Northern Virginia Painting Hardwood Floor Refinishing Floor

House Painting Services in Northern Virginia

Refinishing

There are a lot of products today for finishing hardwood floors. We offer three types of finishes, which are no-wax finishes, that means low maintenance.

Our number one finish is our Commercial Grade Polyurethane. It is the most commonly used finishes used today and is very durable. Polyurethane is available in satin, semi-gloss, and high-gloss. The most popular is semi-gloss.

Most of the pre-finished hardwood floor products today are finished with polyurethane. Polyurethane is one of the best finishes.

If there is some other finish you prefer we gladly will use your preference.

Preventive Maintenance

Dry Time - Prior to applying the finish, heat needs to be set at seventy one degrees for the finish to dry. This takes about six to eight hours.
Don't walk on the floors before drying because imprints can occur. Be very careful when moving appliances. Use a dolly or lay down plywood and move in the appliances over it. This is so the wheels or casters on the appliances won’t leave marks in the finish.

Upholstery - Put fabric faced glides on the legs of your upholstery. They allow upholstery to be moved easily without marking the floor up. Make sure the glides are cleaned regularly because grit can embed in them. Some upholstery may require barrel type roller casters, as ball type casters may cause damage. Grey, non-marking rubber casters are the best. Try to avoid any type of plastic caster.

Color Changes - Some chemicals in wood oxidize in strong light, which can cause the wood to change color (weather or age) i.e.; develop patina. Move area rugs occasionally and drape or shade large west-facing windows to avoid uneven appearance.

Keep high heels in good repair. Heels that have worn down or lost their protective cap, exposing the steel support rod in the heel, will dent any floor surface, even concrete.
Animals - It is recommended that you clip your pets nails monthly or walk them on concrete to dull their nails.

Caring For Your Floors Vacuum - Vacuum regularly, as often as you vacuum carpets. A brush attachment works beautifully. Sweep or use a dust mop daily or as needed, but DO NOT use a household dust treatment as this may cause your floor to become slick or it may dull the finish.
Cleaning - For general cleaning, add 1 cup of white vinegar to 1 gallon of luke warm water. Dip a clean cloth or a sponge mop and wring nearly dry. Clean floor and wipe dry with a towel as you go. This procedure is recommended once a month. Weekly you can use Dura-Seal® Hardwood Floor Cleaner, designed for hardwood floors. Call us for more information on this product. Do not use an oil soap or any cleaning product that mixes with water. Ammonia will damage or dull many surface finishes and should not be used to clean your floor.

Waxing - NEVER WAX a surface finish. Wax will, in most cases, be slippery. Once waxed, the floor will not be able to be recoated to rejuvenate it. It will have to be completely sanded down to raw wood to restore the floor.

Cracks and Squeaks
All the wood in your home will contract or expand depending on the moisture in the air. Doors and windows may swell and stick during rainy seasons. In dry, cold weather, cracks and fine lines of separation may appear in wall cabinets and furniture. This is characteristic of wood because wood is a product of nature, and its natural quality is what makes it desirable.
Cracks - Reaction to humidity, or the lack of it, is happening constantly in your wood floors. Tiny cracks between the edges of boards may appear when dry conditions are produced by your heating system. This can usually be REDUCED by installing a humidifier. With a proper balance of moisture in the house, both family and floors benefit from a healthier environment.
Squeaks - When interiors become damp, the boards in your floor may expand and rub together producing a squeak. Improper fastening of the floor or sub floor can also cause squeaks. To correct this, first try lubrication. A liberal amount of liquid wax may do the job. You can also sift a small amount of powdered soup stone, talcum powder, or powdered graphite between adjacent boards where the noise occurs. Another method is to drive triangular glazier points between the strips using a putty knife to set them below the surface.
If that doesn’t work, drive 2 finishing nails through pilot holes drilled into the face of the flooring. Nails should go through both edges of the boards. Set them with a nail punch and hide with matching color putty. The best solution requires more work and can be accomplished only where there is access to the floor from below (crawl space or basement). Wood screws are inserted through the sub-floor and into the finish floor to pull the finish floor down tight.

Periodic Care Recoating - When luster does not return in traffic areas such as doorways, kitchen sink, stove area, or hallways, the floor may need recoating. When this happens it’s time to call Hardwood Flooring by Johnny Boy for recoating.

Refinishing - Wood floors that have become unsightly from years of wear or neglect can be restored to their original beauty. Machine sanding removes the old finish and exposes new wood. With the application of a finishing material, floors are like new again. We highly recommend you call us to have your wood floors professionally refinished. IMPORTANT!

Call us today (571) 278-3101