SVB Wood Floors Blog

Category Archives: Wood floor repair

Wood floor repair professionals serving the Kansas City area.

Refinishing Hardwood Floors vs. Replacing Hardwood Floors

Wood floor installation, Wood floor repair
Posted by svb_wood_admin on October 14, 2020

 

If your hardwood flooring is worn, it can be tough to decide whether to hire someone to refinish the floors or replace them. Each option offers benefits, and the decision will depend on the circumstances. Here’s what you need to know before deciding. 

What Is Floor Refinishing?

Real hardwood flooring can be refinished 4-5 times, depending on the wear layer, to make the surface look like new. The process involves sanding down to raw wood to remove imperfections and markings, leaving the exposed layer looking fresh. Many homeowners refinish floors to mitigate stains and chips, while others want to use a different stain color to update their interior look. 

Refinishing vs. Replacing

The condition of the flooring is the most significant factor when choosing to refinish the existing material or install a replacement. If the current planks are salvageable with sanding, refinishing is often the better choice. For flooring that has signs of rot or water damage, it’s best to replace the damaged areas or the entire flooring to promote continuity and longevity. 

If you’re looking to improve your interior design, refinishing can bring a shine to the room. However, if you’d like to adjust the wood style or the size of the planks, install an entirely new floor.

Hardwood that is decades old and has already been sanded down many times cannot be refinished without destabilizing the flooring. Thus, take the age of the material into account.

If you’re looking for the quickest option, install new boards, as ripping up the old ones and putting in updated materials will often be faster. Refinishing older wood with many stains, scratches, or areas that need patching may take a week or more, while a new installation often requires just a few hours or days if you select prefinished floors. This also depends on the square footage. If you do install unfinished floors, they will have to be sanded and stained. This process will take longer than a refinish. Always things to take into account when choosing the floors that best fit not just your budget, but your schedule as well.

At SVB Wood Floors, we have been experienced in quality hardwood flooring refinishing since 2003, and having wood floor refinishing done in your home couldn’t be easier. We use a dustless sanding system that allows us to sand your floors, without all of the messy clean-up. Our Bona Atomic DCS system traps dust before it even has time to enter your home. It makes refinishing your Kansas City wood flooring fast, easy and convenient.

12 Critical Questions to Ask before You Hire a Hardwood Flooring Contractor

Tips for Homeowners, Uncategorized, Wood floor installation, Wood Floor Maintenance, Wood floor repair
Posted by Nicole Ventura on June 4, 2020

choosing-a-wood-floor-contractor-SVB-wood-floors-kc

At SVB Wood Floors, we know that hiring the right contractor is critical in getting the home of your dreams. So what exactly should you look for in a hardwood floor contractor? The experts at SVB Wood Floors have created this checklist to help you make the most informed decision. Make sure to ask these 15 questions before you hire any hardwood flooring company:

1. Does the Contractor Have a Proper Business Liability Policy in Place?

Any legitimate wood flooring contractor should have a liability policy in place. SVB Wood Floor Service, Inc. carries a 2 million dollar general liability policy. We do not have any claims in our company history and a copy of this policy is also available upon request. We also maintain an active workers’ compensation policy and have had no claims in our company history. This policy is also available upon request.

 

2. Does the Contractor Use Subcontractors? If So, Do They Have Proper Insurance Policies?

Hiring a company that uses subcontractors means you may be unsure of their qualifications. At SVB Wood Floors, we don’t subcontract our work. All of our trusted technicians are in-house, uniformed personnel. Each crew has an assigned crew leader, who has been through multiple years of training, before being placed into this lead position.

 

3. Is the Contractor a Member of the NWFA (National Wood Flooring Association)?

The SVB team currently holds multiple certifications with the NWFA for installation, sanding and finishing, sales advising, environmental awareness, and craftsman degrees. Additionally, SVB’s owner, Steve Brattin, is a NWFA board member and holds positions on NWFA committees.

