A Few Good Good Reasons To Refinish Your Hardwood Floor

Refinishing Hardwood Floors with Chicagoland Prowww.chicagolandpro.co 

Hardwood floor is a great investment and an asset to any home. Wood flooring, when properly taken care, can last as many as 100 years.

Hardwood flooring should be refinished at least one time in their time lifetime. There are many reasons to do this, but mainly it is a proactive step in protecting your investment. Often people decide to refinish their wood floors to eliminate scratches, stains and dents. Some of these minor issues can be fixed individually but over time the floor will not be able to withstand damage from traffic. At this point refinishing and protecting the floor is a good idea. 

Refinished hardwood floor can also help update the look of a home, allowing for changes in color and style to any room. It does not matter if your goal is to update a space for the purpose of selling or a redecorating project, refinishing your floor can create a completely different look and feel in a room. 

Refinishing do it yourself projects can be a big undertaking for people. It is always advised to get assistance from a professional to insure that the floor is not damaged. When it comes to sanding and staining, it takes a professional with years of experience to do the job right and when done incorrectly can destroy even the best hardwood floor.  

There are tools available and new advancements in refinishing products in recent years.  Time spent away from your home has drastically reduced with some of the new products, and they are also safer; allowing residents to have peace of mind knowing the quality of air after a refinishing project is much better for them and their families. When you start refinishing your hardwood floors ask the contractor working on the project what type of products they use and do some extra research about the options of available to you. Take advantage of the VOC Free and LOW VOC products on the market and get informed. 

Here at Chicagoland Pro we use a Bona refinishing products that has a LOW VOC count and has almost half the drying time compared to traditional products. We are proud to use Bona, as it not only is healthier for our clients but also safer for our staff.

Refinishing floors in your home can be done for a number of reasons. Updating the style or redecorating, protecting your hardwood flooring or simply getting ready to sell your home. Before starting this project it is always important to get in touch with your local hardwood floor professional and get their help in deciding how best to proceed. Some people may find that they may be able to complete the project on their own, but could use some assistance working out a plan and getting a professional opinion. Other people may benefit from having an experienced professional refinish their floor. Either way there is help our there. 

Most flooring professionals,  including Chicagoland Pro offer consolations for free and will help you make a plan based on your needs, wants, home and property. This will help you not only save time and money, but make sure that your are getting the result you want in the end.

Have a question for Chicagoland Pro? Tweet us @ChicagolandPro or stop by our Facebook and post a comment.  

How to Choose Hardwood Floor

Chicagoland Pro 

With so many choosing to invest in hardwood floors this spring we wanted to give a little insight to help consumers make the right choice when it came to their hardwood floor!

 In 2014 people are adding wood floors to increase property value but they are also getting creative with their floor of choice.  From the kitchen and bathroom, to wall's with wood installation, many are choosing to not only add wood, but are also refinishing old wood and modernizing the look of their home or office.

Creativity is driving people to think outside the box & we thought it would be helpful to provide some current insight into trends along with offering a few good tips for those choosing wood floors for the first time.

Some people may go for a modern & luxurious look while others may choose for a warm & natural look. Regardless of the style, both groups should consider all the options available to them and talk to a professional to ensure they are making the right choice for their space.

Things to consider when choosing Wood Floors

Major consideration should be placed on the finish, style, design, and location as well as the use of space where wood floors are being installed or refinished. 

Engineered Wood: More resistant to moisture & humidity. Quality of wood can be different from one manufacturer to another. 

Solid Wood: Durable and long lasting while offering options for refinishing for future remodeling.  

One of the most important factors to consider is location of wood flooring. The location can affect the type of wood and it's durability. Certain wood is better placed above ground while others are better for lower level installation. 

On Grade: Flooring installed on ground level.

Above Ground: This implies that the floor is installed on the second level or above.

Below: Below ground level, usually applies to basements. 

• Size: Measure the space to get accurate quotes and prices for wood. 
• Color: Use a color wheel or a color book to match colors & find the desired color your space. 
• Texture: Depending on the style of the room, textures can vary and provide effects to compliment the style or furniture of the room. 2014 trends include textured distressed & antique looks for wood floor.
• Width: Wide planks are gaining in popularity. Reclaimed wood can come in wider lengths &  offer less seams. There are multiple styles and colors to choose from. 

The Species of the wood is important to consider and with so many options, it's good to decide on the use and intention of the space first. While consumers might like the look of a specific species based on appearance  they may come to find that it is not functional for the space they choose to remodel.  It is also good to consider how much moisture and traffic the floors will get after installation. Wood grains are all different and adapt differently to the environment they are put in. 

