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We know, we know; you love home improvement projects. You’re Home Depot’s favorite customer, and they all know you by name. You’re a whiz at replacing faucets, painting trim, installing new ceiling fans…the list goes on. But unless you’ve been specifically trained in wood floor refinishing, you’re taking a huge gamble with your investment. Here are three reasons why you should leave the wood floor refinishing to the experts.

One: Sanding the Floors Requires Special Skills.

Removing the old finish off your hardwood floors takes more than just getting a sander and sandpaper and going at it. Every finish calls for different grits of sandpaper—and sometimes several types per project—and you need to know which grit is best and safest for your particular finish. There are also specific sanding techniques you’d need to know in order to create a smooth finish that will accept the stain consistently. And finally, you have to be precise and avoid getting the sander on the baseboard or the wall. One misstep in any of these areas, and you’ve got nasty swirl marks on the floor, scratches on the baseboards, or a basically uneven finish that may not even show itself until you see how badly the stain takes.

Two: Using the Sanders Requires Training.

You might think you were born to use power tools—and we won’t argue the point—but the hand sanders, belt sanders and orbital sanders we use in floor refinishing are heavy, precision instruments that require some training and practice to use correctly. Mishandling the sanders can cause damage to the floor at best, and damage to your body at worst. Save yourself the risk of damage and/or injury and let a professional handle it.

Three: Applying the Stain and Sealant Isn’t as Easy as It Looks.

If you think your wood floors look bad now, just think how they would look with blotchy dark and light spots from stain that was applied unevenly. Likewise, you’ll want to apply a protective coating over the floor, and if you apply that unevenly, you’ll have noticeable clumps and irregularities, and you’ll basically have to sand it down and try again. Again, these tasks require skill, precision, and years of practice to get them right.

Bottom line: If you turn your wood floor refinishing into a DIY project, you’re running the risk of a floor that looks worse than when you started. Maybe you took on this project to save money, but considering you’ll probably need to hire a professional to fix what you broke, you’ll still end up spending more in the long run. Save yourself the trouble and protect your investment—hire a wood flooring professional to refinish your wood floors. You might not get to work the power tools, but you’ll save yourself a ton of regret.

If you’re thinking of refinishing your hardwood floors, our team of skilled craftsmen is ready to help. Give Renaissance a call today at 918-298-4477 for a free estimate.

The post Three Important Reasons NOT to Try Refinishing a Wood Floor Yourself appeared first on Renaissance Hardwood Floors.

Conduct a Thorough Inspection

Your first line of defense is to look over the entire floor systematically and carefully. All of it. Look in corners, under tables and furniture, anywhere there might be an unreported spill or mess. If you want to be extra-meticulous, touch the floors with your hands to check for sticky spots. Make a note of any trouble areas.

Spot-Clean any Messes You Find

If you discover any particularly messy areas, you’ll want to address these first. For “sticky messes” like dried alcohol spills, melted candy, etc., we recommend a wood-safe cleaner like Bona products. You can also use a weak mixture of ¼ cup vinegar to one gallon of water. Apply the solution using a spray bottle on the trouble spot, then wipe it carefully using a soft cloth (microfiber is best). Work the area gently until the spill is removed, then make sure the area is completely dry before moving on.

Do a General Cleaning

Once you’re confident you’ve removed any and all hidden messes, it’s time for a good all-around cleaning of the hardwood floors. Begin with removing dust and dirt particles using a hand vacuum (no beaters) or a Swiffer-style dry mop. If you wish, follow it up with an approved wood-floor cleaner like Bona, applied with a spray bottle and mopped dry using a microfiber cloth or soft mop. IMPORTANT: Avoid the temptation to use water or steam on your wood floors, no matter how dirty they are. Water can cause more damage to hardwood than your Christmas party did.

Remove Holiday Decorations with Care

Remember to exercise caution around hardwood floors when taking down your holiday decorations—especially when removing live Christmas trees with loose pine needles. (See our previous post for more on this topic.) Make sure to vacuum up any stray needles, glitter and grit left behind so these don’t get ground into the floors and cause scratches.

Repairing Damaged Areas

Despite your best attempts to be careful, you might find some areas of damage during your holiday cleanup.  You might find fresh scratch marks from someone’s shoes, or if a liquid spill that didn’t get cleaned in time, you might find an area of warping. If this does happen, you can often have these areas repaired and/or refinished without having to replace the entire floor. At Renaissance, our team of experts can advise you on how to restore your post-holiday floors to pre-holiday condition. For a free estimate in Tulsa, Sand Springs, Glenpool, Bixby or other parts of Green Country, give us a call at 918-298-4477.

