Do you live in Fairfax VA? Have you have been spending time looking at your hardwood floors and are thinking of ways to cover them up instead of showing them off? You may realize that it’s time to get serious about hardwood floor refinishing in Fairfax VA.

One decision you’ll need to make is what type of finish you will choose in order to ensure that your floors are protected from the wear and tear associated with time.

When it comes to hardwood floor refinishing in Fairfax VA some options include, Conversion Varnishes, Moisture Cured Urethanes, Wax’s, Shellac’s and Varnishes. Essentially though you can confidently narrow your choice down to two options: Oil Modified Urethanes and Waterborne Urethane.

Both have their pros and cons and once you have heard both sides of the story you should be able to determine what type of finish will be best for you.

Tip’s For Hardwood Floor Refinishing In Fairfax VA

Oil Modified Urethanes are petroleum based with a blend of synthetics resins, plasticizers and other film forming ingredients that produce a durable, moisture-resistant coating. Over time the finish will amber, leaving a warm natural look.

Oil based finishes are less expensive, feel smoother to the touch and tend to have a richer look than water based urethanes. On the downside, oil-based finishes are more toxic, containing higher VOC’s (Volatile Organic Compounds). They are also stronger smelling which usually precludes staying in the house while the coating is taking place.

Once dry, the odor from the solvent may still be discernible for several days but shouldn’t cause any discomfort to the residents unless they are sensitive to smells or have acute allergies. The finish is also less durable than water based finish and takes longer to dry.

Enjoy Durable, Moisture Resistant Coatings

Waterborne Urethanes are a blend of synthetic resins, plasticizers, and other film forming ingredients that produce a durable, moisture resistant coating. There are both one and two component waterborne finishes.

While single-component finishes are ready to use out of the canister, two-component finishes have a catalyst or cross linker mixed into them at the job site. The two component finishes are more durable and considered essential for a commercial hardwood floor.

These finishes are environmentally friendly with lower VOC’s than other hardwood floor finishes.

As a result they are considered low odour, meaning you don’t necessarily have to leave your home during the hardwood floor refinishing in Fairfax VA.

Other Types of Floor Coatings and Summary

Waterborne finishes are also non-yellowing so will not change colour over time. They’re fast drying so you will be back on your floors at least a day earlier than if you used an oil-based finish. They’re also considered more durable than the oil based finishes.

The downside to waterborne finishes would be that there more expensive and not quite as smooth to the touch as an oil based coatings. Also because of there fast drying nature, some floor layouts can prevent the finish from being flawless.

In conclusion we can see that both types of finishes have their pros and cons. The facts presented will hopefully help you to determine what type of finish is right for you. So whether you opt for the silky feel of an oil finish or its environmentally friendly water based counterpart, rest assured that both finishes will give your floors the protection needed to endure the years to come.

Until next time,

Edwhar Nunez | President | Absolute Flooring

Flooring Alexandria VA is an important investment in your home. As a resident living in Alexandria VA you know how important it is to take care of your hardwood flooring Alexandria.  Here are a few essential tips that will help your hardwood last longer and increase the value of your biggest investment!

Advice On Flooring Alexandria VA

Helpful Tips For Keeping Your Floors Looking Great

Some Alexandria Flooring Things To Avoid

I hope that you have found this advice helpful!

Until next time,

Edwhat Nunez | President | Absolute

Hardwood floors are gorgeous. They come with a type of timeless elegance that’s hard to replicate in other flooring options.

Some hardwood floors can last for decades or even over a century, but like most things, hardwood floors do have a lifespan. Eventually, you’ll need to replace your hardwood floor in your Northern Virginia home.

How can you know it’s time to replace your hardwood floors rather than just refinishing them? The following factors can help you make the right choice when you’re considering a new floor.

Hardwood Floors with Moisture Damage

Hardwood floors that have experienced moisture damage may be beyond repair.

