Refinishing Hardwood Floors Doesn’t Have to Be Messy
What is dustless hardwood floor refinishing?
We use specialized equipment to refinish your hardwood floors without leaving behind a significant amount of dust. Our sanders are connected with special hoses to a powerful vacuum that is located on our trailers. As our professional refinishers sand your floors, the dust is sucked out of your home and into our trucks. This system can allow you to stay in your home or business while your floors are being sanded without worrying about breathing in the carcinogenic dust that can be produced during the process.
Benefits of no-dust refinishing
There are several benefits of choosing to refinish your floors with our no-dust system, including the following:
- Less time preparing
- Less time cleaning up
- Better health
Before no-dust refinishing systems were available, people who wanted to sand their floors had to spend a significant amount of time preparing. They had to cover all of their furniture and stay elsewhere while the process was completed. Our system allows you to minimize the amount of preparation that you would otherwise need to complete. With the powerful vacuum technology, the dust is safely removed away from your home and your belongings, allowing you to stay in your home or business without having to cover everything.
Since most of the dust will be vacuumed directly out of your home or business and into our truck, there will also be much less time needed for cleaning up. In the past, people would find dust piling up for weeks after they had already cleaned after their floors were sanded. This is because sanding floors sends dust into your vents. From there, the dust may then be circulated and deposited throughout your home, allowing dust to continue settling everywhere for weeks.
Dust-free floor sanding is also much healthier for you, your family, your employees or your customers. Dust from sanding certain types of wood can be carcinogenic. Having high levels of dust in the air may also cause respiratory problems, allergic reactions or worsened asthma symptoms. Even if you leave your home during the sanding process or have the work completed while your business is closed, a lot of dust will still remain behind if you don’t use a dust-free floor refinishing process.
Added benefits for business owners
If you are a business owner who wants to refinish your floors, you will enjoy the added benefit of being able to continue working while the floors are being refinished. Without a dust-free sanding process, businesses have to close their doors while the work is being completed and during the cleanup process. They also have to cover and protect all of their furniture and office equipment to keep dust from getting in. With our system, you can continue to operate your business like you normally do, which can help you to continue making profits during the refinishing process.
Refinishing your existing hardwood floors doesn’t have to be a messy job. When you choose our system, you can enjoy beautiful results without the hassles involved with dust. To learn more about our dustless sanding and refinishing services, call Classic Floor Designs today.
Should Hardwood Floors Match Throughout the House?
Choose wood grains according to your rooms’ locations and sizes
If you have rooms that face south or that are large, choosing a dark wood for your hardwood floors such as mahogany or Brazilian walnut can lend a luxurious feel. Smaller rooms work better when they have lighter wood grains. For small rooms, think about using lighter wood grains such as white oak, ash or maple.
When you are choosing hardwood flooring for a long hallway, make sure that you do not install it running parallel to the room’s length. This will make it appear narrower than if you install it in the other direction. If there is a doorway at the end of the hall that separates the spaces, you can choose to install wood running in a different direction or in a new grain to add interest. If there is no door separating the hall from the adjoining room, continue laying the flooring in the same pattern.
Separating rooms
If you want to install different wood grain floors in adjacent rooms, it can be easy to do so. You can simply separate them using wooden borders or T-moldings in the thresholds of the doors. You can also separate areas in large rooms with different grains of wood. This can be used to highlight specific areas and can be done well if you creatively use borders. You can try to create a border around the area with contrasting wood by using some of the wood grain from the adjoining space.
In a home with an open floor plan, using different types of hardwood floors can be used to set certain areas apart. For example, the entryway area might have wood floors that are installed in a parquet pattern while the rest of the floor is installed in straight lines. This can help you to set your entryway apart while also complementing your home’s design.
Why trying to match existing wood floors is difficult
If you are planning to install wood floors in only one area of your home, you may be tempted to try to match the floors that are installed in your other areas. This is very difficult to do because different series of the same types of wood flooring may be slightly mismatched in their tone. After the new flooring is installed, the difference may be apparent. Instead, try creating contrast and choose a new grain of wood that will complement what you have installed without matching it too closely.
If you are wanting to try to match the existing wood floors with your new flooring, you might want to instead consider sanding and refinishing all of them to match. Instead of going through the hassle of doing that, choosing a different type of floor or wood grain and selecting a border to separate the two can add to the look of your home.
