HOW MOISTURE LEVELS IN THE AIR AFFECT YOUR HARDWOOD FLOORS

Hardwood floors can be affected by changes in humidity. The hardwood floors are first dried before being processed for flooring. However, seasonal changes can affect the flooring. Read on to learn more about these changes with respect to different times of the year and what floor care procedures you can do to prevent humidity issues with your wood floors.

Protecting your hardwood floors from seasonal humidity changes

Winter season

Winter air is dry and lacking humidity. Hardwood flooring can also be heated, and loses moisture. If the humidity levels fall below 40%, this causes thin gaps between planks. This is nothing to be concerned about, as the humidity levels will rise again once the heating has been turned off in the spring.

You can prevent this from happening by placing a humidifier near your furnace to regulate the humidity. A portable humidifier can also be used in rooms with wood floors. You can also use a basic humidity meter to monitor the moisture levels throughout the year.

Summer season

Indoor humidity can reach up to 90% when the air is hot and humid in summer. Wood absorbs moisture from the air and grows quickly (cupping of wood). The wood may have cupped if the boards' edges are higher than the center.

Preventing cupping in hardwood floors is possible by maintaining indoor humidity levels between 40-60%. Keep humidity levels below 65%. It is a good idea to use an air conditioner or dehumidifier during hot, humid summer months to control humidity.

Note: Hardwood floors made from exotic wood species require special attention

If you have an exotic hardwood floor you must ensure indoor humidity levels remain within the 50%-70% range at all times. Additionally, the temperature of the air should be between 65F to 75F.

It is a good idea to have an air conditioner running in the summer and an air humidifier during winter to help maintain these floors. Installing engineered hardwood floors and using digital temperature/moisture meter are also known to be good solutions for avoiding the wooden planks from cupping, crowning, humidity changes, buckling, and cracking.

Bay Area All-Around Hardwood Floor Specialist

Edmonton Floor Sanding is a team of professionals who are experts in hardwood floor installation, repair, and refinishing. Our hardwood floor specialists will gladly assist you with any questions or concerns. Call us at 020 3151 6875. You can also contact us using our online form.

Top 5 Items on Your Spring Cleaning To-Do List

Spring is the time to start the windows and let the fresh air in. You have been cooped up for winter, and everything is rancid, including your cleaning regimen. Spring cleanup is the expression used to refer to the profound clean that homeowners function to get their home in form for entertaining in the spring and summertime. Gather the mop, broom, and gloves because we're going to touch surfaces that were neglected. At  Floor Sanding Edmonton Hardwood Restoration & Setup, we are the experts in flooring care and maintenance and are here in order to assist with your spring cleaning to-do listing.

Spring Cleanup To-Do List

1.Windows

Dust on bright days to remove loose dirt and dirt. Wash windows overcast days beginning on the shady side of the house. Wash window panes, displays, and sills.

2.Kitchen Cabinets

Cabinet exteriors keep the brunt of dirt and moisture during cooking. This blend over time demands a degreasing agent that's gentle on cupboard surfaces to make them grease-free and glistening.

3. Appliances

Clean the inside and outside of appliances such as the dishwasher, microwave, refrigerator, washer, and dryer. There are specially designed cleaners for every one, and spring is a great time to get them cleaned for another season of usage. Wash the exterior of stainless steel appliances using 1 tsp dish detergent and 1-quart warm tap water wiping with the grain. Rinse and dry for a streak-free glow.

4. Grout

Grout on your tile flooring is a dead giveaway that a deep clean is in order. Mix 3/4 cup bleach with 1 gallon of water, and scrub the grout using a stiff brush. Let sit for 3-5 minutes, and rinse and repeat as required.

5. Wood Floors

Your hardwood flooring are your pride and pleasure accenting every year with timeless beauty. You have done a fantastic job of dusting and using the right cleansers and guidelines to protect the floor and finish. Each year is a great time to schedule a professional deep clean.

Throughout your spring cleaning bonanza, don't neglect your hardwood floors. Contact Floor Sanding Edmonton at 020 3151 6875 for hardwood installation, refinishing, and floor care to maintain your hardwood floors for a life!

