Do you know how many types of hardwood floor and what causes their damages? Understanding the causes of damages will lead you to the best repairing methods instead of replacing the whole hardwood floor with very high cost.
Nowadays, many homeowners prefer hardwood floor because of the luxury, warmth, and durability of this product. However, hardwood floor, like other products, will be damaged after long periods of use. Before deciding to replace and repair floors, you should consider some repairing tips below.
One of the most popular types of wood used in producing wood floor is Brazilian cherry. As the common name implies, Brazilian cherry lives in the rainforest of Brazil and typically grow 100 – 130 feet high. This wood is red or salmon and often has dark-colored stripes. Brazilian cherry is an excellent choice for flooring as it is extremely hard (with a Janka hardwood rating of 2350) and durable.
Another common wood used for flooring is Red oak. Not as hard as Brazilian cherry, Red oak, meanwhile, have high color fastness. Red oak hardwood flooring often has wavy or zigzag wide line patterns which are helpful in hiding dirt and wear.
Tigerwood, on the other hand, is the best choice for people who love highlights because of the contrast between its reddish-brown and dark brown streaks.
Warping is also common. After a period of time, the wood is often soaked in water or dilated resulting in warping. In addition, many hardwood floors do not have candle wax overlay, so the floor does not have the smoothness required and the ability to resist moisture.
Blistered on the floor will create gaps between the underside of the floor and the underlying surface and lead to sounding when trodden.
Beside the repair install hardwood floor cost, how to repair hardwood flooring is another popular topic. The choice of treatment depends on the type of hardwood floor you use and the extent of damages.
For cleaning stains or removing scratches, first make sure the surface of the wood is cleaned with an abrasive hardwood cleaning agent. Then depending on the severity of the scratch, you can use steel wool or even lightweight sandpaper to scrub it. After finishing the cleaning, you should sand the floor again to smooth the surface.
If you are dealing with the wood floor that makes noise when you walk in its surface, first determine the area needs to be repaid. Then, pour chalk powder around the opening of the broken wood and use a brush to scrape until powders fill the gaps of the wood.
Powder of chalk can reduce the friction between the wood boards and make the creaking of the jam disappear immediately. With the powder remaining on the floor, use a damp cloth to clean, absolutely do not use a vacuum cleaner.
You can also repair the blistered floor by removing the swollen part of the floor, whittling the expanded part down then place it back. If your hardwood floor is too badly damaged, we suggest that you should hire a professional installer.
The cost of replacing the entire floor can be high compared to DIY measures, but it will yield better results than repairing many of the severely damaged parts.
Choosing the right repair methods will depend on the level of damage to your hardwood floor as well as the cost and effort you can spend. Besides, remember that hardwood flooring needs to be treated well to avoid serious damages and extend its life.