What to look for when purchasing a
home with wood floors. Revealing old wood floors under carpet, tile, and
other floor coverings can expose many concerns when trying to revive
them.
If under carpet, pull back
the corners in each room, check for squeaks, loose boards, any movement
in floor boards. When was the floors last refinished? What type of
finish is on the floor now ? What condition are they in, ie. - do they
need some attention, refinishing, re-coating, re-waxing ? Look for pet
and plant stains (dark areas in spots on the floor-see below). For
the most part, pet stains can be assumed if there is an odor from the
soiled carpet. Most do not sand out. Wood replacement then refinishing
will give best results. If the seller does not want the floor inspected
before closing, make sure there is a clause in the contract to spell out
who will be responsible for repairs and refinishing. There nothing more
disheartening than to know you have hardwood floors, and have unseen
damage after removing to carpets prior to move in. If the floor squeaks
(off grade-wood sub-floor), odds are they have some age on them, have
been effected by humidity (or improper carpet cleaning) thru the years
or may have been wet at one time or another (excessive squeaking), or
there may be additional underlying problems, sub-floor damage,
foundation settling ? See FAQ's & Problems, Causes and Cures.
Upon refinishing some of the squeaks will lessen due to finish
penetration in the cracks. Excessive areas may require more work such as
face nailing and filling nail holes in high problem areas. What finishes or product is on the floor now ?
If the carpet is old more than likely its a seal and wax finish. If
exposed and has worn areas with traffic patterns it maybe wax or
urethane. Get an estimate from a certified wood floor contractor to help
determine the type of finish you have. If wax has been placed on the
floor at any time prior, refinishing must occur to have wax removed, and
start with a bare , freshly sanded wood floor. Urethane will NOT adhere
to waxed floors, or floors that have been contaminated by cleaning
products and other foreign materials such as over spray of furniture
polish.
What type of finish do
you have?
Here are some simple steps to help you determine if the finish is a wax
finish, shellac or varnish finish or a surface finish. If the floor was
installed, or last serviced, before the mid '60s, you should assume the
finish used was varnish or shellac. To determine this, scratch the
surface with a coin or other sharp object in a corner or other
inconspicuous space. If the finish flakes, it is probably shellac or
varnish. Shellac and varnish are rarely used anymore and require full
sanding to remove before application of a surface finish or wax finish.
Next, check the floor for wax finish. In an inconspicuous area, corner
or behind a door, apply two(2) drops of water. If, within ten minutes,
white spots appear under the drops of water, the floor has a wax finish.
To remove the white spots, gently rub the spots with #000 steel wool
dampened with wax.
If the finish does not flake from scratching with a coin and white spots
do not appear from the drops of water, the floor has a surface finish
and should be maintained accordingly.
Refinishing
your wood floors is dusty, timely process. Make sure
enough time is scheduled for the wood floor contractor to properly do
his job, without being rushed or having other trades interfere with his
work (walking on the floors during sanding & finishing). Many wood
floor contractor have dustless sanding systems. Make sure you are made
aware of dustless or not. Refinishing should
be one of the last major projects before moving in. Paint first then
refinish. It's much easier to sand the paint of the floor that it is to
try and remove the paint off of the newly finished floor, with the trim
being touched up after refinishing is complete. What type of finish do
you want? This is very important, especially if you have wood floors in
high traffic areas. See Finish
Types and Customer
Expectations .
Area carpets & rugs
on newly finished wood floors - Most surface floor finishes
technically take some 14-30 days to "cure" completely. Thus it
is not advisable to lay area carpets over them until that time.
According to the type of finish you have (most commonly oil based,
unless non-yellowing) areas under the rugs , not exposed to the UV from
the out side, may cause a discoloration in that area. Rotating the rug,
often or removing (every 6 months) and allowing normal light to expose
that area will lessen the UV effects. Requesting a non-yellowing (oil
based) or latex (water based) finish will keep most discoloration at
bay.
Recoating/Screening - If your floors have a surface / urethane
finish, whether water or oil based (See mixing
finishes) they can be lightly sanded (screened) and re-coats
with additional coats of finish. Two is suggested for best protection.
