The best times of year are usually the shoulder seasons for installing custom wood floors. The spring and the fall are the most optimal seasons flooring projects. The main reason is the relative humidity levels are around 35%, which is as good as it gets for any project.
Though hardwood floors can be installed throughout the year, the cooler temperatures make autumn an ideal time for you schedule your hardwood flooring installation, especially if you live in a particularly humid climate. Like any other organic or natural product, wood also absorbs moisture because it is highly porous.
This makes any gaps much less likely. Wooden flooring will perform better if installed in an environment where the humidity is between 30 and 50 percent, and the temperature is between 60 and 80 degrees. Most homes will fall within that range during winter, making it a great time to install a new hardwood floor.
Temperatures should be kept between 60° and 80° Fahrenheit. There are geographic exceptions to these guidelines, so be sure to ask your flooring professional and check the product specifications.
In the same respect, most properly maintained hardwood floors can go anywhere from 20 to 30 years without needing any significant work done. Their longevity makes hardwood floors a great investment for any house. However, there will come a time when every hardwood floor will need to either be refinished or replaced.
How often can I refinish my floors? Depending on a floor's thickness and the experience of the flooring professional, a floor can be sanded around 4-6 times in its entire life. Hardwood floors can be refinished every 7-10 years, making the 4-6 refinishes more than enough.
We recommend waiting 6 hours before walking on your new floors in socks. After 24 hours you can walk through with shoes on. Allow 48 hours before setting furniture and returning pets. Carpets and area rugs can be placed after 1 full week.
You may love the look of your hardwood flooring, but it's really not a good idea to put it in your laundry room. Foyer– All manner of things can be tracked in from outside, and the foyer of your home will bear the brunt of all of them. Sand, dirt, mud, water, snow, and more can all damage hardwood.
DON'T install your hardwood floors in rooms with excess moisture. DON'T install your hardwood below grade, such as in the basement. DON'T install hardwood in homes that are not climate controlled year round. The heat and winter extreme temperatures can be harmful.
Wood flooring should be laid in the direction that provides the most visually appealing look for your specific space. In general, laying the flooring parallel to the longest wall can make a room look larger, while laying it in a perpendicular direction can give the room a cozier feel.
Get the Best Deal of the Season
Most home renovations dip during the mid-December through February months. Many flooring companies and big box stores raise their prices during the busy season so they can lower their prices during this slower period.
You want to give the new finish time to harden and cure. We recommend waiting a minimum of 24 hours before you walk on your floors– and 48 hours is even better. Start with socks only and keep pets off the floors for a few days.
Solid Hardwood Flooring
It even enjoys the same ideal temperature range (65–75℉) and relative humidity (35–55%) as we do. The wooden planks in solid hardwood flooring will naturally contract (shrink) in response to colder temperatures.
There is absolutely no need to change flooring from room to room. We often work with homeowners who feel the urge to pick a different flooring for every room of their home, but there is absolutely no need to do this. Your home will look best if you create one consistent look that travels from room to room.
If you're worried about hardwood floors being cold on the feet, don't be; they're actually better for keeping your home warm. Hardwood floors help heat move through your home. The bottom line is that wood is a conductor, and the carpet is an insulator.
Sometimes, kitchen units can be very heavy (and often unbalanced) and put huge amounts of pressure on areas of your floor. Over time this could cause the floor to buckle and break. By laying your floor last, it means that there's no chance of it being scratched or dented by workmen or the units.
As mentioned above, you can deduct home improvements like new flooring when you sell your house, as they add value to the property. If you completed permanent home improvements that boosted your home's resale value, they'll be added to your tax basis to lower taxes when you sell your home.
Classic medium-toned browns such as cherrywood, mahogany, oak, maple, walnut, birch wood, and hickory are all timeless colors that never go out of style.
Wait around 3 weeks before putting area rugs on your newly refinished/finished hardwood floors. Wait for 48 to 72 hours after the hardwood has been refinished/ finished before "PLACING" furniture back in its place. Keep a steady temperature and humidity within your home.
Hardwood flooring can last a lifetime, but the glossy shine of original wood flooring will fade over the course of its life. You'll notice fading after about 25 years. Hardwood floors, if installed properly, can last 100 years.
But despite what many business owners have heard or may think when it comes to kitchen flooring, hardwood is also an ideal style for this area - hands down. This is despite the myths that regularly circuit message boards and Internet forums these days, not to mention from the mouths of the so-called experts themselves.
For oil-based polyurethane, it can take up to 24-48 hours for the finish to dry and up to 72 hours for the fumes to dissipate completely. Therefore, it is recommended that you stay out of your home for at least 72 hours after applying an oil-based polyurethane finish.
The Hardwood Floor Installation Process
On average, a two-person crew can lay 800 to 1,000 square feet of flooring per day. Depending on the size of the planks and size of the room, the project can take one to three days to complete. However, you need to account for removal as well as any prep work that may be needed.
Now that your floors are clean and dry, applying a coat of polish is a great way to revive your hardwood floor's finish. A coat of hardwood floor polish can even out a floor's look, filling in any micro scratches and adding a new protective layer on top of your floor.