Related Read: SVB Wood Floors Wins 2016 Wood Floor of the Year Award from NWFA

 

4. What Industry Technical Training and Accreditation Have They Received?

In an industry that is constantly making advancements, it’s important to choose a contractor who values keeping up with the latest certifications and accreditations. SVB and its employees are certified with the Bona Certified Craftsman Program. Installation, sanding/finishing techniques, and skills are updated at annual Surfaces, Bona BCCP and NWFA conventions, along with other training classes offered throughout the year by these organizations.

 

5. What Kind of Warranty Does the Contractor Offer?

Hardwood flooring is a big investment, so make sure you choose a contractor who’s got your back. We offer a warranty for the period of one year for the materials and workmanship we supply. A copy of this warranty is available upon request.

 

6. Does the Contractor Offer Customer Care for the Life of Your Floor?

Sure, a contractor can get the job done, but are they qualified to maintain your floors beyond installation? SVB offers the following methods of care for the life of your floor.

 

7. Where Does the Contractor Obtain the Flooring Materials? What Steps Are Followed to Ensure the Flooring Is Acclimated Properly to Our Region?

Get to the source of your wood floors. It’s important that contractors know where materials come from and know how to properly acclimate them to our region. SVB obtains all of its materials from reputable mills and wholesalers who kiln dry and warehouse the product to meet the demands of the MO & KS climates. All wood flooring received by SVB is dated upon arrival and checked for proper moisture readings. The material is then stored in our warehouse to ensure it has been acclimated to the Midwest region and is ready for installation.

 

8. What Process Is Used for Dust Mitigation?

Nobody wants the stress of a dusty mess once your wood floors have been installed, which is why SVB uses a state-of-the-art dust extraction system which evacuates the dust from your home to our trailer-mounted Bona containment system.

These units are very powerful and generate 99.8% less dust than traditional methods, which makes the process much more convenient. Plus, with this state-of-the-art system, there is no need for sealing off doorways and you won’t be left cleaning dust particles for months to come.

 

9. Is the Exact Type of Stain and Finish Specified on the Estimate?

It’s important to have options, but even more important to have the highest quality options. SVB specifies the exact type of finishes available on all projects. All finishes are not created equal, and SVB only uses the best on the market, which is included in our price.

Related Read: Don’t Settle for Just Any Stain Color: All About SVB’s Process

 

10. Is the Moisture Content of the Materials and Relative Humidity of the Environment Logged and Monitored as Set Forth by the NWFA Guidelines?

SVB logs and monitors the moisture content of the wood when it is delivered and verifies that the materials are acclimated properly for your job site before installation begins. SVB also logs and monitors the relative humidity of your job site.

Related Read: Top Tips to Prevent Moisture from Damaging Your Hardwood Floors

 

11. Is the Contractor Willing to Compromise Acclimation to Accommodate Your Schedule?

Acclimation is a critical step in the process of installing hardwood floors. It lessens the chances of gapping and other problems down the road. While we do everything possible to meet our clients’ demands and deadlines, we will never compromise the acclimation process as it is a necessary step in the process and should not be skipped.

 

12. Does the Contractor Provide You with Cleaning Products and Cleaning Care Instructions?

SVB will provide you with a complete Bona Floor cleaning kit and care instructions at the end of your project. Also, we sell a variety of Bona cleaning and maintenance products and services to keep your floors looking their best for years to come. Each floor completed by SVB is registered and certified with the Bona Certified Craftsman Program.

Related Read: 8 Tips for Moving Heavy Objects without Scratching your Hardwood Floors

 

Make sure you do your homework before hiring a hardwood floor company to repair, refinish, or install your hardwood floors. Give us a call at (816) 965-8655 or schedule an appointment online today!

 

Will Ice Melt or Salt Hurt My Wood Floors?

Tips for Homeowners, Wood floor repair
Posted by Steve Brattin on February 13, 2020

 

ice melt can ruin hard wood floorsWinter isn’t over yet! All of the ice melt and salt on the sidewalks in Kansas City, Overland Park, Lee’s Summit, MO, and the KC metro can do harm to your beautiful hardwood floors. It starts out with moisture being tracked into your home from this wet, snowy, and icy weather. Moisture on your hardwood floors is never a good thing. But moisture mixed with salt or ice melt is even worse. If you are wondering how to protect your hardwood floor from these ice melt products, take a look below. Our hardwood floor experts made a list of helpful tips to keep your floors shining for years to come!

