Decorative Hardwood Floor Medallions Add Something Special

Hardwood floors are loved by so many for good reason: they’re beautiful, inevitably add value to a home, and when properly cared for, can last for many decades. And, hardwood floors with custom floor medallions are that much more special, since they often add a dramatic architectural element that makes a property truly unique. Hardwood floor medallions are typically not part of an original installation and instead are installed with the help of hardwood floor restoration experts like ourselves.

Luckily, caring for floor medallions is no different than caring for hardwood floors. Since floor medallions may be made from several different hardwood species with varying hardness ratings, however, special care may be warranted to avoid damage from floor scratches, dents, gouges, water damage, and the like.

Special Considerations

• Whether by design or aging, decorative floor medallions will rarely (if ever) blend seamlessly with surrounding hardwood flooring. Subtle and intentionally dramatic differences in color, grain, and texture may be due to wood age, species, treatment, and more. In fact, these differences are often what make floor medallions so lovely and dramatic.
• A wide variety of pre-made hardwood floor medallions are available, so finding just the right design may take time (but is well worth the effort). Common shapes for medallion inlays include round, square, oval, and octagon, and common themes include mosaic, nautical, and architectural styles.
• A benefit of choosing a custom hardwood floor installation with a floor medallion over a high-end tile installation is that it can often be easier and less expensive to replace or repair a medallion than it may be to repair cracked tiles. And, of course, hardwood floors typically last much longer than carpeting, and when properly cared for, are much more resistant to damage from traffic and stains.

Call Today for a Free Estimate!

My Affordable Flooring offers free estimates and consultations on all of our floor services, including medallion installation projects. Call us today at 262-653-1120 for a free, no-obligation estimate, or fill out our contact form to schedule a free, in-home visit.

It’s no secret that hardwood floors are popular with homeowners who want to invest in the long-term value of their homes. And, of the many types of hardwood floors available, maple hardwood flooring is an ever-popular choice.

Maple is popular not only because maple hardwoods create beautiful flooring, but also because maple floors come in practically as many varieties as there are trees. Whether your decor is best served by a straight grain, a wavy grain, a red stain, or a blonde stain, there’s a maple hardwood floor option available to meet your needs.

Another reason that maple hardwood flooring is popular is that it is so hard. With a hardness rating of 1450, Hard Maple floors offer an extreme durability that makes them a favorite for athletic courts, gymnasiums, and even bowling alleys. In fact, if you want hardwood flooring that will last for decades in your home with minimal damage, Hard Maple may be one of the best hardwood floor types you could choose.

A Bit About Maples

Ranging throughout the eastern U.S. and Canada, there are 13 species of maple in North America. Some (such as Sugar Maple and Black Maple) are called Hard Maples and some (such as Silver Maple and Red Maple) are considered Soft Maples.

When choosing maple flooring, it is best to know exactly what type of maple will be used, since different maples have different hardness ratings (which can dramatically affect how resilient your floor will be against damage). For instance, a Hard Maple like Rock Maple has a hardness rating of 1450, but a Soft Maple like Red Maple has a hardness rating of 950. Although a hardness rating of 950 is still much higher than other, non-maple floors, it is still considerably softer than Rock Maple, and will therefore be slightly more prone to damage from dents.

So, when you’re considering what type of maple floor to buy, be sure to think about more than just color and grain variations, be sure to think about how hard you need your floor to be too. Since d ifferent manufacturers may not explicitly say which type of maple they are using, be sure to ask. The two hardest maples are Black Maple (which has a hardness rating of 1180) and Hard Maple (which is often also called Sugar Maple or Rock Maple, and which has a hardness rating of 1450).

Call Today for a Free Estimate!

Are you considering investing in new maple hardwood flooring for your home? Call us today at 262-653-1120 for a free, no-obligation estimate, or fill out our contact form to schedule a free, in-home visit. We’re eager to show you the many beautiful ways that maple floors can be incorporated into your home or commercial property!

Finding an Affordable Professional Hardwood Floor Refinisher

If your home or business has hardwood floors, you probably already know how important it is to take care of them. Much of a home’s value comes from the quality and condition of its hardwood floors, so knowing that you can count on your hardwood floor refinisher to do good work that will protect your investment is vital.

If you’re looking for a professional floor refinisher, be sure to consider the following before you sign any contracts or agreements:

How much experience does the floor refinishing company that you’re considering have? At My Affordable Flooring, we know that affordability means little if the job isn’t done right. Before you trust your hardwood floors to anyone, make sure that they have the experience needed to do the job right the first time. See proof of their experience by asking for references or samples of their work. If they’re reluctant to give you either, they may not have sufficient experience to properly refinish your floors.

Do they offer guarantees? Be wary if the floor refinisher that you’re considering does not offer any sort of warranty or guarantee for their work. Traditionally, professional hardwood floor refinishing takes considerable time and effort, so anyone who is not willing to offer a guarantee may not truly understand the process or work involved.

Do they have insurance? Few homeowners consider how dangerous it is have uninsured contractors working on their homes. Before you allow anyone to work on your property, be sure that they are fully and properly insured. This is for your own protection: The last thing you want is to have to pay the medical bills of a contractor who has an accident on your property.

What dust control practices will they use? If anyone in your family suffers from any sort of respiratory problem, you may want to ask what sorts of dust control measures they plan on taking. Floor refinishing produces a great deal of dust, which could exacerbate symptoms related to asthma or emphysema. Even if everyone in your family breathes fine, you may still want to ask: Do you really want to have to be left with a layer of dust on your furniture and other belongings?

Call Today For a Free Quote and Estimate!

My Affordable Flooring offers truly affordable, professional floor refinishing services throughout Milwaukee, Chicago, and the surrounding areas. If your hardwood floors needs work, call us today at 262-653-1120 for a free, no-obligation estimate, or fill out our contact form to schedule a free, in-home visit!