Hardwood Flooring

Not necessarily, humidity is an important aspect to consider before installing hardwood flooring in your home. Living in Canada we know that weather changes, and with a change in weather comes low and high humidity levels.

For both engineered and hardwood, humidity can disrupt the integrity of your product. The common rule of the industry, when it comes to humidity, would be to keep you home between 35% (winter) and 55% (summer) humidity. By doing this you will prevent your floor from taking in too much moisture that could cause warping and cupping. Shrinkage can occur in the winter causing gapping when there is too little moisture in the air.

There are positives and negatives to both finished and unfinished floors. When considering which is best for your home, you should understand the procedure involved and that it may leave residual scents that linger in the air when having a floor finished in the home. The waiting time for the finish to cure is also an aspect to think about.

Unlike prefinished wood floors, having an onsite finish done could take up to a week to set and cure. During the curing time, it is highly recommended to be out of the home for up to three days. The new hardwood floor will be vulnerable to scratching until the curing time has elapsed. The benefit of prefinished hardwood on the other hand is that it has a faster installation and there is no curing time for a prefinished floor. Prefinished flooring often offers a lower price tag than unfinished hardwood floors. One small drawback is that this is a product cannot be customized with a specific chosen colour, and must be purchased as per manufacturer's style availabilities.

With so many benefits of hardwood and the care we take to keep our floors looking great, this question obviously comes up a lot. The truth is that hardwood and pets do work well together. There are some elements to consider when it comes to hardwood, to avoid any accidental puppy damage. It's a good thing to note that hardwood is a more sanitary option when it comes to animals because cleanup is much quicker and efficient. Animals and carpet have been seen as natural enemies. An animal accident can seep in immediately, even with appropriate cleaning procedures, making proper training very difficult.

Alternatively with hardwood, if clean up happens properly and right away, there will be very little chance of anything seeping into the floor. If your puppy has an accident, be sure to clean it up right away and place a puppy pad in accident areas of the floor. Remember to keep your dog's nails trimmed as to not scratch up the finish on the floorboards. When it comes to choosing a wood species, for an animal friendly home, harder wood is recommended. A textured/ brushed finish will also help your floor to continue to look new even if slight scratching occurs.

When investing in a new floor for your home it is essential to know what cleaning products will enhance its lifespan. The type of flooring and the finish will determine which method of cleaning will be best for your updated room. Certain methods of care must be used to ensure your home maintains a beautiful and new appearance.

It is suggested that wood flooring should never be cleaned with a wet mop. When using water as a cleaning agent, ensure the mop is adequately wrung out and that water is not dripping from the mop head. Avoid using vinegar and citrus-based sprays, as these ingredients will compromise the look of your gorgeous new floor.

Using a hand held spray cleaner is an easy way to maintain an exquisite finish. With the option of spraying as you go, spray cleaners are a simple solution to a daunting house cleaning task. We offer our own brand of professional floor cleaner which we recommend when making this type of investment. Along with regular vacuuming, and regular sweeping your new floor will keep its brand new look and feel.