Quick Cleanups are the Best Cleanups

As soon as a spill is made, or moisture rests on your floor, do everything you can to clean it up. The faster you remove the moisture, the less time it has to soak into your hardwood floor. If the residue is already dry, you can just sweep or vacuum the area. It is important to sweep or vacuum because you will remove any granules/rocks from your floor preventing them from scratching the surface. Pro tip: keep a soft and absorbent towel or rag near your doors so it’s easy and convenient to mop up messes when they happen.

What Chemicals Are in Ice Melt Products?

Most ice melt products are made of the same chemicals. They are either made from one, or a blend of, five materials including, calcium chloride, sodium chloride, potassium chloride, magnesium chloride, and urea. Calcium chloride is the most popular solution because of the high efficiency and low price. The only problem with salt is the high pH levels which act as floor strippers. It is known for breaking down the finish on your floor and making the wood below vulnerable.

How to Remove Salt or Ice Melt Stains

Since the chemicals in ice melt or salt breakdown the protection on your wood floors, they will sometimes leave behind a white film or residue after it dries. It’s best to neutralize this alkaline salt residue. You can do this with an acidic chemical. First, remove the film, with a soft cloth dampened with water. If residue remains after this, you can try one of two things; adding one cup of white vinegar diluted in a gallon of warm water, or a professional floor cleaning product. If you choose option one, use this cloth to buff the area in a circular motion and buff dry immediately. Test this method on a small area first. Once you see the results you were looking for, that is when you can expand the area.

Prevention Is Your Best Defense Against Hardwood Floor Damage

Instead of using ice melt products, try using kitty litter! It won’t get rid of the ice, but it will give a surface for your visitors shoes to grip onto. Kitty litter provides a softer texture than salt or ice melt and won’t scratch your floors nearly as easily. Another way you can prevent damage to your floors is by using lots of mats. Have a doormat on the inside and the outside of your home. Now they have the option to wipe their feet on more than one spot. This will hopefully keep these chemicals outside of your house. 

If your floors are really taking a beating this winter and needs a deep cleaning, call SVB Wood Floors for a hardwood floor deep clean. Call us at (913) 396-6863 or schedule a FREE quote online.

5 Hardwood Floor Care Tips to Prepare You for the Holiday Season

Tips for Homeowners, Wood floor repair
Posted by Steve Brattin on October 21, 2019

Holiday Floor Care Tips

There’s no better time to bring together all of your friends and family than the holidays. With family gatherings, comes an increase in foot traffic in your home. This season, safeguard your hardwood floors from the increase in activity and traffic, and take a few steps to keep them gleaming and impress your guests. Our experts at SVB Wood Floors put together this list of 5 tips to prepare your floors for the holiday season.

Routine Maintenance

It’s important to regularly sweep, dust and mop leading up to your holiday party. By doing this, you will have a good base going into the holiday season. A good base prevents small debris and dust from scraping and scratching your floors during heavy foot traffic.

Related Read: Hardwood Floor Care Instructions

Remove Spills Quickly

Houses with pets or kids are more prone to have spills. Anytime there is a spill on your hardwood floor, make sure you clean it up as soon as it happens. Removing the spills immediately will prevent long-term damage to your floors and keep them looking uniform.

Use Rugs & Mats to Preserve Your Floor

Rugs and mats are always a nice trick to keep your floors looking nice. Before inviting guests over, it’s a good idea to map out which areas of your home will have the highest traffic. For example, the front foyer, hallways, and kitchen to name a few. We suggest laying down rugs or mats in these areas to protect them. Make sure the rugs you put down have a pad underneath to prevent them from sliding around.

Protect Your Floor from Your Furniture

A problem that is often overlooked when having guests over for the holidays is moving furniture. With more guests in your home, you’re sure to be moving furniture around to accommodate more seating, or to open up a space for gifts, etc. Attaching felt pads onto the feet of your furniture can protect your floor. These felt pads allow them to easily glide on your hardwood floors without leaving damage behind. Just remember to replace the pads every few months, otherwise grit can build up and cause scratches as well.

