Issue 28.12
Nothing says “Clean House” like shiny floors. What if your wood floor just won’t shine? It’s time to refinish or renew your floor. That’s a scary thought….mass evacuation, chemical odors, empty the house of everything and everyone, cover every piece of furniture, dust in every crack, corner and crevice, etc.. The thought of a large, aggressive, allergy inducing, dust churning machine bouncing off the walls and cabinets is enough to motivate even the most clean of people to deal with a dingy, dull floor for years past it’s shine. There are better ways.
First determine what you want or need. Your final expectation and goal will determine what options you can explore. Two options apply to floors:
Refinishing: Completely remove existing finish by sanding and stripping, new color, new finish applied.
Renewal: prep existing finish, touch up worn spots and scratches, new finish applied on top of existing finish.
Here are some concerns and their solutions so you can make an educated decision about having your floors refinished or renewed.
Dust:
“Sandless and Dustless” are two common terms used to sell you on cleanliness of refinishing or renewing your Floor. Let’s break these down.
Sandless: In a Nutshell-No Sanders used.
Pros:
*No dust. Sandless uses a water based, non hazardous wash and abrasive process to prepare existing surfaces to except new finish. This does not remove existing finish and removing the finish is not necessary. This process keeps the air and furniture cleaner.
*Engineered Wood Floors. This is the best method for engineered wood floors. These are the most common wood floors installed today. A sander may sand through the thin top layer of wood and reveal a plywood core.
*Scraped and Distressed Floors. These floors are extremely popular and generally more expensive. You cannot sand these floors or you will sand out the scrape marks and distressing, thus losing the look of the floor. Sandless is the only option for these floors.
*Time Saver. It’s much faster than sanding.
Cons:
*Can’t Change Floor Color. Sandless does not remove existing finish on your floor. Sandless prepares your floor to receive a new finish and shine. If you want a new color on your floor, you must sand.
*Does Not Remove Scratches in the Wood. Scratches in the wood need to be sanded to be removed. Scratches can be filled and colored to conceal them.
Dustless: In a Nutshell- A vacuum and/or bag are attached to a sander to collect dust.
Pros:
*Cleaner Than Just Sanding. This is the cleanest way to completely sand a floor to raw wood, remove color, scratches, and extreme wear.
Cons:
*Dust. There is no way to contain all the dust being generated by sanding. So even though a vacuum and/or bags are used, there will still be some dust.
*Not Recommended on Engineered and Distressed Floors. There is a possibility the sander may sand through the wood layer and distressed accents.
Fumes and Finish:
We recommend using a water based finish. Water based products are inherently less toxic, less odor, and deliver a long lasting durable finish. Water based poly urethanes are the “Cream of the Crop”, and are used in commercial applications as well as residential. These finishes dry quickly, you can walk on your floor the same day, and sleep in the room that night.
Where does all of this information leave you? N-Hance can repair or disguise much of the damaged areas and restore the original life and luster to your floors without sanding. If your option is sandless, contact Nhance at 435-669-7080 for a free consultation. You can also visit our showroom in Saint George at 595 N. 1300 E., M-F, 8-5.
N-Hance, with over 150 franchises across the United States, provides a system for renewing a variety of woods used for floor and cabinetry. From San Francisco to New Jersey, homeowners are enjoying an alternative for replacing worn floors and kitchen cabinets.
Your local N-Hance serves Washington and Iron County. They can be reached at (435) 669-7080 or renewmywood@gmail.com. More information about the N-Hance process can be found at www.nhance.com/sgutah