or with any water. You do not want standing water on your hardwood for any amount of time. (Incidental drops here and there from carrying dishes or doing dishes at the sink is the exception - and even I recommend grabbing paper towels to dry those up every time it is noticed). Bona and Pallman both make excellent hardwood floor cleaning kits, including a spray bottle cleaner and microfiber dry mop, and to properly clean a hardwood floor, you use the spray and dry mop together. Go to their websites if you have specific questions about directions for use or other cleaning questions regarding product.
If you have something that does not clean out out of your hardwood floor with the Bona or Pallman products, please contact a professional flooring retailer.
Q. What is the cost for sanding/refinishing a solid hardwood floor?
A. As you may guess, this cost depends on a few factors. When our team consults with a homeowner about flooring options in their home, instead of demo'ing an existing hardwood floor, we recommend sanding/refinishing because it is largely a cost savings compared to removing the hardwood and installing a different floor in its place. If you have a solid hardwood floor and are interested to see if it can be refinished, please inquire with a professional flooring retailer who has a lot of experience with hardwood. The professionals can advise on the cost for refinishing or alternate options, if you are considering other options. One benefit of sanding/refinishing a solid hardwood is that you can change to a different stain color than before, which can have a subtle or dramatic difference in the aesthetic of your hardwood floor. And once a hardwood floor is refinished, it looks and feels like a brand new hardwood floor.
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