Safeguard Your Floor from Other Dangers

Besides rugs and felt pads, there are other safety measures you can take to protect your floors this season. You can trim your pets nails and even enforce a ‘no shoes’ policy in your home. Both of these will help. Though the first is self-explanatory, the second will also help your floors in the long run. Women often wear high heels when dressing up for holiday parties (stilettos are hardwood floor enemies), which can dent, scratch, and dull your beautiful floors.

If you want even more dazzling floors before the holidays, call us at (816) 965-8655 for our SVB Wood Floor professional hardwood floor cleaning or wood floor refinishing services.

Can Water Damaged Wood Floors Be Repaired?

Tips for Homeowners, Wood Floor Maintenance, Wood floor repair
Posted by Nicole Ventura on February 26, 2019

water damage on wood floors

Water and wood don’t mix. When disaster strikes and your dishwasher leaks, your washing machine hose bursts, or your ice maker has a meltdown, your wood floors can pay the price. But how do you know if they are salvageable? At SVB Wood Floors, we’ve seen the worst. The good news is that no matter what happened, we can repair or replace them. The question is…which one will it be?

 

Fast Action May Save Your Wood Floor

Wood is a porous organic material that can only resist the effects of water for a short time. That’s why you must act fast to prevent damage from occurring. But sometimes, things happen that you can’t plan for. For example, you’re away on vacation and while you’re lying on a beach soaking up the sun, a pipe breaks and floods your kitchen which then remains that way for several days. Now what?

Signs of Water Damage to Look For

Here are some signs of damage to look for:

-Staining and/or discoloration

-Cupping – the edges of the individual planks are raised higher than the middle

-Crowning – the middle of the individual planks swells and rises

-Buckling from absorbed moisture

-Popping nails

-Lifting of floorboards (especially at the ends)

-Mold growth (can occur within 48 hours of flooding)

 

Depending on how long the floor was wet, damage can vary. Considering that the normal moisture content in a typical hardwood floor is somewhere between 6 and 12 percent and a flooded hardwood floor can have a moisture content of up to 40 percent, damage can be severe. Much of it has to do with the amount of time that the floor is exposed to the water. More moisture will be retained if the floor is left to dry on its own.

 

4 Deciding Factors for Replacement or Repair

Determining whether a water-damaged wood floor can be repaired or must be torn up and replaced will depend on a number of factors such as:

-The length of time the floor has been exposed to water

-Whether your floor is solid hardwood or engineered hardwood

-The severity of the damage (Has the water penetrated into the subfloor?)

-The floor’s finish (It can be difficult to match certain stain colors when replacing isolated floorboards, especially if the stain has “mellowed” with time.)

 

Solid wood flooring gives you the broadest range of options for repair. Because it is solid wood throughout the entire plank, we can sand away up to 1/4 of an inch of the wood to remove cupping or surface mold. Once the planks are dry, we can restain. Also, solid flooring can be replaced and new planks can be retrofitted more easily into the existing flooring. With engineered wood flooring, because only the top layer is real wood, there is less material to sand, which limits the repair options.

If the damage is minor, the floor can sometimes be saved by replacing affected boards and then sanding and refinishing the whole floor. If the damage is severe or extensive, causing significant expansion, the entire floor may need replacing – and sometimes even the subfloor will have to be replaced.

 

If you suspect water damage, the first step is to have the floor’s condition assessed by a hardwood flooring professional. Call SVB Wood Floors at (816) 965-8655 and one of our hardwood water damage repair experts can help assess the situation and give you an estimate on repairing or replacing your wood floors.