If the water damage to your floors in Northern Virginia has been extensive or prolonged, a replacement is imminent. Moisture can cause hardwood floors to buckle or bend.

You may even see gaps in between the planks. All these issues are largely unfixable.

Depending on whether or not the moisture damage is confined, sometimes replacement is your only option when it comes to water damage on your hardwood floors.

Hardwood Floors That Have Been Refinished Too Many Times

Refinishing can help restore the luster and beauty of your hardwood floors for many years to come.

However, when your floors have been refinished too many times, they can become prone to damage.

The thickness of the floor can diminish to the point that the wood becomes thin or nails show through. Each floor varies with the number of times it can be refinished; this number will depend on the type of wood as well as the quality of the wood.

Generally, you can refinish hardwood floors between three and five times. If you’ve refinished your floor more than two times, it might be time to consider replacing your hardwood floors.

General Aging of the Floor

Hardwood floors show age similarly to other materials used in a Northern Virginia home.

While distressed floors are currently very popular, hardwood floors that show their actual age don’t look quite as good.

The wood may begin to decay after an extended period of time, which could make the wood softer or make it lose its luster and the richness of its color.

If your hardwood floors experience heavy traffic or have been exposed regularly to sunlight or grime, its age may show faster.

While refinishing a floor can certainly help restore hardwoods with damage due to aging, you may have already refinished your floor or the damage may be beyond refinishing at this point.

Sometimes, with the amount of age shown and the thinness of the floor, replacement is the only viable option.

Deep Scratches or Other Damage – Replace Your Hardwood Floors

For hardwood floors that have experienced abuse beyond what’s normal, replacement may be the only choice to have a beautiful new floor again.

You may be able to refinish your floor depending on the damage.

For example, if scratches are superficial and don’t go beyond the finish.

However, if your floor has already been refinished a few times and the damage goes deeper than the finish, this might not be an option.

A qualified flooring professional will be able to tell you if a refinishing will help or if you will need to go with a full replacement.

Ready to Get a New Floor?

When it’s time to replace your hardwood floors, consider this an opportunity.

This is the time to upgrade your home to give it the style and warmth you’ve always wanted.

You can even consider trendier floor choices such as wider planks, an exotic wood species, or a different finish.

New hardwood floors provide a chance to customize your home.

Get in touch with your local flooring professionals to find out what your options are for getting new floors!

Getting new hardwood floors in Northern Virginia for your home is one of the more impactful steps you can take to increase the value of your property.

But which flooring options are the best, and why? Here’s why the right flooring choice can have a positive impact on your home’s worth.

If you’re planning on selling your home, it can feel difficult to know what the most important steps you can take to boost your home’s value are.

While some actions will go a long way towards helping your home sell faster and for more money, others might be a waste of time.

Create Better Buyer Appeal

Buyers want to see that a home has been maintained: this includes seeing the right kind of flooring in a home they’re interested in.

Many buyers, especially younger buyers, want to see hardwood flooring as opposed to carpet.

Buyers have a preference for hardwood floors in Northern Virginia for several reasons: hardwood floors last longer, are more hygienic, and require less maintenance.

In addition, many buyers love the custom look and beauty of hardwood floors throughout the home.

In order to better appeal to buyers and attract more attention for your home, investing in a quality flooring option such as hardwood is your best bet!

Feature a Move-in Ready Home

Many first-time buyers are spending their savings on a home and won’t have money to spend on upgrades.

New flooring—especially hardwood flooring—is appealing because they know it’ll last and likely won’t need to be replaced while they own the house.

Buyers will likely tear up and replace all carpeting that’s in the house when they first move in.

Buyers don’t want to use someone else’s carpet; they want a new flooring option that they won’t need to replace.

In addition, carpet has the tendency to look dated and it’s difficult to suit an individual buyer’s taste even if you do install new carpeting before listing your home.

Get New Hardwood Floors In Northern Virginia To Sell Your Home Faster

Houses that have new hardwood floors in Northern Virginia tend to sell faster, therefore helping you to better control the costs of maintaining your home while it’s on the market.

