Last time, we took an in-depth look at the first part of hardwood floor refinishing: removing the old finish and fixing imperfections in the flooring. Now, we’ll dive into the critical next steps, which can make all the difference between a beautiful hardwood floor that lasts a lifetime and a less-than-stellar job that leaves you wanting more for your home. Let’s take a look at what goes into these steps, and why it’s best left to the experts:

Prepare the flooring and apply the finish

Cleaning is critical to the final hardwood floor finish. My Affordable Flooring’ talented experts will remove nearly every speck of dust from the floor surface using our high-tech vacuums. We’ll prepare the surface using techniques developed over our decades of hardwood floor refinishing. Homeowners that know the importance of cleaning before refinishing can do their best, but rarely are able to clean as effectively as My Affordable Flooring, leading to a less smooth final finish, and a frustrating application process.

Once the floor is cleaned, our experts will apply the finish with a delicate touch that only experience can bring. The final product is a glass-like finish that brings out the fine details in your hardwood planks and adds breathtaking beauty to your room. When you call My Affordable Flooring to refinish your hardwood floors, there’s no deciding how many coats you need or how long to let it cure, our experts will apply the right amount of finish in the right way to ensure that your floor lasts for many years to come. We even offer UV floor finishing, giving you a super-durable, 100% cured finish in minutes, as opposed to the days required for a typical finish to cure.

Once your My Affordable Flooring hardwood floor refinishing project is complete, you’ll know you did the right thing by leaving this to the experts. Your floors take more abuse than any other surface of your home, but also have the most potential to increase the beauty of your living spaces. Don’t take a chance by doing it yourself, call the experts at My Affordable Flooring today!

Call Today for a Hardwood Floor Refinishing Free Estimate!

My Affordable Flooring is your hardwood floor refinishing experts in Milwaukee! 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.

Hardwood floor refinishing is a messy, tedious, and time-consuming process. Many a DIY-er has attempted this project with the intention of saving money over professional hardwood floor refinishing, only to total up receipts at the end of the long and difficult project to see that they spent just as much money doing it themselves as they could have by hiring a professional. This doesn’t even take into account the value of their time, and the fact that a floor refinished by a pro is more durable, more beautiful, and leaves a much less dusty house than one that is refinished by most homeowners themselves. In Milwaukee, this is a job you should trust to the pros at My Affordable Flooring.

Let’s take a look at what goes into a hardwood floor refinishing job, and why it’s best left to the experts:

Remove the old finish and fix imperfections

This first step is where things typically go wrong for the DIY homeowner. A common scenario plays out when a new homeowner pulls up carpeting to reveal hardwood below and then goes to work removing the carpet completely. He or she then rents a floor sander, deciding on either a belt sander, which can be difficult to get the hang of and could result in floor damage, or an orbital sander, which is easy to use but less effective. After the first few attempts at sanding the old finish off result in quickly clogged sandpaper, the homeowner realizes he or she will need to strip the old finish, then sand, and then refinish. Costs are quickly piling up, the homeowner wishes he or she would have hired a pro, and we haven’t even got to the dusty part yet.

My Affordable Flooring has over two decades of experience as professional floor refinishers serving the Wisconsin/Illinois area, and we’re proud of our company’s reputation for providing affordable, high-quality hardwood floor refinishing services. We’ve seen it all, and we can quickly identify the best way to remove the existing finishes and get it done right, quickly, and effectively. Our Ultra-efficient HEPA vacuums remove 95% of the dust from the air as we sand, leaving your house nearly spotless when the job is complete. This aspect of our service simply can’t be matched by a homeowner with a shop vac; do it yourself and get ready to dust your home daily for weeks.

When it comes to fixing imperfections in existing flooring, we’re on top of it. We’ll find the old dents and dings in the flooring, old cuts from carpet knives, and water damage, and repair it at this critical stage of the refinish job. Most DIY-ers would miss many of these imperfections in the sanded flooring, and only see them after the finish is applied, leading to a real head-slapping moment.

In our next post, we’ll continue our guide to hardwood floor refinishing with floor preparation and applying the finish.

Call Today for a Free Hardwood Floor Refinishing Estimate!

My Affordable Flooring is your hardwood floor refinishing experts in Milwaukee! 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.