 

12 Critical Questions to Ask before You Hire a Hardwood Flooring Contractor

Tips for Homeowners, Uncategorized, Wood floor installation, Wood Floor Maintenance, Wood floor repair
Posted by Nicole Ventura on December 27, 2016

choosing-a-wood-floor-contractor-SVB-wood-floors-kc

At SVB Wood Floors, we know that hiring the right contractor is critical in getting the home of your dreams. So what exactly should you look for in a hardwood floor contractor? The experts at SVB Wood Floors have created this checklist to help you make the most informed decision. Make sure to ask these 15 questions before you hire any hardwood flooring company:

1. Does the Contractor Have a Proper Business Liability Policy in Place?

Any legitimate wood flooring contractor should have a liability policy in place. SVB Wood Floor Service, Inc. carries a 2 million dollar general liability policy. We do not have any claims in our company history and a copy of this policy is also available upon request. We also maintain an active workers’ compensation policy and have had no claims in our company history. This policy is also available upon request.

 

2. Does the Contractor Use Subcontractors? If So, Do They Have Proper Insurance Policies?

Hiring a company that uses subcontractors means you may be unsure of their qualifications. At SVB Wood Floors, we don’t subcontract our work. All of our trusted technicians are in-house, uniformed personnel. Each crew has an assigned crew leader, who has been through multiple years of training, before being placed into this lead position.

 

3. Is the Contractor a Member of the NWFA (National Wood Flooring Association)?

The SVB team currently holds multiple certifications with the NWFA for installation, sanding and finishing, sales advising, environmental awareness, and craftsman degrees. Additionally, SVB’s owner, Steve Brattin, is a NWFA board member and holds positions on NWFA committees.

Related Read: SVB Wood Floors Wins 2016 Wood Floor of the Year Award from NWFA

 

4. What Industry Technical Training and Accreditation Have They Received?

In an industry that is constantly making advancements, it’s important to choose a contractor who values keeping up with the latest certifications and accreditations. SVB and its employees are certified with the Bona Certified Craftsman Program. Installation, sanding/finishing techniques, and skills are updated at annual Surfaces, Bona BCCP and NWFA conventions, along with other training classes offered throughout the year by these organizations.

 

5. What Kind of Warranty Does the Contractor Offer?

Hardwood flooring is a big investment, so make sure you choose a contractor who’s got your back. We offer a warranty for the period of one year for the materials and workmanship we supply. A copy of this warranty is available upon request.

 

6. Does the Contractor Offer Customer Care for the Life of Your Floor?

Sure, a contractor can get the job done, but are they qualified to maintain your floors beyond installation? SVB offers the following methods of care for the life of your floor.

 

7. Where Does the Contractor Obtain the Flooring Materials? What Steps Are Followed to Ensure the Flooring Is Acclimated Properly to Our Region?

Get to the source of your wood floors. It’s important that contractors know where materials come from and know how to properly acclimate them to our region. SVB obtains all of its materials from reputable mills and wholesalers who kiln dry and warehouse the product to meet the demands of the MO & KS climates. All wood flooring received by SVB is dated upon arrival and checked for proper moisture readings. The material is then stored in our warehouse to ensure it has been acclimated to the Midwest region and is ready for installation.

 

8. What Process Is Used for Dust Mitigation?

Nobody wants the stress of a dusty mess once your wood floors have been installed, which is why SVB uses a state-of-the-art dust extraction system which evacuates the dust from your home to our trailer-mounted Bona containment system.

These units are very powerful and generate 99.8% less dust than traditional methods, which makes the process much more convenient. Plus, with this state-of-the-art system, there is no need for sealing off doorways and you won’t be left cleaning dust particles for months to come.

 

9. Is the Exact Type of Stain and Finish Specified on the Estimate?

It’s important to have options, but even more important to have the highest quality options. SVB specifies the exact type of finishes available on all projects. All finishes are not created equal, and SVB only uses the best on the market, which is included in our price.

Related Read: Don’t Settle for Just Any Stain Color: All About SVB’s Process

 

10. Is the Moisture Content of the Materials and Relative Humidity of the Environment Logged and Monitored as Set Forth by the NWFA Guidelines?

SVB logs and monitors the moisture content of the wood when it is delivered and verifies that the materials are acclimated properly for your job site before installation begins. SVB also logs and monitors the relative humidity of your job site.

