Michael's Floor Talk

Pre-Finished Hardwood or Site Finished Hardwood, Which is Best?

2011-11-08T16:26:00.000-08:00

Prefinished hardwood flooring or unfinished (site finished) hardwood, which is best?

Each has its benefits. One of the myths of unfinished hardwood is that the entire floor gets coated with one smooth coating of finish leaving no spaces between the boards. In a perfect world that would be true, however, wood is a natural living product and will expand and contract during the different seasons. Here in the Northeast when the humid summer arrives your hardwood floor will absorb the moisture from the humidity and the boards will swell. In the winter when it gets cold and dry the boards lose their excess moisture and they contract. Once this expansion and contraction occurs that smooth finish is no longer a smooth coat. You can minimize the expansion and contraction by using a humidifier in the cold months and a dehumidifier in the hot months Ideally you want to keep your home between 30% - 50% relative humidity and between 68 degrees and 72 degrees. Thankfully these are conditions humans feel comfortable as well.

The main advantage of a site finished floor is you can match the stain color of your existing hardwood floor that may have been installed years ago and you now want to continue it into other rooms. Another advantage to the unfinished hardwood flooring is that you have more choices of stains to choose from.

Prefinished hardwood flooring has grown other the last 15 years. There are many reasons that more people are choosing the prefinished hardwood floors over the unfinished hardwood floors.Most prefinished hardwood floors now have the second hardest surfaces known to man added to its finish. This element is called aluminum oxide. It helps make the finish last much longer than the traditional finishes used for some of the unfinished hardwood jobs. Many people simply choose the prefinished hardwood due to the ease of getting their project done. Prefinished hardwood flooring can be installed and lived on shortly after it is installed. The unfinished hardwood takes days or even weeks to be completed. If you are redoing your current home the prefinished hardwood is not only quicker but it is a cleaner and more simple process. When redoing an existing home the unfinished process will have more dust and some pretty harsh smells to deal with. With the prefinished hardwood manufacturers continuing to improve we lean more toward this process over the on the job process with unfinished hardwood floors. We have found with the prefinished hardwood that there is less that can go wrong. The prefinished hardwood product is manufactured in a controlled environment. This prevents the finish from getting foreign particles, hair, dust,etc. in the finish. They also put on many more layers of finish than we normally put on a unfinished hardwood floor. We believe the prefinished process is easier and the finish quality is much better. The prefinished hardwood manufacturers also offer a warranty on the finish that carries value for the consumer.

The Case of the Squeaky Wood Floors

2011-09-29T04:54:00.000-07:00

About a month ago we installed a beautiful wood floor for one of our clients in her home. After the installation she called to tell us how pleased she was and how lovely her new floor looked. About two weeks later our client called to tell us she was concerned with the squeaky sound her new floor was making. I set an appointment to inspect the floor to see what was causing the floor to squeak and how we could remedy it for her.

When I arrived for my appointment and our client let me in, I could see why she liked her new floor, it was stunning. It totally transformed her home from the dated beige carpet she previously had installed everywhere to an elegant home. The new flooring made all her furnishing standout. She had done a wonderful job decorating and had some very nice antique furniture mixed in.

She began to walk across the floor to show me how it squeaked. It did squeak with every step she took. I asked her to again walk across the floor toward me. Again squeak, squeak, squeak. I then thought I knew what the problem was. I walked across the same area she did. No Squeaks. I walked back toward her no squeaks. I asked her if she heard any squeaks when I walked across the floor. Looking perplexed, she answered no. I then asked her to walk one more time across the floor. Again, squeak, squeak, squeak. I then said, Mrs.... I know the problem, it's your sneakers! Embarrassed she said, oh my it is my sneakers. With that she laughed and thanked me for solving her problem

Great New Flooring Option for Kitchens and Baths

2011-01-13T05:17:00.000-08:00

Most people think of stone or porcelain tile for these areas. But what do you do if you are like many people, you feel they are too hard or cold? Well now you have an alternative that gives you the look of stone or porcelain, it's Armstrong's Alterna, a premium 16" x 16" flooring tile that establishes a new standard in style and comfort. With its nature-inspired designs, warmth underfoot and realistic textures, it's a floor tile that captures the refreshing authenticity of nature's beauty.

Designed for comfortable living, Alterna floor tiles are soft and warm making them a more welcoming floor for your entire family. Unlike stone and porcelain they more readily tolerate accidents and drops and are less likely to crack or stain. They are covered by Armstrong's Lifetime Residential Warranty.

