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Frequently Asked Questions

What should I expect when sanding and finishing hardwood floors?

BEFORE

For new installations, the wood will need to acclimate in your heated or cooled home. The acclimation time will vary from two days to two weeks or longer depending on the species. All work areas must be free and clear of all furniture prior to refinishing. Old World Floors is not equipped to move large pieces of furniture and will contract to remove and reset furnishings with a moving service. Typically this charge starts at $350.00 for each trip to move 3-4 rooms of furniture that have been cleared of all draperies, paintings and other furnishings. For smaller jobs with less furniture OWF will make arrangements to work with you to move furnishings.

SCHEDULING: OWF will make every effort to accommodate your schedule. We will coordinate with you on start times.  Refinishing projects usually are scheduled to start early enough in the week so that we will be finished by that Friday or Saturday. We have complete control over our employees’ schedules which allows us to manage our time better and meet your deadlines. Please be aware that we are juggling several crews and multiple jobs that occasionally run over to the next scheduled job.  Should that occur OWF will notify you AS SOON AS POSSIBLE of any changes to the schedule.

POWER SOURCE:  Please be aware that our sanding machines require access to a 220 volt electrical outlet. The most common location for this power source will be the outlet your clothes dryer uses. We will move the dryer but need you to remove clothes from the area.

DRAPERIES: Most floors require the use of oil base stain and finish products that can damage fabrics. For this reason, it is recommended that you remove all fabric window treatments before we arrive.  If fabric window treatments are left in place OWF will cover with plastic but is not responsible for any damage caused to the fabric.

  

DURING

If your floors are being sanded, finished or refinished, be prepared for some noise and disruption.

DUST CONTAINMENT: Old World Floors will tape up plastic sheeting over cabinets and doorways to minimize the dust circulating in your home. The HVAC system is turned off when the sanding machines are running. We use state of the art sanding machines with specialized dust containment systems that use powerful vacuum motors to capture the dust generated during sanding.  These precautions will minimize dust but no system is 100% effective, so cover any items that you want to keep dust free. Before we leave each day, our crew will clean and vacuum the work areas.  Some fine sanding dust will settle out of the air and can circulate to other rooms after we leave. Plan to schedule a change of HVAC filters approximately 1-2 weeks after sanding is completed.

SHOE MOLDING: Old World Floors will remove and reset your existing shoe molding prior to sanding. The shoe molding usually needs painting after it has been reinstalled.

DRY TIME: After each coat of polyurethane the floor is dry to walk on in 8-24 hours with proper ventilation.

AFTER

It is optimal to allow 2-3 days after the final coat of polyurethane before resetting furniture, however after 24 hours the finish is dry.  During this cure time we would caution you not to drag furniture across the floors or be careless so as not to mar the finish. Large rugs and carpets should not be put down until after 30 days of curing.  A rug will change the cure rate and the sheen under the rug can be altered with a visible imprint which will remain permanently.

Do’s and Don’ts

  • Do not use Murphy’s Oil Soap or any floor care product with an oily formula on polyurethane floors.

  • Do not wet mop a wood floor. Standing water can dull the finish, damage the wood and leave a discoloring residue.

  • Avoid walking on your wood floors with cleats, sports shoes and high heels.

To keep your wood floors looking their best we recommend the following:

  • Use Bona Hardwood Floor cleaner or a damp microfiber cloth to clean your floors

  • Dust and vacuum regularly

  • Clean up spills immediately

  • Put felt pads on the bottom of all furniture

  • Maintain home relative humidity to 30-50%

 

Inspecting Hardwood Floors:  Keep in mind that no two floor boards will be identical.  Variations in appearance are completely normal. As your floor ages, some color change can occur. This also is normal, but can be minimized by limiting exposure to direct sunlight and periodically moving furniture and rugs. Seasonal humidity change may cause the wood to expand and contract. Cracks are normal and will appear and disappear between floor boards during seasons of high and low humidity. Flooring inspectors recommend inspecting the floor from a standing position in normal lighting to identify irregularities.

How do I care for my new hardwood floors? 

Wood is a natural, beautiful and timeless design and decorating element. Caring, consistent and correct maintenance will insure it remains that way. Check out the hardwood floor care tips below.
1. Do not use sheet vinyl or tile floor care products on wood floors. Self-polishing acrylic waxes cause wood to become slippery and appear dull quickly.
2. Use throw rugs both inside and outside doorways to help prevent grit, dirt and other debris from being tracked onto your wood floors. This will prevent scratching.
3. Do not wet-mop a wood floor. Standing water can dull the finish, damage the wood and leave a discoloring residue.
4. Wipe up spills immediately with a slightly dampened towel.
5. If your floor is a wax floor do not over-wax it. If the floor dulls, try buffing instead. Avoid wax build up under furniture and other light traffic areas by applying wax in these spots every other waxing session.
6. Put soft plastic or fabric-faced glides under the legs of furniture to prevent scuffing and scratching.
7. Avoid walking on your wood floors with cleats, sports shoes and high heels. A 125-pound woman walking in high heels has an impact of 2,000 pounds per square inch. An exposed heel nail can exert up to 8,000 pounds per square inch. This kind of impact can dent any floor surface.
8. When moving heavy furniture, do not slide it on wood flooring. It is best to pick up the furniture completely to protect the wood flooring.
9. For wood flooring in the kitchen, place an area rug in front of the kitchen sink.
10. .Use a humidifier throughout the winter months to keep wood movement and shrinkage to a minimum.

Basic Steps for Cleaning Wood Floors

  • Remove rugs and move as much furniture from the room as possible.

  • Sweep and dry mop the floors. It is important to remove as much loose dust and dirt from the floors as possible before you begin mopping.

  • Spray Bona Hardwood Floor Clearer in a 3’x 3’ area (use sparingly) and mop with microfiber pad, working small areas at a time. To prevent build up rinse and ring out cleaning pad in clean water often.

  • Replace your rugs and furniture when the floor in dry.

  • Bona Hardwood Floor Cleaner is available at Old World Floors, LLC in Bartlett, TN and other retailers nationwide. It is non-toxic for children and pets and is Greengard certified.

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