Related Read: Top Tips to Prevent Moisture from Damaging Your Hardwood Floors

 

11. Is the Contractor Willing to Compromise Acclimation to Accommodate Your Schedule?

Acclimation is a critical step in the process of installing hardwood floors. It lessens the chances of gapping and other problems down the road. While we do everything possible to meet our clients’ demands and deadlines, we will never compromise the acclimation process as it is a necessary step in the process and should not be skipped.

 

12. Does the Contractor Provide You with Cleaning Products and Cleaning Care Instructions?

SVB will provide you with a complete Bona Floor cleaning kit and care instructions at the end of your project. Also, we sell a variety of Bona cleaning and maintenance products and services to keep your floors looking their best for years to come. Each floor completed by SVB is registered and certified with the Bona Certified Craftsman Program.

Related Read: 8 Tips for Moving Heavy Objects without Scratching your Hardwood Floors

 

Make sure you do your homework before hiring a hardwood floor company to repair, refinish, or install your hardwood floors. Give us a call at (816) 965-8655 or schedule an appointment online today!

 

The Best Time to Add Hardwood Floors during Your Remodeling Project

Tips for Homeowners, Wood floor installation, Wood floor repair
Posted by Nicole Ventura on December 19, 2016

hardwood floor remodeling projectA big remodeling project requires multiple steps and varying degrees of dust and debris, so how do you decide the order in which each element of the project should be completed? To help handle the chaos, the experts at SVB Wood Floors have a few tips on how to tackle your remodeling timeline.

Related Read: 3 Eye-Popping Hardwood Floor Design Trends for Your Home

First Things First

Where to start is often the easiest piece of the puzzle to solve. For example, if the project involves demolition, it’s pretty obvious that this should be the first thing to accomplish. Tearing down a wall, or removing cabinets in a kitchen are jobs that are going to be messy. After that, the sequence of events gets a little more confusing. In order to answer questions about the timeline of a project, let’s create a sample scenario:

Click here to learn why now is the perfect time for a wood floor facelift!

Kitchen/Dining Room Remodeling Timeline

You’ve decided to remodel the kitchen and adjoining dining room, a project that will require tearing out the kitchen floor, cabinets and countertops along with removing the existing dining room carpeting, adding new hardwood flooring in both rooms and repainting the rooms. Here’s the ideal remodeling project timeline for this scenario:

1. Remove kitchen countertops and cabinetry – This is probably one of the messiest parts of the project, and it’s necessary to get them out of the room first if the existing floor runs underneath them.

2. Remove the existing kitchen floor, revealing the sub-flooring.

3. Remove dining room carpeting.

4. Paint both rooms – It’s best to paint before installing new cabinets and countertops to avoid the need to cover them for painting.

5. Install new cabinets and countertops.

6. Last, but not least, have hardwood flooring installed and finished.

Why Wait to Install Your Hardwood Floors?

In almost any case, it’s wise to wait until the end of the project to install and finish your hardwood floors. The most important reasons for waiting are:

finished-kitchen-remodel-svb-wood-floors-kc1. Installing your new hardwood floors at the end of the project prevents damage from dust and debris or carpenters and other workers.

2. Once a new hardwood floor is finished, you’ll have to wait at least 30 days before laying anything like a protective painter’s tarp on top of them or you’ll risk “suffocating” the finish. It’s also very difficult and expensive to repair damage to a new finish, and there’s no saying if the repair will end up looking different from the rest of the floor!

With that being said, the need for small touch-ups is common after any remodeling project, however, you can avoid any major snafus by leaving the hardwood flooring part of the project for last. Not only will your project timeline be shorter, but this can also save you money!

Looking to add hardwood floors during your remodel? Call us at (816) 965-8655.

Learn Why Now is the Perfect Time for A Wood Floor Facelift

Tips for Homeowners, Wood floor repair
Posted by Nicole Ventura on October 28, 2016

christmas-decorations-wood-floors-svb-kansas-city-holiday-refinishEarly Fall is easily the best time to touch up your home. With just enough time before the holiday season kicks in, this time of year is a great opportunity to evaluate whether your home could benefit from a quick project. Make sure your home looks its best before your holiday guests start arriving!