The post A Post-Holiday Cleanup Checklist for Your Hardwood Floors appeared first on Renaissance Hardwood Floors.

The good news is that preventing this kind of catastrophe is relatively simple. Take the following precautions to keep your live Christmas tree from ruining your New Year.

Clean the Floor First

Regardless of what protective coverings you use, placing a tree on a dirty floor is a recipe for scratches. The dirt and dust particles trapped beneath can grind against the floor under the weight of the tree, and the first thing you’ll have to do after the holidays is have the floors refinished. To reduce this risk, vacuum the floor with a non-beating sweeper or run a soft Swiffer-type dry mop across the surface to remove dust and dirt before bringing in the tree.

Use the Right Kind of Barrier

It’s obvious to most people that setting a metal tree stand on a bare hardwood floor is asking for trouble—but sometimes their solution to that problem can be just as harmful. You do need a barrier between the tree stand and the floor—but it needs to be the right kind of barrier to protect the floors. Towels or blankets are not a good idea because if they get wet, they can hold moisture against the floor and cause cupping or warping. Instead, go with a water-resistant Christmas tree mat, or possibly a large drain pan (similar to what you might put under a washing machine). Whatever floor covering you use, try to make it wider than the widest part of your tree to catch pine needles or any stray sap that might drop from the branches.

Bonus Tip: If you are putting up an artificial tree, you’ll still want some sort of barrier to keep the tree stand from scratching the floor. Typically some sort of sheet or floor mat will suffice in this case—just something to keep the stand from making contact with the wood floor.

Shake off Loose Needles Before Bringing in the Tree

Falling pine needles are an unavoidable issue with most trees, but that doesn’t mean you can’t limit how many needles you’re dealing with. The fewer falling needles you have, the fewer opportunities for the floor to get scratched. So before bringing the tree inside, give it a nice shake to dislodge any loose needles.

Wrap the Tree Before Moving It

You can also reduce needle fallout on your wood floors by wrapping the tree up in plastic or a sturdy blanket before carrying it. This is helpful not only when bringing the tree in, but especially when removing it (since there will likely be more loose needles as the tree dries out).

Vacuum Up Loose Needles Often

Pine needles can scratch your hardwood floors just the same as loose dirt or sand. While the tree is in your home, cleaning up these needles may be an ongoing battle. Be sure to vacuum up loose needles when bringing the tree in, when moving it out, and on a regular basis while the tree is up in your home (preferably daily).

By taking these precautions, you and your family can enjoy your live Christmas tree without risking damage to your hardwood floors. If you do need your floors fixed or refreshed during or after the holidays, Renaissance is here to help. Give us a call at 918-298-4477 for a free evaluation and estimate. Merry Christmas!

The post Live Christmas Tree? Take These Steps to Protect Your Hardwood Floors appeared first on Renaissance Hardwood Floors.

Recoating the Floors

Many wood flooring companies seal their hardwood floors with at least two coats of protective polyurethane sealant. (Renaissance actually uses three coats.) If your floors look worn, we can often easily restore their brilliance by replacing this polyurethane layer. This option is the least intrusive and most affordable one. If you don’t have any deep scratches or damage to the floors, this may be all that’s needed.

Refinishing

For a more dramatic refresh, you might consider having your hardwood floors refinished. This process involves removing any sealant, sanding the floors, applying stain and finishing with three fresh coats of polyurethane. While this option involves a bit more time and expense, it can make your floors look brand new without actually replacing them—making your home a holiday showpiece in the process.

Replacing or Installing New Floors

Of course, if you want to give yourself and your family a lovely Christmas present this year, you might simply wish to replace those aging wood floors in your home, or perhaps replace old carpeting with luxurious new hardwoods. There’s still plenty of time to get new floors installed before the holidays—just bear in mind that schedules often fill up in advance, so you should book now to avoid the prospect of having your home under construction during the holidays.

Whether you choose to recoat, refinish or install new floors, Renaissance Hardwood Floors is here to help. We’ll get the job done right so you can enjoy the holidays in style. Give us a call for a free estimate at 918-298-4477.

The post Tips to Refresh Your Hardwood Floors for the Holidays appeared first on Renaissance Hardwood Floors.

Summer Sunlight

The sunlight streaming through the windows onto your wood floors may look gorgeous, but that doesn’t mean damage isn’t being done. Summer is the time of year when the sun’s rays are most intense and direct, and the ultraviolet light can break down chemicals in the wood, causing a fading effect—similar to the way the sun “bleaches” your hair. Over time, you may begin to notice the wood by your windows growing lighter, causing the overall look of your floors to be uneven and blotchy.