In addition, homes that feature hardwood flooring tend to sell faster and for more money than homes that feature other types of flooring.

New flooring can ensure your home isn’t sitting on the market just because the outdated flooring is scaring buyers off.

When you want to sell your home fast, consider investing in a flooring material that upgrades your home’s look and value and will appeal to the right buyers!

Better Return on Your Investment

When you want to see a better return on investment (ROI), investing in new flooring options such as hardwood makes sense.

Buyers today are more informed than ever and notice the difference between hardwood and laminate flooring options, so choosing a quality floor when selling your home is essential.

Hardwood floors provide a better return on your investment than the majority of flooring options on the market.

Because of their many benefits, buyers recognize the value of having hardwood floors in Northern Virginia and are willing to pay more for a home that features a floor they love.

Getting New Floors for Your Home

When you want to increase the value of your home, look no farther than your floors.

Investing in the right flooring material can boost your home’s appeal to buyers who know the value of having a quality floor such as hardwood.

Show potential buyers just how beautiful and valuable your home is by investing in the right flooring choice. An attractive, durable floor can enhance your entire home and make even the most hesitant buyer swoon!

Hardwood flooring can be made from a wide variety of different tree species including White Oak, Red Oak, Maple, Birch, Walnut, Hickory, Teak, Cherry and many others . Today, these trees are grown in sustainable forests throughout the United States and Canada, as well as around the world.

Every species has its own personality in terms of grain design, hardness level, ease of availability and cost level . More common woods, like White Oak and Red Oak grown in North and Central America, are relatively inexpensive and widely available for rapid delivery and installation . Other, more exotic woods like Brazilian Cherry and Teak, are much more expensive and take a lot longer to receive due to special ordering considerations.

Each species can have a significantly different appearance due to their grain and coloring   –   and their level of hardness . About ten years ago, Brazilian Cherry and other exotic woods were very popular, but today, due to their escalating costs, many people are looking at domestically-grown and manufactured hardwood floor material . Hickory is a domestic wood that is a very popular choice for hardwood flooring today .  It is one of the hardest domestic wood species and is highly popular because of its natural color variation and unusual graining.

The Janka Hardness Test

A very important aspect of wood species selection is hardness, and a very precise test, called the Janka Hardness Test, was developed in the early 20th Century to measure the hardness of a given wood species and compare it to others . The softest woods used for flooring are Pine and Birch, then Red Oak, White Oak, and Hickory . The very softest wood is Balsa (not suitable for flooring), and the hardest wood on the scale is Australian Buloke, which is almost three times harder than hickory .

Oak: Red vs. White

If we were to get into all of the different features of every species of wood available, this book would be 500 pages long! With that in mind, let me compare and contrast two very similar species, Red Oak and White Oak, and let you know that if you have any further questions about different tree species – or anything else about your beautiful new floor – all you have to do is pick up the phone and call us at 703-490-4700.

Red Oak is softer than White Oak and is the less expensive of the two . Red Oak comes in Common #1, Common #2 and Common #3 grades . These  are sometimes called “Character Grade” Oaks, which refers to the amount of character on the surface . Lots of knots mean lots of character . You also will see some variance in the darkness of the wood . Red Oak will come in plank widths of 2 .25”, 3 .25”, 4” and 5”.

White Oak is more expensive than Red Oak because it is a much cleaner board with less “character .”  White Oak is also much harder than its Red cousin . Consistent coloring and smooth grains are the hallmarks of a White Oak floor .

If you don’t see a lot of character in the grain of a wood floor, you are probably looking at a Select Grade White Oak .

There are multiple ways that a tree can be cut into hardwood flooring at the lumber mill . You can specify which cut you want, but you need to be aware that nicer cuts are going to be more expensive and sometimes may take longer to order .

