How often should you have your floors refinished?

The National Wood Flooring Association recommends that hardwood floors be refinished every 7-10 years depending on foot traffic. When hardwood floors are rough and damaged to the point that they are quickly deteriorating, personal taste of what is acceptable is no longer the issue. It's just time to refinish them. Floors that are no longer protected from even momentary spills or floors that are splintering and pose a hazard should be refinished right away. The floor may continue to deteriorate beyond repair, and will eventually have to be replaced if left unsealed.

Pine Floors in Older Homes

There are lots of older homes in St. Louis with original pine hardwood floors. Pine is very soft, and therefore is more time consuming and a little more expensive to refinish. It doesn't take stain well, so unless you go with a darker stain color, it may be blotchy. We recommend that if it's in decent condition, a clear sealer and urethane might be the best bet.



According to Garden Web's Old House:
Pine and hardwood are two different animals! hardwood usually has 2" wide boards, pine usually is 4" or larger. hardwood is, well, hard, it doesn't scratch as easily, so it hold up very well. pine is soft, it will scratch very easily and the covering will flake off. well done and quality are EXTREMELY important, and even then care will be needed to keep the floor looking good. rollerblades are out! ;-P use coasters under furniture and use the felt kind, not the plastic kind. hard shoes will even damage pine floors. make it a "leave shoes at door" rule and you can be very happy.



You can trust Professional Floor's 28 years of experience in refinishing your older, pine floors.

Hardwood vs Carpet for Small Children

Hardwood flooring is not only a better environment for people with allergies but it is also a safer environment for children and babies who may be crawling or walking on the carpet.

If you have children, grand children or friends that have children it is advantagious to have hardwood flooring on the floors. Even though it may seem like a better idea to have carpeting because it is soft, it's better for children to be playing on a clean floor. Children and kids will remain healthier when playing on a clean surface and a soft padded mat or blanket can always be spread underneath them if you are worried about them playing on a hard surface.

What species of wood may be best as far as hardness tests?

The relative hardness of wood species is measured using what is called a Janka Hardness Rating. This test measures the force needed to embed a steel ball (.444 inch in diameter) to half its diameter in the piece of wood being tested, with the rating measured in pounds of force per square inch. So with this rating system, the higher the number the harder the wood.
Wood hardness is important since one of the key considerations in selecting the species of wood floor your floor should be how much resistance the wood has to scratches and indentations. For example, if you have a dog with long nails then scratching the floor is a consideration and you should select a species with a higher rating such as hickory, maple, oak or ash.

(Source-Ask.com)

Sheen Finish Choices on Hardwood Flooring

We get many questions about the sheen finish (or shine) on wood floors. Sheen finish is a matter of preference, but there are a few things to think about that might be helpful. You can choose from high gloss (very shiny), semi-gloss or satin finish.

Though high-gloss finishes look professional, they show scratches, dust, dirt, and animal hair more easily. High gloss is predominately used on sports court finishes, where reflective light is necessary. Semi-gloss or satin finishes are typically used in residential hardwood floor installations, with semi-gloss being the most popular choice. Low gloss hides the most scratches, as well as dust and dirt, but shines very little. Keep in mind that if you go with pre-finished flooring, you will need to make the finishing decisions when you order the product.

We have more and more inquiries about Bamboo Wood Flooring. According to the Home Decorating Reviews Magazine, "Bamboo flooring is one of the most beautiful materials in today’s design community. Bamboo is a strong material, light, and filled with brilliant details. This inimitable grain, which is setting off throughout nice homes is becoming as smoothly as the original purchase. Buying bamboo flooring through the right people will have a foundation to last a lifetime. Properly installed, you will have the warmth and luxury appearance of fine hardwood with the ease of floor care and maintenance only possible with bamboo."

You can trust Professional Floors of St. Louis in providing excellence in customer service and installation of your Bamboo flooring project.

Why choose Hardwood Flooring?

Wide range of finishes and colors - recent hardwood flooring trends include wider planks with deeper richer colors, with hand scrapped plank wood flooring becoming to latest desired item

Timeless beauty and stylish with any decor.

Wood floors are easily maintained.

Promotes healthy indoor air quality. Since it doesn't trap allergens like carpeting, it's healthier for you.

Good investment, Increases the value of your home.

Hardwood Floor Cleaning Process

Here are some rules to abide by when cleaning your hardwood floors:

Polyurethaned floors should never be waxed and require cleaners that won’t leave a film or residue.

To remove occasional scuffs or heel marks, spray some cleaner on a cloth and lightly rub the stained area. Sticky spots can be cleaned with a damp towel or sponge.

Never use ammonia cleaners or oil soaps on a wood floor, as they will dull the finish and performance of your floor. Also, ammonia cleaners may affect the ability to recoat your floor later.

Wood floors expand when wet or in high humidity. Therefore, never wet mop or use excessive water to clean your floor. Large amounts of water can cause the wood to swell and may cause your floor to rise up.

Since hardwood is a natural product, it will expand and contract due to moisture level changes. Keeping water exposure to a minimum and cleaning up spills as soon as they happen are key in having beautiful, long lasting wood floors.