While some people think that they have to use the same type of floors throughout their homes, choosing to mix different wood grains can make your home look more interesting. The experts at Classic Floor Designs can help you to choose the floors that will make your home stand out. Call us today to schedule your consultation so that you can begin the process of transforming your home into the beautiful place that you envision.
How to Make Your Hardwood Floors Last Longer
Hardwood floors make a stunning first impression, increase the value of your home and add warmth to any room. We know you want the beauty of your floors to last a long time without the need for refinishing, fixing or replacement, but we also recognize the challenge of cleaning and protecting hardwood.
Preventing damage to flooring is easy if you’re diligent and practice smart strategies. Start with these five tips to preserve the shine and prolong the life of every wood floor in your home.
Use the Right Cleaner
Before investing in a cleaner promising to restore shine and make wood floors glow, find out how it makes good on its promise. Many products rely on oils or waxes to provide shine. These produce an attractive effect but only serve to break down the finish of your floor over time, leading to the need for sanding and refinishing.
Instead of putting on a false shine, choose a cleaner formulated to remove dirt and reveal the natural beauty of the wood. Bona, Libman, Pledge, Method and other well-known names in home cleaning offer products just for hardwood. Choose a gentle, non-toxic formula, especially if you have pets or children who spend a lot of time in contact with the floor.
Develop a Regular Cleaning Regimen
Use your cleaner as part of a consistent routine designed to keep your hardwood flooring in top shape. Sweep up dirt and debris often to prevent scratches, and invest in a vacuum cleaner made for wood floors to lift the dirt brooms leave behind. Dry dust mops like Swiffer make it easier to reach into corners and grab dust bunnies under large pieces of furniture.
Keep a stash of soft cloths on hand to wipe up spills the moment they happen. Leaving water on the floor can lead to damage, and anything sticky will be difficult to remove if allowed to dry. Should an unidentifiable substance weld itself to your floor, spot clean with a minimal amount of liquid to remove it.
Mop the floor using a dry mop and your chosen cleaner to get rid of the rest of the dirt and grime. When you’re done, you should see the coveted shine for which hardwood floors are prized.
Say No to Shoes
Even if you’re obsessive about wiping your feet before heading indoors, your shoes are likely still holding onto dirt and debris. Routinely tracking these particles across wood floors can lead to scratches and scuffs in the finish. High heels are also problematic because the force focused on the concentrated surface of the heel can dent the wood.
To avoid both issues, remove your shoes the moment you come inside. Place a boot tray or rug by the door, and ask guests to help you preserve the floors by taking off their shoes when they visit. For a more attractive solution, consider investing in a bench with built-in storage cubbies for the shoes you wear most often.
Give Your Furniture a Soft Touch
Wood flooring looks great in the kitchen and dining area, but the constant scraping of chairs does no small amount of damage to the finish. Since you can’t expect everyone to remember to pick up their chairs instead of pushing them in or to maneuver themselves sideways to avoid pushing chairs back, invest in adhesive felt pads or gliders. These can be placed on the bottoms of kitchen chair legs or on the feet of small tables. You can also get more permanent gliders designed to be nailed in place so that they don’t slip off.
For larger furniture, consider snap-on felt glides. These not only protect your floors but also make moving couches and other big pieces easier when cleaning or rearranging.
Learn to Love Rugs and Mats
To protect wood flooring in high-traffic areas and in places where water or food is likely to be spilled, you need throw rugs, mats or runners. Put mats by the sink and near kitchen counters where the majority of food preparation takes place, and roll out runners in the places the family passes through the most. A welcome mat outside the door encourages everyone to wipe the bottoms of their shoes, and a small rug can be placed just inside to prevent errant dirt from winding up in the house. Remember to clean underneath all mats and rugs when caring for your floors to prevent debris from building up or backings from sticking.
Start practicing these preventative strategies the moment your new floors are installed, and you’ll enjoy beautiful hardwood for many years to come. If you’re ready to get started with an installation, contact one of our specialiststo learn more about your options and find just the right hardwood floors for your home.
