The most significant deterrent to installing a hardwood floor is hardwood’s sensitivity to moisture. Even with today’s vastly improved finishes and moisture-barriers, heavy moisture is still a concern. Hardwood can absorb moisture from the top, bottom, sides and all the cracks in between. Spilled water, subfloors with condensation, wet basements, broken pipes, weather, and household temperature changes all contribute to the wear and longevity of a hardwood floor.

Typically, Chicago Hardwood Floor Installers advise against installing a wood floor in a bathroom or basement, but flooring specialists and interior designers will tell you that with the right moisture protection, preventative action, maintenance and materials, it is possible to have a hardwood floor or a laminate wood floor in a bathroom or basement. However, it requires a substantial amount of added labor and materials, and can quickly become prohibitively expensive.

In homes exposed to weather fluctuations that keep the house thermostat on a seesaw, you’ll need to control the home’s humidity level to manage the natural expansion and contraction of hardwood floors. Humidity can usually be controlled with a humidifier. Without control of the home’s humidity, hardwood floors will gap, crown and even cave in if they are left alone in a wet, humid environment with erratic temperature changes and moisture levels.

Despite hardwood flooring’s sensitivity to moisture, the pros of hardwood floors tend to surpass those of alternate flooring choices. Financially, hardwood floors increase the value of a home, and add to its structural integrity. If properly cared for they can last the lifetime of a home. But these advantages are reflected in the retail prices of hardwood floors. Hardwood floors are more expensive than many other flooring choices.

Chicago Cleaning Services said that hardwood floors are reasonably easy to maintain, and are far easier to care for than carpets. If dents, scratches and stains become unsightly over the years, sanding and refinishing is all it takes to rejuvenate the floor. Hardwood floors also provide more comfort to the feet compared to vinyl, ceramic and stone. Many kitchen connoisseurs remodel their kitchens with hardwood floors exactly for that trait.

Hardware floors are incredibly versatile in interior design, and can fit into almost any period, and in any room. The colors, grains, finishes, and styles of hardwood floors can make a room light and airy or cozy and comfortable. Hardwood floors can make a statement in one room, show off furniture in another room, or pull a subtle transition through multiple rooms. Hardwood flooring can turn a room into a rustic retreat, or it can create a room for elegant and engaging dining and entertainment. There is no other flooring that fits into as many interior design plans as hardware flooring. This versatility lets hardwood floors easily conform to furniture, décor and design changes that incur over the years. For young families and growing families, hardwood floors can grow and change with the lifestyles of the home.

If you are leaning towards hardwood flooring, your two biggest concerns will be moisture exposure and the price of hardwood. You can be confident that a hardwood floor will improve your home, fit in with your interior design, give you a return on your investment, and grow with your family. A homeowner’s flooring decision is based on individual needs and preferences. Most homeowners will find that a hardwood floor is versatile enough to meet their needs, and the pros of a hardwood floor far outweigh the cons.

The article provided by Chicago Cleaning Services company and Hardwood Floor Chicago.

Those of you who would like to know what they are walking on should devote your free time to learning more about types, styles and colors of the wood floor. Before you go the hardwood flooring store, you should do research, find some information to be able to ask tricky, sophisticated questions. Talk to your friends and neighbors. Listen for personal experiences like how long ago their floor was installed, how it looks like today, what was the biggest issue (if any) with the wood floor.

You are in the store and the first thing to do is to ask for the wood floor expert. He/she is unavailable. Come back when someone knowledgeable will show up. Be prepare to explain what your wood floor goal is, for instance you have a small open kitchen or you want to replace the carpet in the bedroom. You may tell your friend’s stories about damages, scratches and color changes and ask what could be the reasons. Also you may want to ask if they can recommend the reliable wood contractors.
Remember he/she is only a salesperson and their job is to sell the products to their customers.

There are two options to start the new wood floor project. Call on the professional installers and let them do everything from the purchase and delivery to installation and finishing. Or do a research of hardwood flooring dealers, stores in your neighborhood, and check what they offer, what they recommend and how much it can cost you. Be aware that specialized contractors may give you higher price for materials and delivery.

During a visit in the flooring stores, you may be confused of what they can offer. There are hundreds of types, styles and colors to choose from. They have different features and functions depending on your needs and preferences. You may ask the experts what is best for your climate intend to use, whether it will in the living room or kitchen.

Here are some hints of what you should do before the installation process:

Dealers and the wood floor experts

Installers and wood contractors

Type of wood

Finish

Cost

Do-it-yourself

Most installers or manufactures may recommend you to use … nothing. If the finish on the floors in good condition, it does not need any special oils and waxes. One of the worst choice is to use a vegetable soap for instance “an oil soap”. It can buildup and cause a damage when it is time to put a new coat of finish on the floor. If you really need to impress visitors and have a shiny floor before they come, remember to pick a neutral pH cleaner.

A friend of mine, who is the owner of Hardwood Flooring Chicago company, told me that he receives many calls from the clients regarding the white or dark spot on the wood floor. They ask how it can be removed or cleaned. Very often the only way to restore the floor to the previous condition is to refinish the whole hardwood floor ( sand and varnish it ). That could cost a lot of money so my recommendation is to keep an eye open, especially if you have the kids. The wiping not only save your floor but it can save someone from falling.

The sun can accelerate the damage process so if you leave spills of the chemical on the floor and let sun rays to accompany them, the unwanted effect will occur much quicker.

The sun itself doesn’t cause any significant problems. Maybe couple what should be mentioned. Some older varnishes and other finishes can yellow in the long time of period. The darker wood attracts more heat in the sunny days. It warm up the floor what is also impropriated.

Since a contact with water is necessary in some cases, sand, grit and foreign matter become the number one enemy of the hardwood floor. Getting into the habit of sweeping leads to the best prevention, but who has time for this?

The easier way to protect your floor is to stop dirt from shoes coming into your building entrances. You need to buy a good mat to keep the damaging grit off your floor. The best solution is to put a tough, aggressive mat on the outside of the entry ( it will get the heavier mud, soil, grass, etc.) and an olefin or nylon mat inside (it is softer and it is designed to capture dirt and dust your shoes as you enter).

The degree to which we can use water depends on the integrity of the finish. If our floor is protected properly and well-sealed, we could build a swimming pool on it. On a well-finished floor dampness never touches the wood so when we mop the floor with cleaning solutions and water, we clean the finish, not the wood itself. But we never know if our floor doesn’t have small gaps where water can be absorbed by the wood.

The hardwood floor like anything else, gets dirty, need to be cleaned. Every time when we have to wash it, we should reduce the amount of water on the floor be squeezing the mop to remove the excess moisture, and also use it very quickly.

First of all you should talk to the floor installers what his advice is to last a lifetime of use and if they can explain the do’s and don’ts from their experience. That may be a test whether you hire a professional team with enough knowledge of the wood floor. beyond that, here is a checklist, more information on hardwood floor than most contractors even know, let alone pass on their clients:

High heels

True grit-sand and soil

Water

Dropping Dings

Spills

Furniture 

Sun

Vacuums

Mats and Rugs

Harsh Cleaners and other concoctions

Buildup