• Oak: Most Popular choice for consumers. Red Oak is a great choice for high traffic areas of the home or office. White Oak offers similar benefits but in a softer look with light brown and gray tones vs. pink and red. 
• Walnut:  Softer than Oak and is consistently a popular choice for consumers. 
• Maple: Harvested in North American and Canada.
• Beech:  Imported from Sweden, Denmark, Norway. Colors tend to be warm browns with some red pigment. 
• Cherry:  Varieties offered for color. American Cherry offers soft, warm colors. Others can be more exotic looking.   Example: Brazilian Cherry wood provides mosaic looks. 
• Ash: Suggested for use in bright spaces with light. 

For more information on Wood Floor Species visit the National Wood Floor Association for a visual gallery.

Learn more about our New Green Stain Options at Chicagoland Pro

• Reclaimed Wood This wood is often taken from older homes and sites. It can be salvaged from an antique home and provide many more years of enjoyment once refinished. 
• Cork : From "Cork Oak Trees' Trees are striped of bark and hand harvested. Great choice for people with allergies or looking for a truly sustainable option as trees are never cut down in harvesting methods. These trees usually are grown in the Mediterranean region and are imported into the United States. 
• Bamboo - Often imported from Asia but local manufacturers are becoming easier to find. Bamboo is the fastest growing plant in the world and can offer a more sustainable option for the green home owner. The negative side of bamboo is it dents easily so rooms with high traffic are not ideal for bamboo installation. The United States Green Building Councils offers LEED points for bamboo installation. 
• 100 % Green Stains: Many Green stains are available these days & for best results contact a professional for consultation to ensure your are making the best choice for your new floors.

6 Great Ways to Destroy Your Hardwood Flooring

Hardwood flooring is often installed in homes to make the home look more beautiful, elegant, classy, and have floors that are just a whole lot easier to keep clean than carpeting. However, there are certain ways that you can really ruin you hardwood; many of these methods are things that seem like they would be good for the floors or just wouldn't be bad for them.

1. Using a vacuum that has a rotating brush. Why is this a bad thing for your floors? Well, for a pretty big reason; the brush can be very abrasive on you hardwood floors. When you vacuum, it is better to avoid using the rotating brush and instead go for something like a floor attachment, a brush roll will still be good to use. This is a bigger deal when you realize that vacuuming your floors is an important thing because leaving dirt on your floors can scratch them as well. 
2. Using a wet-cleaning device too frequently. This can become a source of water damage if you use a wet-cleaning device with a lot of frequency, especially if your floors are not in need of the heavy cleaning. This way to clean your floors is something you only need to do once or maybe twice a month. Day-to-day cleaning is kept to vacuuming and spot cleaning. This can also be a problem if you drench your floors in cleaner. Yes, the finishes on today's hardwood are stronger and much more resistant to water but that is not a reason to dump an ocean of cleaner on your floors. Instead, use a damp cloth with some cleaner and do what you need to. Hardwood flooring maintenance is not necessarily an all day chore, unless your floors are just that bad. 
3. Using a steam-cleaner. Do not use a steam cleaner if your floors have a wax finish or if your finish is real old; the steam will ruin the finish. If your floor can handle the steam cleaning, then go for a light touch on the steam. Also, don't let it sit in one spot for too long or this can create a problem area. 
4. Using the wrong rug pad. If you use a rug pad that has a rubber backing or mesh, this will dull the shine on your floors; if your floors are matte finish, then the rubber can still cause some discoloration. You want your floors to be that healthy, elegant color they had upon installation, don't you? 
5. Allowing your floors to sunbathe. Your floors are just like you, too much time in the sun can become a problem for coloration. Now, when you spend time in the sun, you get darker (or more red) but your floors get paler. You have seen the sun's effects on other things and you notice over time that those things got paler the longer they sat in the sun. 
6. Not being careful with sharp objects. You like to rearrange rooms, which means moving furniture. Sometimes we forget the leggings on furniture can scratch the floors and lead to hardwood flooring restoration. We also have to remember things like pet claws can also do damage. 

Refinishing Your Hardwood Floors 101

Have you been wondering how to do hardwood restoration at home? Well this blog will give you a few quick tips that can help you handle your hardwood floors .

The first tip is that you have to pick the right hardwood floor sander. If you are new to this sort of thing, then choosing any orbital sander is your safe bet; while these kinds of sanders do take longer to remove finish than drum sanders, they are more user-friendly. The reason orbital sanders are better for novices is because you can move them with or against the grain of the wood, it doesn't matter. The only precaution is that you keep the sander level while using it or you can have uneven sanding.

The second tip is to be careful & take precautions. Because of the amount of dust that is generated while doing hardwood refinishing , you should have plenty of dust masks, earplugs, and eye protection. Please, do not do the sanding without these things or the dust can get in your eyes, lungs & airways, ears and the sanders can be loud and damage your hearing. When applying the finish liquid, make sure to wear appropriate respirators, gloves (neoprene or vinyl).