A great way to quickly freshen up the look of your interior is giving your hardwood floors a recoat or refinish. Let’s take a look at these quick and efficient options:

Related Read: 8 Tips for Moving Heavy Objects without Scratching your Hardwood Floors

The Fastest Choice: Recoating

sanding-wood-floors-svb-kansas-cityThe benefits of hardwood flooring are many, but the one true flaw is the sometimes unsightly scuffing that gathers over time. Thankfully, a professional recoat is a minimally invasive process, and it only takes a few hours.

Often, the scuffs on your hardwood flooring are actually caused by a layer of dirt and grime that naturally gathers on your flooring over time. There’s a good chance a simple recoat treatment is all you need: A few hours of work, two days to rest, and you can move your furniture right back over hardwood that looks brand new.

The Slower (But Still Pretty Quick!) Choice: Refinishing

If it turns out your hardwood flooring has more physical damage than scuffing, you’ll need to have a professional refinish your floors. Thankfully, it’s not as bad as it sounds. The best modern sanding processes are minimally invasive, dust-free operations.

You’ll move your furniture out of the area that needs work. Depending on your square footage, 3-4 days is the upper limit before your home is right back where it was earlier in the week, except with floors that look immaculate enough that your guests will likely be compelled to comment.

Choosing a Professional to Recoat or Refinish Your Wood Floors

SVB Wood Floors is the National Wood Flooring Association’s 2016 Wood Floor of the Year award winner, and they’re ready to serve the Kansas City area throughout this winter. Beyond winning awards, SVB has experienced professionals and the highest-quality equipment to support them. SVB is the dependable choice for hardwood floor work this holiday season.

Whether you’re looking to repair, install, or refinish your hardwood floors, leave it to the experts at SVB Wood Floors. Give us a call at (816) 965-8655.

8 Tips for Moving Heavy Objects without Scratching your Hardwood Floors

Tips for Homeowners, Wood Floor Maintenance, Wood floor repair
Posted by Nicole Ventura on September 30, 2016

parents-moving-furniture-kid-in-chair-hardwood-floor-damage-svb-kansas-cityHere at SVB, we get hardwood floor repair calls all the time when homeowners scratch their wood floors, many of which are caused while moving heavy objects or furniture.

Obviously, it’s better to lift your furniture than to slide it, but sometimes you don’t have the luxury of a burly friend or the time to find additional help. This is when homeowners revert to less than ideal moving techniques. Next time you’re in a pinch and moving something heavy, here are some tips that could save you from major damage to your hardwood floors.

Related Read: 8 Ways You’re Destroying Your Hardwood Floors

 

little-boy-opening-drawer-svb-wood-floors-kansas-city1. Lighten the Load

First things first: shed the weight. If you have a heavy object, you’ll want to make it as light as possible before making the move. For instance, remove the drawers from dressers or the contents from your refrigerator.

Additionally, if you have a piece with a mirror attached, take the time to unscrew a few screws and set the mirror aside to avoid potential damage and some seriously bad luck. Not only will removing drawers and other objects make the piece lighter, it will also prevent them from sliding out and hurting your hardwood floors and toes.

2. Keep It Clean

If you’re rearranging the place, you might as well give it a thorough cleaning while you’re at it! Why bother? You may be surprised, but small pieces of gravel and even general dust/debris buildup under your furniture can wreak havoc if caught between the heavy piece and the floor. We suggest sweeping your floors and cleaning them thoroughly before making any moves.

3. Soften the Surface

furniture-moving-pads-svb-wood-floors-kansas-cityOnce again, this should be a no-brainer, but always put something soft between the floor and the object.

Choose something that will easily move across the floor like folded towels, thick moving blankets, small area rugs or carpet remnants with the fuzzy side toward the wood floor, or these handy moving sliders available on Amazon! One thing to remember, if you do choose to use rugs or carpet leftovers, make sure to shake them out to avoid any grit or debris.

