Hard Surface Faqs

A. As a wood floor naturally expands and contracts with changing humidity and temperature levels, you may hear small cracking or squeaking noises.

A. It’s natural for hardwood flooring to yellow, grow darker or even lighter over time, depending on the wood species. Exposure to direct sunlight and some artificial lighting accelerates this process. Moving furniture and rugs will keep your floor well blended.

A. A quality engineered floor will last as long and perform as well as a solid wood floor, and can even be refinished. The thicker the veneer, the more times you can refinish engineered hardwood floors. As a rule of thumb, count on 1–3 times. If your surfaces are starting to show deep scratches or look dull from years of traffic, learning when to refinish hardwood floors will help you decide if it is time to restore their shine.

A. In order to protect your hard surface area (tile, wood, laminate, vinyl), you might try the following things: Place high-quality floor mats and area rugs near outside entrances to prevent dirt, sand, and other unwanted substances from being tracked directly onto the flooring (make sure you use an area rug pad between the mat and floor); try to support heavy furniture and appliances with wide-bearing glides or casters; affix felt floor protectors on moveable furniture, including chairs, tables, and sofas, that sit directly on hard surface flooring.

A. In order to protect your hardwood floor and ensure its longevity make sure you sweep, vacuum, or dust mop regularly to prevent sand or abrasive dust build-up that can scratch the floor's finish. Also, blot up spills immediately with a damp cloth. Try to periodically clean the floors using a leading brand of cleaner for pre-finished hardwood floors, but do not use ammonia or oil-based wax, polish, abrasive cleaners, or furniture cleaners.