Hardwood Flooring for Pet Owners

When you've got small children or pets at home, you may think that installing wood floors is an impractical fantasy. However, does this mean you should avoid hardwood floors altogether?

Not at all. To begin with, hardwood is naturally resistant to spills provided that they are addressed right away. And there are plenty of options available to realistic homeowners that know they won't be able to maintain their flooring in pristine condition. The key is selecting the most appropriate floor.

There are lots of factors to consider when seeking the look and durability of hardwood flooring yet need the ability to take the wear and tear. Some wood species, as an instance, are harder and more resistant to abrasion than many others. A few styles of flooring will hide scratches and pet hair better. And a few textures and finishes may make the dings look intentional.

Let's take a peek at a few of the ways parents and pet-owners -- or perhaps only people who anticipate high traffic -- can have great-looking hardwood floors without needing to constantly worry.

Texturing

One excellent -- and now fashionable -- choice for those who fear they'll be unable to maintain their flooring looking pristine is to employ one of a range of kinds of texturing. Texturing, as you might suspect, involves various techniques to add feel to a floor.

Hand-Scraping and Wire-Brushing

Hand-scraping and wire-brushing are just two texturing methods that make a more rustic appearance. The end result will help mask any damage caused by high traffic and pets. Pet hair and grime are also visible.

Hardness

When choosing flooring for your area, a crucial aspect to consider is the hardness of the wood. In general, the harder the timber is, the less likely it's to be scratched or dented. Very hard woods are ideal for high-traffic areas, whereas softwoods might want to be prevented.

To find out how hard a certain species of timber is, you'll want to look at its Janka score . This measurement indicates the amount of pounds of force it takes to drive a 0.444-inch steel ball bearing halfway into a plank. Thus, the greater the Janka score, the harder the wood species is.

This wood species are among the more popular and durable hardwoods used in flooring.

Red and White Oak

The two most well-known species of wood for floors in the USA are red oak and white oak. Both species are tough enough to withstand a fair amount of abrasion, nevertheless are still easy to work with. This combined with their abundance helps make both species a more cost-effective alternative for high-wear houses. Furthermore, quarter-sawn timber of both species possess"rays" of grain (especially white oak) that are aesthetically pleasing and also will help hide small dings and pet hair. Red oak has a Janka rating of 1,290 while white walnut has a score of 1,360.

Hard Maple

Also called black walnut or sugar maple, hard maple is -- as the name suggests -- a very hard domestic wood species. It is heavy, strong, and highly resistant to wear.

Hickory

Hickory is an extremely hard wood that's abundant in the United States. Hickory is less commonly used for flooring as there's a wide variation in colour patterns from board. While hickory isn't a good option for those who seek uniformity of look, its extreme durability will help withstand damage. Furthermore, its wide color variation will go a long way toward concealing that harm if it does happen. Hickory has a Janka rating of 1,820

Exotic Hardwoods

A few of the hardest woods in the world are located in tropical climates. All these are lumped together in the USA under the general heading of"exotic hardwoods." Some of those wood species are far less commonly used for flooring as a result of their high cost and lower accessibility. Yet their hardness makes them quite resistant to use, and their attractive color and grain variation may also help mask minor marring.

Some popular exotic species (arranged based on Janka rating) comprise sapele (1,500); merbau (1654); padauk (1,725); santos mahogany (2,200); jatoba, also known as Brazilian cherry (2,820); ipe (3,510), teak (3,540), and cumaru (3540).

Parquet

In addition to hardness and texture, the fashion of floor you choose can affect how observable abrasions and stains will be. A somewhat"beyond the box" alternative to high-wear homes is to forego plank flooring in favor of parquet. Parquet flooring is set up by organizing small, uniform pieces of wood into repeating patterns across a floor.

While nothing regarding parquet makes it naturally more resistant to marring (again, this is much more a result of hardness), the vibrant, repeating patterns of parquet will naturally divert from any slight dings and scratches. This is similar to the way a blot is less noticeable on a shirt than on a plain one.

Character-Grade Woods

Character-grade forests are forests that are obviously marked with mineral streaks, knots, wormholes, and other"imperfections." On species like character grade white oak, as an example, marring is less noticeable among the abundant markings. Character-grade woods are often a good lower-cost option for anyone seeking a rustic look. Softer species may also develop a natural patina fairly fast, which both improves wear resistance and makes a floor more visually pleasing.

Refinishing

If you are worried that, despite the best attempts, your floors will nevertheless be marred by heavy wear, think about a periodic refinish/screening. Though refinishing will not get rid of all scratches and dents, it will partly fill them and make them far less visible.