WINTER WOOD FLOOR WATER DAMAGE: HOW TO PROTECT AGAINST IT AND FIGHT BACK IF IT DOES OCCUR

Hardwood flooring have a good deal of"pluses" that make them attractive to designers, remodelers, builders, and owners alike. But although hardwood flooring can withstand lots of heavy traffic and abuse, they are vulnerable to water damage. When water damage occurs to hardwood floors, the cleanup can be costly and annoying.

Winter weather water damage happens via a number of ways, such as:

• A leaking or burst pipe which drains water on your flooring;
• A flood or storm causes leaks from the roof;
• pops up spills, sludge, and winter weather debris can leave residual water;
• Sewage leaks can have a catastrophic impact on your hardwood flooring.


Depending on the nature and degree of the damage, the timber may warp, swell, crack, or worse. Mold and mildew may also develop and metastasize from the flooring, creating a health hazard and an aesthetic problem.

To protect against the risks -- consider finishing the timber with a coat of polyurethane, acrylic, or urethane. Be careful when you mop not to use a lot of water, and if you do use a lot of, make certain to mop up the excess. Be on the lookout for warped or cracked pipes, shingles, roofs, walls, flashing, etc.. If you see problems, get them mended -- or employ professional to repair them -- to avoid the much more costly option of repairing/replacing the floors themselves.

If you need immediate and urgent help with water-dameged hardwood floors, the pros at Floor Sanding Edmonton can help.

Connect with us 020 3151 6875

Learn more at http://www.edmontonfloorsanding.co.uk/

Choosing The Right Colour of Wood Flooring

When you are carrying a complete re-design of any area in your house, there are big decisions to be made. It is crucial that you attain your dreams, but in precisely the exact same time, you do not wish to go too crazy, just if your taste varies from the future.It's a fragile line you want to tread between building a true difference and remaining relatively secure. With any range of home improvement and interior designing programs on TV, along with plenty of interiors magazines available on the current market, there is no doubt you are going to be inundated with thoughts. That explained; how can you go about creating the ideal decisions?

First of all, you want to identify the main objective of your room. Is it going to remain exactly the same, or will it change? Is it a room for relaxing, or is it a busy room that'll be used by the whole family? These sorts of questions will surely impact on the choices you make. There are sure to be a number of key pieces of furniture which you are going to either be replacing or keeping out of the prior arrangement. Again, this can affect your color options. Just like your walls, your floor will function as a backdrop for your crucial items and shouldn't overwhelm your room. So, how do you decide on what color of wood flooring will probably work best for you, both now and later on?

Your hardwood flooring color option is a vital decision in the total appearance of your room. Fashions in timber floors come and go. For instance, in the late 1980s and the 1990s, golden bamboo colors were extremely popular and ranged from delicate gold tones to nearly orange. In recent decades, the trend has moved away from this and can be tending towards either light or dark flooring. Light ash, beech and light walnut will provide an extremely neutral and flexible background for your room. These light coloured wood floorings will operate equally well with bold color statements in your furnishings and décor, in addition to using a neutral palette, both now and later on, enabling you to create a comparatively safe choice.

On the flip side, dark woods, like dark ash, dark walnut and dark cherry may do precisely the exact same thing. A comparatively modern appearance, a dim flooring is unlikely to look perfect with a chintzy, country house look but it might be used as a nice background for a room populated with nice antique pieces. That said, a lot of the dark floor that's being sold nowadays is ending up combined with bold, statement, designer looking furnishings.

So the way you choose the right color of your hardwood floors should not be left to chance. You really do need to invest time to envisage how the space will look with all your furnishings, décor and flooring in place. There are many free to download room-planning tools on the internet and for those who are adept with the mouse, then this kind of thing might help. Failing that, if you're in any doubt at all, ensure that you seek guidance instead of take a risk and regret your choice.