Make sure the floor has not been waxed or contaminated with other
cleaning products unknown to you. A good wood floor contractor can help
you with that part of the guess work.
Pet, Plant & Water
stains: The general rule is "the darker, the deeper" the
water or pet mistake has penetrated deep into the wood floor. For the
most part, they will lighten slightly when sanded, and bleaching is not
a suggested course of action. Staining the floor the help camouflage the
stains, is one alternative. For sever stains, removal and board
replacement before refinishing will give best results. Make sure the
replacement boards are the same species and grade. Often if grade and
species can not be located, they can be removed from an inconspicuous
part of the floor in another part of the residence, like a closet, and
those boards can be use for repairs. Another option is to have a painted
wood floor with a design and/or patterns to fit your decor,
or use area carpets,and runners.
Removing carpet & tac
strip: Gloves should be worn at all times. Pull the carpet off the
tac strip, starting in one corner, pulling completely away from all
walls. Use a utility knife to cut the carpet into strips of 3-4 feet
wide (easy handling). CAUTION:
Make sure not to cut through to the wood floor, as these cut marks may
NOT sand out. Dispose of the carpet & pad (NOTE: Most garbage
services will NOT pickup entire rolls of carpet or padding, make sure
it's cut into pieces that can be easily loaded). Padding many times has
stuck itself to the hardwood floor. Remove as much as you can by hand,
and if needed use a 4-6" putty knife to assist with stubborn area,
always scrapping with the grain. Using a "wonder bar" ( Small
crow/prying bar) run the flat edge under the strip where the nail is
placed to the floor. Continue prying up with several prying motions.
This will remove that nail, working to your right until the strip is
removed. Don't worry about the nails holes, as they can be properly
filled during the refinishing process with a matching filler. Use
caution with the pry bar as not the damage/gouge the hardwood floor, as
the sanding may not remove those damaged areas.
Tile and/or adhesives
over hardwood: Tile removal is a time consuming task, and often can
be very frustrating, as the tile does not come off the hardwood/felt
paper very well. Hand working removal with a 4-5 inch putty knife,
scrapping with the grain when possible, removing as much as possible,
then an extra course sanding will be required to remove the remaining
adhesive residue. ALWAYS using the proper safety equipment/protection
& precautions. NOTE: This process should be done by a professional wood floor
contractor as many safety issues can arise while sanding these adhesives
off the wood floor. This SHOULD NOT be attempted by the amateur, do it
yourselfer ! Also if the tile is of an older variety, it may contain
asbestos, and proper OSHA standards for removal most likely will apply.
THE VACANT HOUSE -
"Greenhouse Effect"
Security -conscious
vacationers, a homebuilder's unsold inventory, whenever a wood floor is
deprived of an air flow in the environment, it can and will misbehave.
Sunlight through windows generates heat, lowers humidity, moisture vapor
enters to balance, nights cool off, humidity builds and wood floors cup.
Thermostats set at 60 degrees and outside, winter howls, heating system
runs constantly with no moisture added, and floors shrink. To CURE the
problem: Avoid problems by leaving windows "ajar", have
neighbor air the house out occasionally. Treat floors as discussed under
cupped, tented, or shrinkage cracks and only after environment returns
to normal. Owner to pay. The above commonly ask questions will help you
and your wood floor contractor resolve some of the everyday concerns
about wood floors. By no means is this a sure method or procedure. If
in doubt, get a second opinion. Also see FAQ's
Problems, Causes and Cures.
Remember, like may things in purchasing a home, the wood floors are a
lifetime investment. There value (a solid select grade of strip oak is
approximately $10 per sqr. ft. on today's market) add value to your home
at resale time. Keeping & maintaining those wood floors from the
start will ensure your investment is protected for years to come. ALWAYS
get an inspection and/or estimate (if they need
work) from two or three good wood floor contractors before you sign the
contract on the house !
See these Related
Pages:
Wood
Floors are Healthy for you
FAQ's
Problems, Causes and Cures
Refinishing Wood
Floors
Refinishing
Old Wood Floors
Customer
Expectations
Do's
& Don'ts
Maintenance
on your Wood Floors
Types
of Wood Floors