The third tip is to be gentle. Don't be too aggressive with your hardwood while sanding them. Generally, you want to start with a lower grit count and then move them up as you progress your sanding and reach the desired fineness.

The fourth tip is to the careful while applying the finish. A good way to make sure you do the finish evenly is to go row by row on your hardwood floors . This way, you minimize the risk of over-coating while doing the floors . It is better to use thinner coats than thick coats while doing this stage.

Enjoy doing your own hardwood flooring refinishing and consult a pro if you run into any problems or questions.

Hardwood Flooring Textures: Brushed, Bandsaw and Tumbling

Our Palatine Hardwood Flooring Company can tell you that the final appearance of wood flooring is not just dependent on the type of timer but the treatements applied to the wood as well.  The staining, oil, wax, lacquer finishing, or fuming/smoking will affect the color of the wood as well. 

Chicagoland Pro specializes is hardwood flooring installation, hardwood flooring restoration, and hardwood flooring maintenance. In this blog, we will focus on the physical texture and grain of solid wood flooring.  There are three main textures of hardwood flooring, they are brushed, bandsawn, and distressed/tumbled. 

Brushed:

In the past, brushed flooring texture was achieved by hand using wire brushes.  Now with technology advancements, the same appearance can be achieved with purpose-built machinery which produces a steady depth of brushing over the while floor.

When our hardwood flooring company is trying to achieve the brushed appearance, we use a machine with copper of steel brushes that rotate over the surface.  This machine opens up the grain and turns the smooth surface into a more open-textured surface with indentations that follow the grain of the wood.  We can achieve different levels of grain accentuation depending on how hard or soft the brushing is.  We also can emphasize the depth of grain by using a colored or oiled finish that will accentuate the wood’s texture.

Bandsawn:

To create saw marks over the complete surface of the wood, our hardwood flooring installers would use a bandsaw.  We adjust the settings of the bandsaw to create different degrees of texture.  We have the skills to make your hardwood flooring look high textured and rustic or subtle. 

Tumbling:

One of the most common textures our Palatine Hardwood Flooring Company provides is the look of reclaimed wood, which involves tumbling.  Tumbling is often times a much lower cost and gives wood a distressed look.  The resulting effect of tumbling is wood that appears to have years of wear and tear and is difficult to distinguish whether it is distressed or reclaimed wood/

For hardwood flooring tips, the best method to tumbling is to distress/soften the corners and edges of the wood to make it look word and our machine will also create random indentations across the surface to give an overall “naturally aged” look.  Distressing adds character and beauty to your hardwood flooring and it is suitable for modern times.

We understand that everyone has different tastes in flooring whether it be hard wood or carpet or tile.  We think it is important for people to realize that there are so many options and looks to hardwood flooring that can be achieved in a multitude of ways.  If you have any questions about hardwood textures, please contact Chicagoland Pro for Palatine Hardwood Flooring Installation or comment below!

Why You Should Choose Walnut Flooring

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Our Palatine hardwood flooring company knows how important it is to shop for the best quality flooring that will not exceed your budget.  Many people do not realize this, but most often, the floor is the first thing people look at when they walk into a new place.  Hardwood flooring is truly a focal point of your home and we want to help you make sure you make the best selection for your budget, the beauty of your home, and of course, for functionality.

Our hardwood flooring company knows that deciding on your flooring can be very time consuming and cannot be a spontaneous decision.  We are experts when it comes to hardwood flooring installation, hardwood flooring restoration, hardwood flooring maintenance and hardwood flooring restoration. 

Perhaps one of our favorite hardwood flooring panels we suggest to our clients is the dark walnut flooring.  We find that walnut flooring creates a timeless elegance in all homes that looks fantastic throughout the entire home.  The panels pick up a lot of colors that are great to match with furniture and art throughout your home.  Walnut definitely creates a warm ambiance and is very welcoming and comforting to guests. 

Palatine hardwood flooring also suggest walnut flooring because it is a hardwood that is extremely durable.  We know that you are looking for an affordable flooring option that is still attractive which is why one of our hardwood flooring tips is to buy walnut hardwood.  Walnut hardwood lasts much longer than other woods, so in the long run, it is a much better buy and will keep your home feeling cozy and beautiful longer.  Walnut also requires very little hardwood flooring maintenance.  We have found that walnut tends to resist water damage, mold, bug infestations, etc.  Not to mention, cleaning the floor is very simple because you are able to mop the floor without damaging it.  And hardwood flooring often, because walnut has a darker appearance, it hides dirt and grime well.  Walnut is also relatively easy to install, so our flooring experts can have your house looking beautiful in no time.

don’t worry if you are not able to clean your

If we haven’t sold you on selecting walnut hardwood flooring for your home, give our Palatine Hardwood Flooring Company a call.  We would love to speak with you about what flooring is best for your home and schedule an appointment for one of our Palatine hardwood flooring installers to visit your home.