CHOOSING BETWEEN SOLID VS ENGINEERED WOOD FLOORING

Replacing carpets and other obsolete floors with hardwood is a smart option for homeowners. But consumers wonder which option gives the best value and ponder the issue of solid vs engineered wood floors. What are the significant differences in these popular products? And how can you pick the ideal wood flooring for your house?

Significant Differences in Solid Vs Engineered Wood Floors

Although they supply the exact same beautiful, natural look in your home, solid hardwood and engineered hardwood floors are manufactured otherwise. Formed out of a single plank of timber, solid hardwood floors provide an attractive, durable surface for rooms on both the main and upper floors of your home.

Engineered wood flooring, on the other hand, are fabricated with a plywood foundation of overlapping pieces and topped with a layer of solid wood. This combination provides the appearance of solid hardwood with enhanced stability and more uses.

Where Do You Need to Install Wood Floors?

Your selection of solid vs engineered hardwood flooring might be determined by location. Strong hardwood performs well in rooms over grade. Elevated levels of humidity and also the need for a timber subfloor make cellar or below-grade software very costly.

If you're looking at installing wood floors in the cellar, engineered wood lines are installed as floating flooring, using either glue or a click-lock design. Engineered wood also works well in different rooms where moisture may be an issue, such as the laundry and kitchen. Installing wood floors in the full baths aren't generally recommended, although a fantastic quality engineered hardwood product provides a gorgeous finish in contemporary bathrooms.

Strong hardwood floors remain the ideal alternative for above-grade programs in detached homes. Condos and apartments often will need to install floating engineered timber flooring since noise and fireproofing guidelines do not permit good hardwood to be nailed down, and engineered hardwood flooring are much less vulnerable to moisture from the concrete slab.

Longevity and Flexibility
Wood flooring needs a significant investment, but also significantly enhances your property worth. It only makes sense to invest your money wisely, installing wood flooring that's made to last.

Well-chosen solid hardwood flooring installed by a professional builder could last more than a century. The good layout allows you to resurface the floors multiple times, whether to alter color or simply freshen up the room. Engineered hardwood flooring persist for quite a while, but a thinner wear layer and softer composition decrease the durability by several decades.

Far superior to vinyl and laminate flooring, wood flooring provides an upscale look and enhanced comfort in your dwelling. Depending upon the location and desirable appearance, one could emerge the better choice. But both offer excellent performance for years to come.

CREATING A LIGHT AND AIRY SPACE WITH HARDWOOD FLOORING

If you have decided to have hardwood flooring put down in your house, there are a range of things you will need to contemplate. Most importantly, you will need to settle on a wood that complements your existing décor and doesn't clash with any of the furniture you may have in the room where it is being lay.

If you are placing hardwood flooring down in a massive living room, dining room or room, then you may be flexible on the forests out there. But if you're placing hardwood floors down in an area that's especially small, you want to avoid wood which are dark in color. Dark hardwood flooring is only going to make the room feel smaller, therefore it would be a good idea to decide on a wood like ash which is quite light in colour but it exceptionally solid.
 
The majority of individuals do tend to choose a wood that's light in color so that the room looks bigger and feels more airy and spacious. Your hardwood flooring expert may have samples of wood that you try in the several rooms in your house so you can envision what it is going to look like once it's all been completed.

FRESHEN UP THE LOOK OF YOUR HOME WITH WOODEN FLOORING

Changing a few things within the house every now and again can help prevent you from getting bored with the way it looks, and if you are currently beginning to think that the time is appropriate to make a change, why not think about altering your flooring?

The floor in your home constitutes one of the largest parts of decoration, therefore it's important to make certain it's doing your house justice. If you do have carpets in your home though, you might do decoration a massive disservice, as some designs of rugs have started to look a little old fashioned and therefore won't make for the lightest of appearances.

Replacing your carpets with wooden flooring can help to freshen up the look of your house no end though, and by selecting the most appropriate kind of flooring you can keep it looking fresh for a long time to come.

There are many distinct types of wooden flooring, in various colors and offering different levels of durability, accessible, therefore there's wooden flooring out there to freshen up the appearance of each home.