The least expensive cut is called a “mill run” or “mill cut .” It’s not going to be very precise, with rough edges, a lot of knots, varying shades of color and maybe even a little bit of rot . Next is what  is known as a plain cut, which yields the most planks from a given log, but results in a lower quality product that is more prone to cupping due to the relation of the wood grain to the surface of the board .

A quarter-sawn cut takes more time and yields fewer planks from the same log but produces a superior finished product .   Quarter-sawn   wood is much less susceptible to cupping as well as expansion and contraction . The annual rings  of the tree are parallel to the length of the board instead of perpendicular . The grain on the surface is much straighter and more regular, rather than having flame or cathedral patterns .  Quarter- sawn Oaks also have very dramatic flecks in the grain that really pop out after the wood has been finished . Cherry, not so much .

Canadian hardwood flooring manufacturer Mirage Flooring offers a lot of these higher-grade, more expensive products . A buyer is really going to have to know their hardwood to understand why they are specifying that grade . But someone who is just looking to remodel may not want to

invest that much time into the research or money into the flooring . It has been my experience that many homeowners choose based upon price and availability because they want the job done quickly and within their budget parameters . Some people will say, “I want the best Oak you have .” But if it’s a budget project, they’re probably going to go with Red Oak, 2 .25” planks .

With all of the do-it-yourself (DIY) television shows presented on HGTV and other networks, today’s homeowners are more inclined to tackle home improvement projects themselves  than  ever before . But, while it may look easy on TV, my strong recommendations is that you not attempt a hardwood flooring installation yourself .
I can’t tell you how many times we have been called in to “fix” a DIY installation gone wrong . Unfortunately, the only thing we can usually do is tear up everything that the homeowner laid down and start over again, wasting hundreds or even thousands of dollars in materials and labor .
People just don’t understand how difficult it is to install hardwood flooring correctly . You have to do 100 or more installations as a helper before you should even think about leading a project yourself .

DIYers often start off by purchasing the wrong hardwood for their application . Then they start laying down the planks and get about half finished when they realize that they are way off center in the room .

They will stagger the boards the wrong way . They start installing backward and then realize their mistake and have to rip it all out and start over . These beginners often make every mistake in the book because they just don’t realize what they’re getting themselves into .

I’ve been doing this for over 11 years, and I can tell you that every room, every project is different, with its own unique challenges . An inexperienced homeowner, doing their first installation, would have trouble in a room that was perfectly square with no door jambs or other cut-ins .

If the floor is not level, or there’s a dip in the middle of the sub-floor, or you run into anything the least out of the ordinary or unexpected,  you’re  going to find yourself in trouble and become frustrated over the time and money you’ve wasted . After all of that, the worst part is that you still don’t have your floor completed . Please take my advice and let professionals handle this project for you .

Solid hardwood flooring is the real deal. Three-quarters of an inch of natural wood beneath your feet that can be refinished multiple times and last for 100 years or more. Unlike engineered hardwood flooring or laminates, solid hardwood is not made of any recycled materials or created by pressing multiple layers together.

You will pay more for this premium product, but you will enjoy the warmth, beauty, status, and quality for years to come. Generally speaking, solid hardwood flooring is more expensive than engineered. But, depending upon the finish and species, engineered flooring’s price can rival solid hardwood.

Because solid hardwood should not be laid over a concrete subfloor, it is not recommended for basement installations.  Engineered hardwood is our recommendation for basements and high-humidity environments, where solid wood planks can absorb moisture and “cup” or warp, leaving a very unpleasant look and uneven walking surface.

At three-quarters of an inch thick, solid hardwood can be sanded and refinished many times before having to be replaced. Engineered hardwood, on the other hand, is not intended to be sanded and refinished. Only the most expensive engineered hardwood flooring, which may have a top layer that is as much as 9/16” thick, can be sanded at all. But, even then, we don’t recommend it.

The bottom line is that your choice between solid and engineered hardwood flooring will be dictated by your budget and application.