2018 Flooring Trends
Solid Wood Floors for Decades of Use
The laminate and engineered wood floors are less popular than solid wood floors this year. Whether you’re going to be living in your forever home or simply making improvements to help increase the return on investment, solid wood floors are on trend in 2018. And, solid wood floors can last for more than 100 years when they are taken care of properly.
Wood Types Depend on Your Style
The type of wood you choose comes down to your taste and style. Oak and hickory are the most sought after hardwood floor types. Maple and birch are still a great option for people who want to keep a modern design. Not surprisingly, eco-friendly species like bamboo are also popular because they are sustainable and environmentally responsible as well as affordable and attractive.
Color is as Simple as Black and White … and Shades of Gray
Finishes Make the Floor
Super glossy floors are falling out of favor this year. Our designers suggest going with matte or satin finishes to get the look you see on your favorite home and remodeling shows. Oil floors are coming back with a vengeance because of the patina from years of aging. One of the biggest advantages of using oil finishes is that you can repair them easily with an additional coat of oil.
Planks Add Character
Parquet is an old trend that is seeing a revival in 2018. Chevron and herringbone patterns are very on-trend. Decorative and textured floors are seeing an uptick in sales too. The character of the floor is a big deal with knotty wood coming up the winner in floor trends.
Rustic in the Farmhouse Sense
Distressing the wood for existing floors is one of the most frequently requested projects this year. Taking it down to the bare wood and giving it a touch of class with the right stain or treatment is by far a welcome change. Letting the natural imperfections show through is one of the best ways you can get the farmhouse feel in your home.
Concise and Clean Lines
If you want to go to the other end of the spectrum with a minimalist design, Classic Floor Designs recommends longer planks of wood for your flooring. Fewer seams paired with classy lines enhance the charm in the room. Often this floor choice pairs best with the stark white or deep ebony colors.
(Seeming) Bigger is Usually Better
Wide planks make small rooms feel much bigger. Using wide planks in bathrooms brings a spa-like atmosphere and is trending in 2018. Event a small powder room can instantly feel roomier with a six-inch hardwood floor.
The best way to select a new floor for your home is to listen to your gut. After all, you will be living with it! Choose patterns, colors, and textures that compliment the rooms you already love. Classic Floor Designs wants to help you find the right floor option for your home. To talk to one of our designers or to schedule a free consultation, please call us at 202-872-9860.
Top Tips to Protect Your Floors This Holiday Season
We know that life is probably going to be busy and full of fun and festivities, so you probably won’t want to spend a lot of time worrying about the state of your beautiful flooring. To help put your mind at ease and minimize any potential damage, we’ve compiled a quick and simple list of tips to help save your hardwood, carpeting and laminate floors from the abundance of cheer that comes along with this time of year.
Doormats and Rugs
Strategically placing area rugs in high-traffic areas is also a great, stylish way to protect your hardwood floors. If you live in an area that is particularly prone to wet, snowy weather, it’s a good idea to have extra washable rugs placed near the doors for guests to knock off snow or mud before they come inside.
Remove Your Shoes
To help facilitate this, there are a few things you can do. First, have everyone in your house get into the habit of leaving a pair of slippers by the main entrance so it’s easy to slip off shoes and put on slippers. Keep a boot tray and small shoe rack near the door as well. Wet or dirty shoes go into the boot tray, and other shoes go onto the shoe rack or into their respective bedrooms.
For guests, you can either let them know ahead of time to bring a pair of slippers, or you can keep a few pairs of washable “house shoes” near the door. These are not difficult to find, and they are not very expensive either. To eliminate any potential awkwardness, you can make it fun and hang a lighthearted sign on the door letting guests know to leave their shoes at the entrance.
Clean Up Regularly
This one is obvious, but extra traffic means extra cleaning. To cut down on the time you spend doing housework, you can go high-tech and invest in a small robot vacuum that will pick up debris and even spot-mop your floors. If that’s outside of your budget, consider keeping a dry mop in all of the main living spaces, and do a quick once-over anytime you’re walking through.
Invest in Furniture Pads
This is an especially useful tip if your home is mostly hardwood floors. Home improvement or flooring stores will carry a variety of soft, easy-to-apply furniture pads that can be placed on the bottoms of chair legs, table legs and anything you know will be getting pushed or pulled across the floor regularly. Padding these surfaces will not only allow the furniture to move more easily, but it will save your floors from any potential scraping or gouging.