Think about a high-quality, low-gloss oil finish. This will give you the appearance of new flooring with no price and hassle of a replacement. In fact, with oil finishes you don't need to refinish the whole floor -- jojoba oil refinishes can be carried out on high-traffic areas to receive your floors looking like new .

When picking a finish, elect for matte. Not only is that on trend, but any scratches, dents, discoloration, and pet hair that may seem will be far less visible than on a glossy finish.

Flooring for the Whole Family

The type of flooring that is ideal for your own pet, high-traffic house will finally depend on the appearance you're going for, your finances, and your family situation. These factors are unique to you, and so there's no one-size-fits-all solution.

For this reason, it is important to consult with seasoned professionals. The expert artisans in Oshkosh Designs will work with you to think of the perfect floor design for your space. Call us today -- we would like to hear about your fantasy flooring, your kids, and your pets!

Tips for Water Damaged Wood Floors

Perhaps a water main broke on your construction; or maybe your"little helper" got a bit crazy one day doing the dishes. In any circumstance, you confront water-damaged wood floors, and you want a solution ASAP.

Wood flooring and hardwood flooring can last decades, even if properly handled. But repairing a hardwood floor that has been damaged by water saturation requires timeliness, care, and a systematic strategy.

1. First off, sop up the water and moisture instantly. You can use a loofah, a fabric, a towel, etc.. The longer the water stays on the timber and soaks it, the more harm it may cause.

2. Based upon the size of the drip, you may have to use huge fans and/or dehumidifiers or call a professional hardwood floor cleaning and repair service.

3. Be cautious about what solutions you use to wash the floor. Some detergents and cleaning chemicals can etch into the timber, discolor it, or cause other costly issues.

4. Once the damage was done, find the source of the water spill/leak and then fix the root problem. You wish to put in systems to prevent damage from recurring. [Many homeowners fail this step!] When a pipe burst in the walls, make sure that that pipe gets repaired, and then determine what caused it to burst at the first position and fix THAT problem. If your child"did the dishes" if you were folding laundryand he soaked the flooring, instruct your toddler better principles of water management and security.

5. Finally, know your limits. It's true that you can rent powerful dehumidifiers and try to sand, buff and refinish your floors on your own. But doing all of that work could be costly and dangerous, not to mention time-consuming.

Contact  Hardwood Floor Professionals Today

Respect the worth of your time and sanity. For help doing the repair job the right way -- to minimize damage and maximize the long-term beauty/utility of your floors -- call the North Kingston Floor Sanding Staff at now for a free estimate at 020 3151 1470. We are devoted to hardwood floors installation and repairs, which means you can quickly proceed from the mess with much better looking flooring than you had before the water damage!

2020 Top 5 Interior Design Trends

As a new year starts we produce fresh resolutions, establish new objectives, and naturally, find new tendencies. While our private lives might need sterile, the jobs we're designing deserve the exact same type of focus. Infusing your distances with what is en vogue can be complicated, however in 2020 we have got you covered.

Get a head start on your New Year's jobs together with the best 5 interior design trends which is going to be inside this year. Bonus, best styles for wood floors in 2020!

DECO LUXE -- UNDERSTATED GLAM

This high feel and exotic fashion was gaining popularity the past many decades but is due to peak in 2020. An art deco resurrection with textured walls and heavily veined rock is extremely lavish but with restraint. With European and Japanese influence, Deco Luxe is elegant and speaks to high course.

To design with timber, it has dark spots with high gloss, such as Nydree's Maple Ebony Hardwood or Pristine Ravenwood.

TRIBAL BEAT -- GLOBAL TREASURES

The tribal design has been an inspiration in the world of interiors, bringing with it powerful patterns, natural design components, and interesting art. Frequently tribal insides enjoy sexy tones but the 2020 modern tribal fashion requires another way. Taking the textures and substances typically found in tribal design but with a trendy monochrome treatment and geometric shapes. It also has more of inspiration vs correct appropriation from the layout using a major emphasis on natural materials and textures.

Pair this design with light woods, whitewashed with raw edges, such as Nydree's Maverick Blue Ridge or Plainsawn White Oak Slightly Blue.