Alterna tiles can be custom installed with or without their premium stain resist grout. Tile colors can be mixed to form custom patterns and borders. They are easier to install than their natural stone counterparts and can be installed by a weekend do-it-yourselfer.

Engineered Hardwood...The best value for the money.

2010-08-16T20:50:00.000-07:00

Engineered, pre-finished hardwood flooring offers the best value for the money in the category today. Today's engineered hardwood floors offer a wide variety of visuals, widths, and thicknesses. To clear up the confusion as to what the difference is between a solid hardwood and an engineered hardwood, one must first understand that both are constructed of real hardwood. Solid hardwood is exactly that, usually a 3/4" thick solid piece of wood. An engineered hardwood is usually 3/8" to 1/2'' thick, made up of several layers of wood in a cross grain construction (each layer is stacked in the opposite direction, thus making engineered hardwood more dimensionally stable than a solid) with the top layer being a veneer that is protected by a factory finish containing aluminum oxide (the hardest man made crystal in the world) that can be refinished two times. Most factory finished floors are so durable sanding is usually only required every 10-15 years.

The primary consideration when choosing a hardwood floor is "how does it look?" Technology is at a point where unique visuals can be created using sophisticated staining, scraping, and distressing techniques. These looks and the quality and consistency of the factory finish simply can not be achieved with on-site finishing. In addition, contemporary styles such as distressed and hand sculpted are typically cost prohibitive in a 3/4" solid.

From an installation standpoint, most engineered hardwood floors can be floated, glued, nailed or stapled and now some even have locking systems for do it yourself installations.They can also be installed in areas where solids can't, such as on or below grade concrete slabs. Engineered hardwoods use less hardwood and are more environmentally friendly than their solid counterparts.

Craftsman Inspired Oil Finished Hardwood Flooring

2010-07-29T14:57:00.000-07:00

One of the nicest looks in hardwood flooring to come along in years which was inspired by 19th century artisans is the natural oil finished hardwood flooring. Unlike conventional hardwood flooring which is finished with a polyurethane finish, natural oil floors have a distinctive character that has an Olde World charm about them.

Each plank has a variety of antiquing and aging techniques and is finished with natural oils to preserve the original beauty of the wood. The natural oil finish provides warmth and refinement to your floor that cannot be achieved with traditional acrylic and polyurethane finishes. The character of a natural oil finished floor is enhanced by it's natural finish, adding a rich and refined elegance to your decor.

There is a variety of looks in distressed, smoked, and hand-scraped floors to satisfy the most discriminating tastes for a truly unique one of a kind look. Oiled floors are distinguishable by their elegant patina. They are extremely easy to care for and never need sanding. A maintenance oil is all that is needed to nourish the wood and bring the luster back. Oiled floors look better as they age.

Flooring Solutions for your Home.

2010-07-22T11:35:00.000-07:00

Many times I have a client come to our showroom with the intention of looking at a certain type of flooring. Often what they originally came in looking for is not what they wind up purchasing. Recently I had a homeowner come in looking for hardwood flooring for their living room and dining room. They had carpet down for the past 15 years that needed to be updated. Their initial thought was that having a dog they would be better off with hardwood. I have hardwood throughout my own home and also have a 95 pound Golden retriever named Buddy. Many of you know Buddy as he comes to work in our Orange showroom everyday.

After talking with them for about ten minutes and finding out more about their lifestyle and expectations for their new flooring I decided to show them carpet in addition to wood as a possible solution for there flooring dilemma. Turns out they really liked the softness and warmth of carpeting but were concerned with the staining that may occur if their dog was to have an accident.

I then showed them the new Anso Nylon carpet from Shaw that now has a lifetime warranty from pet urine staining. They immediately fell in love with the softness of the new yarns being used in most of todays new carpets. I also suggested the new carpet cushion that has a topical moisture barrier and futher protects their carpet investment by preventing spills or pet accidents from penetrting into the cushion. I explained that with todays technology carpeting can remain stain and odor free for its lifetime. When they asked about the maintenance they were happy to hear that we work with Amy & Curtis of Professional Carpet Sytems and that they do an unbelievable job cleaning carpets. Numerous times we have referred them to our clients only to get a phone call back after the cleaning to thank us for sending them , saying they made their carpet look brand new.

So this is a perfect case of thinking their options for a new floor were limited but in reality they had numerous options with carpeting actually being the option they most wanted.

Hug Your Customers???

