Saturday, February 20, 2010

February 20, 2010

Inquiries about Bamboo Flooring have increased during the past year at Professional Floors of St. Louis. Even though Bamboo is not as commonly used in the midwest as other hardwood flooring species, such as Oak and Cherry, it does have it's advantages in certain applications. Onlinetips.org lists Bamboo Flooring as having these positive attributes:

Hardness and durability

Bamboo flooring is extremely hard and interestingly, is stronger than many hardwoods. Some species have been rated higher than maple and almost double that of the red oak. It is also extremely resilient and can take tougher treatment from dropped, heavy items than a lot of hardwoods because it resists denting.

Another of bamboo flooring’s advantages is that it is highly moisture resistant. After all, it is a tropical grass – not a wood – and has already been subjected to humidity, rain and other elements. It resists spills beautifully and so is an excellent choice for bathrooms and kitchens. Try installing hardwood in those rooms! Being a laminated product, bamboo flooring is less likely than hardwoods to cup, warp or gap.

An environmental darling

The world’s precious natural resources are ever-depleting so materials that are more readily sustainable are growing in popularity. Bamboo’s advantage is that it matures to around 50 feet and can be harvested within 5 years and then re-grows on the same plant, over and over again! A single hardwood tree takes at least thirty years to be ready to use and deforestation is a serious problem in some parts of the world. Even plantation forests, purely designed to produce wood are not as environmentally friendly as bamboo’s ongoing re-use.

Is Bamboo Flooring for you? Give us a call at Professional Floors of St. Louis or visit our web sites at www.profloorstl.com or www.hardwoodfloorstlouis.com and we can assist you in the perfect new hardwood flooring materials for you!

Thursday, February 11, 2010

Feb 11, 2010

In St. Louis, Oak floors still seem to be the wood species of choice. Here at Professional Floors of St. Louis, we agree, and think that oak floors are cost effective, durable, and stain versatile. As seen in an article by http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=T_Beck., we agree with their conclusions about new oak hardwood floors:

"Oak floors have so much going for them - they're durable, easy to care for, beautiful, and affordable when compared to imported hardwoods. It's no wonder that oak is the most popular choice in America for wood flooring. And when you add up all the advantages, oak provides great value for money.

No matter what your home is like -- traditional or modern, large or small -- chances are that it will look even better with oak floors. And they'll increase the value of your home too - both now, and in the future. Although nontraditional woods like pecan or walnut can create a dramatic appearance, oak goes with every décor, and it's liked by almost everyone. If you ever resell your home, oak flooring will make it more desirable to many buyers.

You can buy oak in a wide range of finishes, so you can use it regardless of whether you want light or dark floors. It comes in strips as narrow as 2-1/4" and as wide as a foot, and in glossy, satin, or matte finishes. If you want a more rustic look, hand-scraped or distressed boards are available. Quarter sawing really brings out its beauty.

Oak is available as solid or engineered wood flooring, and it can be installed almost anywhere. Use solid wood over wood sub floors and engineered product over concrete.

You'll find your floors easy to maintain. And with the right care, they'll last for generations.

Some of the other advantages of oak are its natural resistance to fungus, insects, and pests, And when it's properly finished, it resists liquids too. Just be sure to wipe up any spills quickly."

Of course, there are also many other great choices in new hardwood flooring, such as cherry, bamboo, hickory, pine, and other exotic woods. Please visit our web site at www.profloorstl.com and www.hardwoodfloorstlouis.com for more information about your new hardwood flooring choices, whether it be pre-finished, job-finished, or refinishing your existing floors.

Friday, February 5, 2010

Feb 5, 2010

Lately, there have been many phone calls on the cleaning and maintenance of wood floors. We at Professional Floors of St. Louis feel that too much water during the cleaning process can damage wood floors, thus creating a need for earlier wood floor repair and sanding. The National Wood Flooring Association now recommends that a non-wax or oil type wood floor cleaner be used instead. Recommended wood floor cleaning products may be found at your local hardware stores that are made by wood flooring manufacturing companies (such as BONA, Armstrong, or Bruce). Again, make sure the label plainly states that it contains no wax or oils that can built up on your floors.

According to eHow on the maintenace of wood floors, the following is stated:

Benefits

Many cleaning products require limited time and effort to use. Some may require the addition of water but generally they contain everything that you need in the package. Keeping a clean floor will eliminate that amount of dirt on the bottom of your feet or socks that is collected when you walk on it. Spills are much easier to clean off a floor as opposed to carpets. Also, freshly cleaned wooden floors are shiny and can make a room appear larger.

Prevention/Solution

Removing debris with a Dry Swifter, vacuum or a traditional broom several times a week will help prevent dirt build-up. Also, placing throw rugs or mats on frequently used areas, such as the kitchen sink or entranceways, will protect the wood. Removing shoes before stepping on the floor will limit the amount of dirt on the floor.

Considerations

If you dread cleaning hardwood floors, you can make the chore more eventful. Though it may seem childish, gliding or even dancing with the mop can be good for a few laughs. It is also a way to exercise and burn calories. If there are hardwood floors in virtually every room in your home, you may want to break up the task, instead of cleaning everything in one day which can be a daunting or dreaded chore.

However we at Professional Wood Floors of St. Louis recommend that any moisture that is used on your wood floors be mopped up immediately - and dried with a cloth or towel. Even an errant ice cube can ruin a hardwood floor, if it melts! Just use common sense on your wood floors - you wouldn't leave a puddle of water on your nice wood furniture would you? The same goes for your wood floors.

I hope this helps with your wood floor maintenance questions. Enjoy your upcoming weekend!