FLEMISH SOUL -- DARK INKY MOOD

Dutch-style insides strike a gorgeous balance between traditional and contemporary. More polished than Shabby Chic and much more sophisticated than Swedish Style, Belgian-inspired spaces have a controlled elegance that combines white lace, silk, and velvet but using inky colours and dark wood -- contemporary aesthetic to create a straightforward and spare yet cozy and comfortable space. Gaining inspiration from the Dutch Masters -- Van Gogh, Rembrandt, and Vermeer -- Flemish design emulates a study of dark and light with wood, leather, and metals which age well.

With bright colours and patterns with Nostalgia layout, hardwood floors is a necessary organic layer every millennial will chat about. Choose Rift & Quartered White Oak Centennial or Plainsawn White Oak for a foundation that Is Only Going to raise the layout.

Protecting Your Wood Floor From Everyday Wear and Tear

There's nothing more irritating than installing a beautiful, new wooden floor, just to discover that it has become damaged either by injury or through general wear and tear. So what do you do to secure your hardwood flooring from every day wear and tear?

Here are our Best Tips:

Doormats. Investing in quality doormats is a great way of preventing scuffs, scratches and general wear and tear on the floor. Ideally you should plan to have an outdoor doormat that is tough enough to lift off the worst of the muck and grime we pick up on our sneakers day-in and day-out. Thereafter, ideally you should target for a large, soft doormat interior of your hallway that will be certain shoes are basically dry until they hit your timber flooring. If you can, aim to have a doormat that's long, so that if people don't stop to wipe their feet, then the natural action of walking round the mat will lift a fantastic amount of the rest of the debris which may play havoc with your flooring. Alternatively, if you're really rigorous or courageous, you could of course make your home a shoe-free zone!

Rugs. Cabinets do not only add color and appeal to your inside; they behave as a fantastic way of guarding your hardwood flooring. Opt for the highest quality carpets your budget will allow and be certain that you pick a rug that does not have a rubberized backing since rubber will permeate your flooring and prevent it from being able to breathe. Choose natural materials and should needs be use anti slide strips or patches into the under side of the carpet to prevent it slipping in your flooring.

Pets. Antiques can play havoc with timber flooring if they are not managed properly. Making sure your pet's claws are often clipped and they're dried off before coming to the home are two simple actions which will keep your hardwood flooring protected on an everyday basis. Making sure that any small"accidents" are cleaned up immediately will help prevent the risk of deep down stains.

Floor protectors for furnishings.Most furnishing that comes into contact with your hardwood flooring has the capability to cause damage. To be able to stop dents, chips and breaks on your flooring caused by furnishings, it is important to use furniture protectors wherever you can. Furniture protectors come in a range of options and cost very little. Choose from self-adhesive felt-pad options or cups, whichever matches your particular items of furniture best of all.

Ongoing maintenance. One of the big attractions of timber flooring is how easy it's to keep . On a continuous basis, a quick run round with a vacuum cleaner and a mild mop will do just fine. What is more, unless the floor is really grubby, you need to be able to eliminate mopping with just water and you won't even need detergent.

These are just a few of the ways that you may help lengthen the life span of your wood floor as well as keeping it looking great for longer. Like many things in life, when it comes to wood flooring, avoidance isn't just simpler, but more powerful than cure, so it really is well worth making the effort.

Should I choose pre-finished or unfinished wood flooring?

Whether you pick pre-finished or unfinished hardwood floors will depend on your personal preference. All types of wooden flooring have to be protected from moisture, stains, water and daily wear and tear. Both are great options; it only depends if it's possible to locate a pre-finished flooring which you enjoy the appearance of. If not, then a bare hardwood flooring is versatile and lets you create a unique looking floor.

What is unfinished hardwood flooring

An unfinished wooden floor is the raw wooden flooring plank. You'd install your bare hardwood then add layers of oil to protect it. With a bare floor you also have the chance to add a colour stain. This will help to accomplish the colour and style of flooring that actually suits your room.

An unfinished flooring has to be protected before it is walked and used.

What is pre-finished hardwood Floors

A pre-finished floor has had the protective surface layers included. Consequently, it takes less time to put in since it has already been stained and sealed. Even though the flooring has been pre-finished, there's still a broad selection of different timber species, plank dimensions, color stains and surface finishes to select from.

A pre-finished floor can be utilized whenever the installation process is complete.

Pre-finished or unfinished hardwood floors?

Unfinished floors are usually more time consuming, however they do supply a unique appearance.
Pre-finished floors can be expensive. But, installation costs are usually significantly less.
It's possible to add a color blot to bare floors. This is a great idea if you can't locate the precise color floor you desire.
A pre-finished floor can be used straight away.
Both types of floor can be sanded and refinished numerous times to freshen up their physical appearance.