High Humidity

The increase in humidity during the summer months is indirectly related to the sunshine, but no less dangerous to your floors. Warm air can hold more moisture than cold air can. If the humidity in your home is not properly regulated, the wood planks will begin to absorb the moisture and expand, sometimes causing warping and cupping. This effect often corrects itself when humidity returns to normal levels, but in extreme cases it can permanently damage your wood planks.

Tips to Protect Your Hardwood Floors

The good news is by taking a few precautionary measures, you can safeguard your floors through the summer months so you don’t have to think about them anymore. Here are some tips to help.

• Keep the drapes or blinds closed during periods of direct sunlight. By far, this is the easiest way to reduce sunlight exposure.
• Install “low-e” windows. This is a more expensive option, but if you prefer keeping your drapes or blinds open, low-e windows will filter out harmful ultraviolet and infrared rays from the sun, making the sunlight safer for your floors.
• Rotate furnishings. Sometimes thoughtfully arranged furniture or a strategically placed rug can cover your wood floors in the parts of the room that get exposed to sunlight.
• Keep the A/C running. Cooler air naturally holds less humidity.
• Buy one or more dehumidifiers for the home. Optimal humidity levels inside the home should be between 35-45 percent.

While the summer heat and humidity have the potential to wreak havoc on your floors, it doesn’t have to be a point of panic. Just take common-sense steps to protect your floors like the tips we mentioned above, and you can enjoy a worry-free summer focused on the things you love. If your floors experience damage, we’re here to help. For a free estimate on wood flooring installation or repair in Jenks, Glenpool, Tulsa, Sand Springs and Broken Arrow, give Renaissance Hardwood Floors a call at 918-298-4477.

The post Protect Your Hardwood Floors from the Summer Sun and Humidity appeared first on Renaissance Hardwood Floors.

1. Untrimmed Pet Nails

We love our pets probably more than we love our floors—but that doesn’t mean we want to choose one or the other. When you let your dog’s nails get too long, they can easily start leaving scratch marks on the floor. Freshly clipped nails can be even worse because they are sometimes sharper than long nails. Be sure to have your pet’s nails trimmed and buffed regularly, or don’t be surprised to see scratched paths along high-traffic areas of the floor.

2. High Heels

They may be stylish, even sexy, but high-heeled shoes can be murder on wood floors. It’s not that you’re too heavy—it’s that high heels don’t distribute body weight evenly the way flat shoes do. When your body weight is concentrated into a tiny heel or stiletto, it’s as if the weight gets multiplied, and you can easily leave the floor with unwanted dents and impressions.

3. Unpadded Furniture Legs  

Generally speaking, exposed furniture feet and wood don’t get on well together. If you move a table or shift your chair to get out it, that motion enough may be enough to leave a scratch—and sitting in a chair with narrow legs can have the same effect as high heels. It’s definitely a good investment to spend a few dollars on some adhesive felt pads for your at the local hardware store.

4. Not Using a Welcome Mat

Sometimes the danger isn’t what’s in your home—it’s what is not outside it. The absence of a welcome mat outside your door means anyone who comes into your home is tracking dirt, sand and grit on the bottom of their shoes—which pretty much acts like sandpaper on wood floors.

5. Not Sweeping Regularly

When dust and grit accumulate on wood floors, all it takes is someone walking across the room to cause scratches and scuffs. Using a broom with gentle bristles once a week or so will help keep this from happening. (It’s the simple things.)

6. Using a Vacuum Beater Brush

We know—when you’re using an upright vacuum on your carpets, it’s much easier just to let it keep running and vacuum the hardwood floors, too. But the beater brush that lifts dirt from your carpets has coarse bristles that can easily scratch your wood floors. Take a few extra seconds to switch to the right attachment for your vacuum cleaner, or just use a broom, as mentioned earlier.

7. Using a Mop or Steam

You can mop tile, stone or linoleum; you should never put a wet mop on wood floors—and that includes steam mops. Wood is porous and absorbs moisture, which can make the panels warp, separate and buckle. Just don’t do it.

8. Using the Wrong Cleaners

Some floor cleaners may seem safe for wood (some even recommended for it), but often these cleaners contain chemicals or acids that can damage either the protective sealant or the wood itself. For best results, Renaissance recommends using Bona Hardwood Floor Cleaner on hardwood floors.

At Renaissance Hardwood Flooring, wood floors are our passion, which is why we go to great lengths to inform our customers about the best ways to protect them. If your floors have sustained damage from scratches, moisture or other issues, we can help. Give us a call at 918-298-4477.

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