Lots of Scratches

For most hardwood floors, some scratching is inevitable over time. You can opt to refinish or repair scratched areas, although in some cases, a little scratching adds character to the wood, especially with distressed finishes. However, if you notice the floors take scratches more easily than they used to, or if you notice deep scratches that go through the finish and expose fresh wood below, it’s a sign that your polyurethane coating is wearing thin or is compromised, and you’ll want to refinish and re-coat the floor to prevent further damage.

Fading

Direct sunlight on the wood eventually causes some fading of the color. When the fading becomes especially pronounced or noticeable, it may become distracting. You may want to refinish and re-stain the floors at that point to restore them to a consistent color.

Discoloration/Greying

Grey floors are in fashion right now, but if you notice floorboards greying and that wasn’t the original color, it’s generally a preliminary sign of water/moisture damage, not age. Graying floors mean the polyurethane coating is thinning or wearing off, and it’s time to refinish the floors. If you let it go too long, the grey will eventually turn darker until it’s black. At that point, replacement becomes your only option.

Cupping/Warping/Splintering

A little bit of cupping and crowning is normal with wood floors as the boards respond to changes in humidity and temperature. However, if you notice significant cupping or warping of the panels or cupping that doesn’t resolve, it’s a sign of water damage. Another sign to watch for is splintering along the panel edges. All of these are indicators that the protectant coating is worn out. If the damage is severe, you may need replacement, but for mild cases, refinishing the floor will do the trick.

You Want an Updated Look

Sometimes, we just get tired of the same old look of our floors year after year. Perhaps you have added new furniture that doesn’t match the flooring, or maybe you just want a change. As long as the floor is in good condition, refinishing them gives you the opportunity to create a whole new look for your space without having to replace the floors.

Not sure whether your floors need to be refinished? We can help with a free in-home evaluation and estimate. If you live in Tulsa, Glenpool, Broken Arrow, Coweta or other parts of Green Country, give Renaissance a call today at 918-298-4477.

The post 5 Key Signs It’s Time to Refinish Your Hardwood Floors appeared first on Renaissance Hardwood Floors.

By nature, any wood flooring installation or refinishing project is going to release extra dust. At Renaissance, we take extra care to minimize the effects of dust, but you still might want to take proactive steps to protect your more sensitive belongings. Here are some tips that may help.

Move Pieces Out of Reach of the Dust

With any hardwood floor installation or refinishing project, you’ll have to move all furniture out of the room so our craftsmen can work. However, moving sensitive pieces to another room might not be enough to protect them from dust in the air, especially if you have an open floor plan. For best results, try moving these pieces into a room with a door, away from the construction activity. Cover the gap under the door itself, and close the air vents to mitigate the dust coming into the area.

Cover Furniture with Blankets and Plastic

For additional protection, especially when it’s simply not feasible to seal off a room for your sensitive pieces, the next best thing is to cover those pieces with plastic. At the customer’s request, Renaissance will bring plastic sheeting to cover furniture and wall hangings for this purpose. With wood pieces, there may be an additional complication with humidity condensing under the plastic and getting your pieces damp. To keep this from happening, first cover the pieces with blankets or cloths, then place the plastic over the top. Try to make sure the pieces are covered all the way to the floor.

An Extra Precaution: Air Scrubbers

If you have numerous items that can’t be exposed to much dust, or if someone in the home is highly allergic, Renaissance can bring in air scrubbers—powerful devices that remove dust particles from the air. Strategically placed, these units placed can greatly reduce the dust output from your wood flooring project so you can rest easier. This equipment comes at an additional expense, so talk to us to get an estimate.

Obviously, no home is completely dust-free, and many of your pieces might not need this much protection. You’ll probably have to dust a little more often for the next couple of weeks after the project is complete, but for the most part you won’t see any change. However, if you’re concerned about protecting your most sensitive or costly pieces, taking these extra precautions should give you greater peace of mind. For any other questions about hardwood floor installation and refinishing in Tulsa, Jenks, Catoosa or surrounding areas of Green Country, call Renaissance Hardwood Flooring at 918-298-4477.

The post Hardwood Floor Installation/Refinishing: Protecting Sensitive Pieces from Dust appeared first on Renaissance Hardwood Floors.