FAQs
Running a flooring project is not easy, and we know you've got questions. So we put together this FAQ section to help answer some of them up front. For any other questions we hope to hear from you!
What can I expect as a new customer?
Once we receive your contact request, one of our staff will reach out to you within 48 hours to introduce ourselves, and to schedule an in person quote. Any immediate questions can be answered over the phone, and we will schedule your in person meeting as we have availability.
What can happen if installation isn’t done right?
If your floors aren’t installed correctly, several things can happen over the short term, and more importantly over the long term.
Improper surface preparation can have disastrous effects. If the surface of the floor is installed unevenly, roughly or hasn’t been prepared, the new floors will look terrible, and will not last as long. You will begin seeing issues within days!
Wood floors in unfit environments is another common mistake. If wood flooring is installed in a damp area, especially here in the Pacific northwest climate, it is likely that the floor will warp severely over time, and will not last very long.
Flooring warranty will be voided if the floor is not installed properly. This means that if you make a claim with the flooring manufacturer, when they inspect improperly installed floor, they will deny your claim.
Hiring a knowledgeable, trustworthy and most of all experienced contractor can save you the headaches.
What should I know about chemical reactions in wood?
Applying masking tape to a urethane surface finish can have chemical reactions with the finish. This can result in the finish stripping or having chemical burns which are permanent.
When refinishing existing hardwoods, it is important that the sanding process is exceedingly thorough. If previous finish is not removed entirely, when the new finish is applied, unwanted chemical reactions can occur. This can often look like swirls, milky or excessive bubbles.
Why should I care about humidity in my home?
In general, relative humidity in the building should be between 30-50 percent year-round for optimal wood flooring performance. Temperatures should be kept between 60° and 80° Fahrenheit.
Hardwood floor moisture problems:
– Cupping:
When a wood plank cups, its edges become higher than its centre. This is a reaction due to a humidity level disproportion in the wood plank. There can be numerous causes to cupping, including an excessive level of relative humidity, relative humidity migrating from a basement or crawl space, water infiltration, etc.
Should cupping occur, it’s important to quickly identify the root cause in order to rectify the situation. It will then take some time for the wood flooring to get back to its normal internal humidity balance and shape. In some instances, the use of fans and/or dehumidifiers might be necessary to bring everything back to normal.
– Crowning:
Crowning is the opposite of cupping. The middle of the board is higher than the board’s edges. This can occur when the surface of the floor encounters moisture. It most often occurs when a floor has been sanded too soon after cupping. When this happens, the top edges of the board are sanded off and are therefore lower than the rest of the board when returning to a normal moisture content.
– Buckling:
Buckling is one of the most extreme reactions to moisture that can occur with hardwood flooring. It happens when the floor expands beyond expansion gaps and literally pulls away from the subfloor, as high as several inches. It’s like walking on a trampoline. Once the humidity drops, the floor may shrink back, but it is possible that you may see spaces between the wood boards.
– Cracking:
When extensive moisture or humidity causes the wood to expand significantly, adjoining boards start pressing against each other. In extreme cases, this increased pressure can cause the affected boards to loose their structural integrity and crack.
Preventing moisture problems:
– Make sure you leave free expansion space around the perimeter of your floor when installed. For aesthetic purposes, they are usually covered with baseboards.
– Maintain proper humidity levels with an air conditioner, dehumidifier or by turning on your heating system periodically during the summer months.
– If you go away on a long summer vacation, leave the A/C on.
– Avoid excessive exposure to water from tracking during periods of inclement weather.
– Clean your hardwood floor with a cloth lightly dampened with a recommended hardwood floor cleaning product.
– Choose a good quality engineered hardwood floor that will fit with your needs.
What are exotic hardwoods?
Exotic Hardwoods are species found around the world, usually coming from the more tropical areas. Some common exotic species are Brazilian Cherry, Brazilian Walnut (Ipe), Purple Heart and Australian Cypress. Exotic hardwood flooring is considered to have a more striking appearance, giving off a more contemporary/modern look.
Domestic hardwoods are softer than most exotic species, ranking in the low-medium range in hardness. Exotic hardwoods are harder and denser than domestic wood. However, it is important to remember that hardness is not the only factor when considering a durable floor.
Can anyone install hardwood floors?
Some floors can be installed by anyone that is handy with basic tools. But the risk in trying more difficult installations is that problems are not identified in the preparation process, and often not dealt with. This can have disastrous consequences once the floor is installed. It’s best to lean on the experience and the eye of a real professional that knows how to spot, and fix issues as they happen.
How does flooring change over time?
All wood species can change color over time due to oxidation or exposure to light. In some species, the change can be more dramatic and may darken in color over time, while others tend to lighten.
Color Change
The natural change in color of all wood species over time is a process caused by oxidation and exposure to light. This can happen on finished and unfinished wood and varies by species as to whether it darkens or lightens in color. Exotic hardwoods such as Brazilian Cherry may change color very rapidly and drastically while a domestic hardwood like Red Oak may be much slower with minimal changes in color variation.
What is your warranty & support policy?
We take our craft seriously, and know that our work will last a lifetime. But in the event that something goes wrong, we will be here to support you!
We offer a 12 month limited warranty on our labor. So you can rest assured that you have the support you need in the event that something goes wrong.
Where do you source your hardwoods?
We work with local distributors to source the best species and products for our customers. We have years worth of strong relationships with experts in sourcing and distribution which can help us get anything. One of our favorite distributors is West Valley Hardwoods in Fife. Fred and Alex have had a very long and developed relationship and work on many projects together.
What is the process a project takes from start to finish?
Your project will follow our in-house defined processes from start to finish. There is a large variety of project types we engage in, from sanding, installations, repairs and restorations to fully custom jobs that require new processes to be developed. If you have specific questions about your own project, and want to know how we will proceed, please don’t hesitate to ask. We’d be more than happy to answer your questions.