2010-02-19T17:09:00.000-08:00

You've heard that good news travels fast. I will tell you that bad news travels even faster when it comes to customer service. This is an experience my wife Laura and I had at Bed Bath & Beyond while Christmas shopping.

Everybody knows about the annoying coupon they send out (seems like weekly) that in big letters shouts 20% OFF, then in tiny little letters it says "off one item." They had an in store sale on a bedding set. We asked the salesperson in that department if we could use our 20% off coupon on the sale item. She looked at the coupon and there were no exceptions, so she said sure. We continued to shop for another 30 minutes by which time we had a wagon full of items.

We got to the checkout and the cashier is ringing up the items when she rings up the bedding set I hand her the coupon and ask for the additional 20% off.
She looks at it and says I don't know if I can use that on the sale item. I then explain to her that the salesperson in that department said we could. She then checks with the assistant store manager who says, it really is not qualified but since the salesperson in the bedding department said we could he would honor the 20% off. Then out of the blue the store manager who overheard what was happening steps in and says, no you can't use the 20% off coupon. I explain that both the salesperson and his assistant manager authorized the 20% off.
He then says, I don't care, it can not be used.

I then look at the cash register and it's totaling over $400. I say to him we are purchasing over $400 and you are not willing to accomodate the 20% off (the 20% off was a total of $15.00)? He says no. I look at my wife and she is just as dumbfounded as I am with his attitude. I then calmly say, Okay lets just forget the entire order. He still doesn't want to accept the coupon so we leave.

Talk about poor customer service! When we get in to our car, my sister in law phones my wife. Laura begins to tell her of the terrible experience we just had. She couldn't believe it as well. No more than five minutes after that, our daughter calls and Laura proceeds to tell her the story. Well within 20 minutes Laura spoke to five people, telling them all of our terrible experience.

With communication technology of today with cell phones, blackberry's, facebook, and twitter god news travels fast but bad service travels faster. I guess the moral of the story is as a retailer and consumer myself, it is best to take care of your customer. Let them leave your store with a great experience and let them tell one or two people rather than a terible experience and tell dozens of people.

What is the best flooring for my basement?

2010-02-10T10:43:00.000-08:00

I am frequently asked what is the best type of flooring for my basement. I usually answer that question with another question. What is the basement used for? Is it a playroom for the kids, a game room for entertaining, or maybe it's a family room.

If your basement is completely dry (which most are not) then carpet is a great value. It's soft and it helps warms a room. But what if you have a basement like mine that has that nasty musty odor? Then I always show our customers the new generation of floating floors that are virtually 100% waterproof.

In my own basement (photo) I used Konecto Prestige in a rustic look that goes great with our contemporary furnishings. Everyone comments on how it looks and feels like real hardwood. It's easy to clean and there are no more musty odors. It's a great do it yourself project as well that can save you hundreds on installation costs of other types of floors.

Party Party Custom Tile Installation

2010-02-10T10:26:00.000-08:00

This is an installation we did at Party-Party a full service discount party store in Stratford CT. They wanted a fun look for their showroom and we created this inexpensive design with Armstrong vinyl tile.

We have since done other similar installations for both commercial and residential customers. It's a great look for basement play areas, nursery schools, day care centers, and any area you want to create a fun floor without breaking the bank.

Decorating with Carpet..

2010-01-10T08:02:00.000-08:00

One of the easiest ways to dramatically change a room is by adding new carpet. First, it’s important to determine whether or not you'll be staying in your home or selling it. This will have a lot of bearing on your choices. However, if you plan to stay, it’s important to focus on what you really like, not so much what is current.

With today's new soft as silk yarn systems, state of the art stain resistance, and an endless selection of patterns, textures, and colors, carpet can transform any room from drab to dramatic.

There’s a wide range of patterns to choose from, including  classic florals, contemporary motifs or geometric designs. A patterned carpet can act as the focal point of a room or can coordinate with your furniture and walls. Patterned carpets can also hide signs of soiling and wear.

Neutral shades are the most popular as it's easy to build a decorating scheme around them. Light carpets make rooms appear larger, but remember that they will show up the dirt more than darker carpets. As north-facing rooms don’t get as much sun as south-facing rooms they tend to look colder and darker. They can be made to appear warmer, with reds, oranges and yellows.

What type of carpet you select ultimately depends on your lifestyle and your budget. When shopping for carpet ask your friends and family where they went and if they were happy. Go to a showroom where you can take samples to view in your own home, and finally buy from someone you feel comfortable with.