Related Read: How to Protect Wood Floors from Paws, Claws, and In-Laws

4. Try It on Its Side

If it’s not too big or heavy, consider laying the object on its side or back to slide it. Make sure it is on something soft and easily slidable, but extra thick and durable for the added surface area that’s needing to be covered. This can help by distributing the weight over a larger area, thus, reducing the chance of scratching. This will also put less stress on the object’s legs if it has them. Just be careful to watch the corners and legs when you lift it back up to its upright position. (We suggest having help for this option.)

5. Get Some Gliders

You can buy special pads called gliders that fit under your furniture for moving heavy objects with ease. There are tons of nifty options online that come in different sizes and variety packs, and all at great prices! These are reusable and super convenient for homeowners who are known to do a little Feng Shui rearranging from time to time.

6. Refrigerator Tip

Refrigerators are notorious for scratching hardwood floors. When installing a refrigerator, we suggest laying two pieces of hardboard just in front of where the back wheels will be when it is in its final position, slide it back into place on the boards, and then carefully lean it backward to remove the boards. This will keep it in place and leave less room underneath for dirt and debris buildup.

wheels-on-hardwood-floor-moving-furniture-svb-kansas-city7. Watch for Wheels

Always be careful of wheels. Just because a piece is on wheels, doesn’t mean that those wheels won’t scratch or dent your wood floors. Place a piece of 1/4” thick hardboard on your floor and roll the wheels over it.

8. Dolly Do’s & Don’ts

Dollies are great for moving heavy objects, but certain kinds can be a nightmare for your hardwood floors. If you use a dolly, make sure it has inflatable rubber wheels, not hard rubber. Hard rubber wheels, plus the weight of the object, can create the perfect storm for dents and damage.

 

Has the damage already been done? We do repairs!



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Are Wood Floors Environmentally Friendly? The Answer May Surprise You!

Tips for Homeowners, Uncategorized, Wood floor installation, Wood Floor Maintenance, Wood floor repair
Posted by Nicole Ventura on September 22, 2016

svb-wood-floor-envrionmentally-friendly-hardwood-kansas-cityHardwood floors deplete forests, right? Wrong! This is a myth believed by many, but the facts say otherwise. Wood is a renewable resource and according to the USDA Forest Service, harvesting trees has “minimal environmental impact.” They report that for every cubic foot of trees harvested, 1.66 cubic feet are regrown. And while it’s true that it takes decades for a tree to mature, the inventory planted today won’t be needed for over 100 years.

In fact, since 1953, the inventory of standing hardwood in the U.S. has grown by more than 90% and is currently estimated at 328 billion cubic feet. So what are some of the other environmental benefits of choosing hardwood floors? Here are just a few:

At SVB, we believe the difference is in the details. Find out more about our installation process and how we earned 2016 Wood Floor of the Year.

Wood Is Carbon Neutral

Wood produces oxygen while it’s growing and stores carbon during its service as lumber for building homes, or as furniture, flooring, etc. In addition, production of hardwood flooring causes minimal emission of carbon dioxide, and no emission of other particulates that contribute to global warming such as methane and nitrogen oxide. Furthermore, wood floor production uses less water and energy than is required to produce other types of flooring.

Wood Floors Last Longer

svb-wood-floors-living-room-environmentally-friendly-hardwoodAccording to the National Association of Home Builders, because hardwood flooring can potentially last hundreds of years, it won’t need replacing nearly as often as other flooring options. Plus, at the end of its life, hardwood flooring can be burned for fuel or recycled into other useful products.

Related Read: Flooring Options: Which Is Best for ROI?

Better Indoor Air Quality

svb-wood-floors-bright-kitchen-kansas-cityAccording to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), indoor air quality is much better with hardwood floors. This is echoed by the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA), who say that hardwood floors are an “ideal choice for people suffering from allergies or asthma.”

There are so many practical, environmentally sound reasons, apart from its warmth and beauty, why hardwood flooring is the number one flooring choice of homeowners across America.

Related Read: Allergies That Won’t Go Away? Your Carpet May Be The Culprit

 

Have more questions? Contact us online or give us a call today at (816) 965-8655. Big or small, we’d love to help with your next hardwood flooring project.