Considerations with Hardwood Flooring Refinishing

Considerations with Hardwood Flooring Refinishing

Everyday wear and tear on your hardwood flooring will eventually accumulate into scratches and dulling in your hardwood flooring. Hardwood flooring maintenance and refinishing should be a regular routine in order to keep your hardwood flooring a great accent in your household. On average, most hardwood floors need to be refinished every three years. Whether or not your flooring needs refinishing or not always depends on certain outside elements such as the location and daily use/traffic. It may be pretty apparent, but the more an area is used or walked on, the quicker it will need attention. Common areas that should be considered first for hardwood flooring refinishing include: staircases, hallways, etc.

Are you concerned that your hardwood flooring is in need of a touch up or some refinishing? Don’t let the look of worn out hardwood flooring let you cover it up with carpeting. Most people actually believe that the value of hardwood flooring increases with age. Not sure if your rooms need to be refinished? Or maybe just certain areas? Not to worry, our experts at Chicagoland Pro have come up with a few hardwood flooring tips that will help you determine whether or not you need to consider refinishing your floors.

            The sound of hardwood flooring restoration or refinishing may seem a little intimidating at first. Yes, the process of hardwood flooring refinishing may be long and inconvenient, but will definitely be worth all of your hard work! When thinking of refinishing your hardwood flooring, consider the fact that the entire floor may not need the restoration. Same yourself some hassle and determine whether or not your entire hardwood flooring needs to be refinished. If you need assistance examining your hardwood floor in order to determine what type of hardwood flooring maintenance you need, contact Chicagoland Pro for a free estimate.

            The process of refinishing your hardwood flooring can save homeowners a lot of money! Unlike any other type of indoor flooring for your home, hardwood flooring doesn’t need to be replaced to look good as new. Flooring such as carpeting needs to be totally replaced when it’s worn out which can become very expensive especially if you need to replace it every three years. Hardwood flooring on the other hand can preserve itself and enhance its durability and strength by being refinished.

            For more information on hardwood flooring refinishing, keep up and subscribe to our blog! We would love to hear your feedback, so please feel free to comment below.

Common Hardwood Flooring Myths

As a hardwood flooring company that has been in the business of hardwood flooring installation and hardwood flooring refinishing, for over 25 years we have heard many, many hardwood flooring myths over the years.  Homeowners will ask all sorts of questions that we know are simply myths that have been told about hardwood flooring for decades.  Here are a couple hardwood flooring myths that we would like to dispel:

The Myth: Warping or cupping in hardwood flooring is caused by defective flooring.

We’ve heard this one before, but in actuality cupping is due to excess moisture or overdrying. Warping or cupping can occur due to a variety of reasons including a leak, high/low- relative humidity, moisture from spaces such as a basement or crawl space, but not from defective flooring.

The Myth: Change in color or fading of hardwood flooring occurs because the finish or wood is defective.

This one is not true as hardwood flooring can experience a color shade change or fading over time.  Certain wood species are actually more sensitive and susceptible to a color shade change or fading as well.  If you use area rugs make sure you move them around from time to time to allow sunlight that filters into your home to shine equally on all parts of your flooring to help avoid fading.  Doing this will ensure that your flooring will all equally get some sunlight.  

The Myth: All hardwood flooring species have the exact same hardness factor.

Definitely not true.  There’s a Janka Hardness Scale for a reason.  All hardwood flooring species can dent, or scratch depending the conditions.  Consulting the Janka Hardness Scale will allow you to tell the resistance of a wood species to denting, marring and overall wear. 

The Myth: Roller chairs, dogs nails, and high heels won’t damage my hardwood flooring. 

All of the above could potentially do damage to hardwood flooring, so you need to be very careful about what you allow on your hardwood flooring.  If you have roller chairs you’d like to stick on your hardwood flooring make sure that they don’t have hard plastic or metal rollers because if they do they can do some damage to your hardwood flooring.  Dog nails and even high heels, if sharp enough, can also do some damage to your hardwood flooring.  Heels strike your flooring with extreme force causing damage so minimize high heels walking on your hardwood flooring.    

The Myth: Hardwood flooring requires a lot of time and effort to maintain them.

This is another myth.  Hardwood flooring can be kept looking relatively new with very minimal effort.  Use cleaning products that are specifically made for hardwood flooring and then simply spray and dry mop the floor. 

We’ve got plenty more hardwood flooring myths then just these, so stay tuned for a hardwood flooring myths part 2.  If you have a hardwood flooring myth you've heard that we didn’t cover, feel free to comment below and share it with us.