If you have considered the options, consulted with an expert, and done your research, chances are you may have decided that hardwood flooring is your preferred flooring material for your project. Once installed, you should expect to have an extremely attractive floor that will last a lifetime with proper care.

Keep in mind that perhaps the most important step of your decision is choosing quality hardwood flooring installation. A good installer can mean the difference between an easy to care for and long lasting floor, or squeaky, uneven, and/or crooked floorboards that will eventually require replacement.

Fortunately, there are some clear signs to look for in an installer that will almost guarantee you are getting what you pay for. When you choose My Affordable Flooring for your hardwood flooring installation in Milwaukee and the surrounding areas, you’ll notice these items are met and exceeded.

A skilled and experienced installer will:

1. Provide a detailed quote

A quote is not an itemized list of approximately what you’ll be paying for installation, it’s a legally binding document that should spell out in detail exactly what will be done, and exactly what the costs are for each item and task. This includes preparation, installation, and finishing. If your quote is missing any of these items, you may want to reconsider your installer.

2. Properly acclimate your hardwood

If flooring materials aren’t acclimated to the environment in which they will be installed, the material can expand or contract, or otherwise become malformed after installation. An experienced installer knows that this process is critical to installation, and can vary in different climates and at different times of the year. The installer should take moisture measurements and advise on how to properly acclimate the material.

3. Measure, calculate and prepare the layout.

Since rooms are rarely a perfect square, your installer needs to spend considerable time planning before beginning work on the floor. Be sure to discuss the proper direction of the floorboards and agree on what needs to be done around any doorways, stairs, vents, or other obstacles.

4. Prepare the subfloor

The quote should provide details about the subfloor preparation that is required as well. Any old flooring will need to be removed and repairs to subfloor boards made to ensure the new flooring is fastened to a flat, level, clean, dry, and completely rigid substrate. The installer will apply the appropriate underlayment over the subfloor, which helps to regulate air and moisture movement and extends the life of the flooring material.

5. Using the right type, quality, and quantity of fasteners

Another error that can significantly reduce the expected lifespan of your floor is improper fastening. Make sure your installer specifies that appropriate nails will be used, and in what locations on each floorboard. For most installations, the installer will use a pneumatic flooring nailer, and attach each board with several nails, ensuring that the ends are firmly nailed in place to avoid loosening and movement over time.

Call Today for a Free Estimate!

Are you interested in hardwood flooring for your home? My Affordable Flooring will exceed these expectations for our installation services, guaranteed. 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.

Vinyl flooring is popular not only because of its good looks and relatively low cost but also because of its long-lasting durability. Once your vinyl flooring installation is complete, you can expect a flooring surface that retains its appearance for years to come with minimal maintenance, even in high-traffic areas. However, all flooring types need regular cleaning to ensure they continue to look their best for as long as possible.

Cleaning vinyl floors is quite simple, but there are a few basic rules to follow to avoid damage. Abrasion of any kind can dull the surface of your flooring, or create tiny tears in the material that can result in more problems in the future. Before you clean your vinyl flooring with a mop and a cleaning solution, always sweep or vacuum to remove any sand, dust or dirt that could cause abrasion when pushed around on the surface. Also, remember to be careful of what cleaning supplies you use on your vinyl flooring, and avoid abrasive or sharp tools, as well as harsh cleaners or detergents.

Be careful to always clean up spills immediately. Vinyl flooring is highly resistant to penetration, but some liquids can cause permanent staining, especially to lighter colored vinyl. It’s best to remove spills or leaks of all kinds as soon as possible.

For everyday cleaning, you don’t even need to use detergent. Just a soft, damp mop will remove most of the dirt from your floor. For occasional deeper cleaning, it is best to use a gentle, non-abrasive floor cleaner, and avoid “mop and shine” products, which can leave a dull film on your flooring. Wet a soft mop, wring, and apply to the floor, rinsing often to remove dirt from the mop.

As with any type of floor, never push, pull or drag furniture, appliances, or other items across the floor. Doing so can dent or otherwise permanently damage your vinyl flooring, requiring replacement.

Call Today for a Free Estimate!

Cleaning vinyl floors is easy to care for and adds beauty to your home. Are you interested in vinyl flooring installation in Milwaukee and the surrounding areas? 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’ll help you determine the right flooring for your home!