Seal and Treat
For hardwood flooring, you should take the time to have your floors varnished if you haven’t already. A fresh layer of sealant will protect the wood from spills and stains.
Carpeted floors should be steam cleaned and protected with an anti-stain or liquid-repelling treatment. Not only will this save your carpets, but it will save you stress and headache when someone drops a glass of wine or the kids get a little too excited about their holiday treats.
Train Your Pets
It may take a little bit of time and patience, but training your animals to sit by the door while you wipe their paws is an invaluable trick for reducing the amount of cleaning you do and keeping your floors fresh.
In addition to this, you should keep your pet’s nails trimmed and blunted whenever possible. Long or sharp nails can scratch and gouge hardwood in no time. If you have cats, make sure there are plenty of places for them to scratch. Otherwise, your carpeted floors may suffer.
One Final Tip – Relax
Remember, the memories and joy of the season are much more important than keeping your floors pristine. Enjoy your holidays, and consult with our professionals if you have questions or need help with post-party floor cleaning.
Gray Hardwood Floors are Here to Stay
A well-designed room begins with the right flooring, and gray hardwood remains the perfect starting point for many home decors. We’ve received countless requests for this elegant option in recent years, and interest doesn’t seem to be slowing down. So, why are gray hardwood floors the foundation of choice for so many homeowners?
Gray: A Soothing Color Choice
For most, the home is a sanctuary. It’s where we go to relieve stress from the outside world and connect with the ones we love. Maybe that’s why so many of us crave the soothing look and feel of gray hardwood flooring. Its soft color works beautifully with mint green or sage, super-soft pink, pale yellow and other pastels for the ultimate in relaxing decor. Baseboards in cream create a natural, non-jarring transition from light-gray walls to slightly darker gray floors.
Lighten Up Your Home’s Interior
Gray wood flooring helps lighten any room. It can open up space visually, especially when paired with walls and furniture in shades of gray that are lighter than the flooring. The light color works wonders at creating an open feel in smaller living areas. And just as it makes a cramped room appear spacious and inviting, soft gray enhances the roomy feel of larger spaces.
The Influence of Scandinavian Design
Anyone who’s leafed through home decor magazines or browsed decorating websites has likely noticed a Scandinavian influence on interior design these days. Besides last year’s obsession with Hagge, a Danish concept roughly translated to coziness and an appreciation of life’s simple comforts, Scandinavian minimalism is still huge in American home design. The timeless appeal of Danish modern design helps explain why the streamlined, scaled-back look of mid-century interiors remains in-demand.
Gray Hardwood Flooring: a Versatile Choice
You don’t need a minimalist sensibility to fall in love with gray hardwood floors, though; their versatility is part of their charm. A gray hardwood floor looks just as much at home in a farmhouse-chic decor as it does in a contemporary or mid-century modern setting. Its color is reminiscent of metals, making it a good fit for industrial-style interiors. It also provides the perfect arena for playing with color in your accents and furniture. We’ve seen designs recently incorporating coral, orange, red and other bold color choices against a soft, airy backdrop of gray floors and walls.
The Natural Beauty of Gray Hardwood Flooring
Gray hardwood fits nicely into the architecture of older homes, but it also adds character to newer houses. Wide planks are a smart choice for this type of wood flooring. This style highlights the burls and other markings for a somewhat rustic appeal that brings warmth to any setting. These characteristics also make light scratches less noticeable — a boon to families with active households. Consider white oak in a gray-washed stain formulated for hardwoods, especially if your home has a vintage, rustic or shabby-chic aesthetic.
It’s easy to see why gray hardwood floors show no signs of waning in popularity. This type of flooring adapts to nearly any decorating style, from rustic and cozy to minimalist or industrial. It creates a sense of calm — something we seem to crave more than ever. As the new neutral of choice, it also gives you the freedom to express yourself through color and have fun with your decor. And its burls and markings bring the beauty of nature inside, adding character to cookie-cutter spaces or complementing a home’s existing charm. If you’re considering upgrading your home with this popular flooring choice, get expert guidance throughout the process from a company experienced in installing and maintaining these and other types of quality flooring.