Hardwood Flooring Installation
Solid hardwood and engineered woods can be installed in one or two days, but for unfinished hardwoods the finishing process can take up to a week.
During the installation process, the floor can be walked on, but expect some dust and noise. We will help you with general dust protection, hanging plastic from major openings to the area we are working in.
After the completion of the floor installation, we use a wood filler to fill in any cracks or gaps in the wood. Following this process, the wood needs to sit at least one week to acclimate to the humidity or moisture levels in your home. However, you can walk on the floors during this time.
We sand your floors down to a uniform level, and dust and noise are created during this part of the installation process. You can't walk on the floors until the finish process is completed. If you are considering a "refinish" to your existing hardwood floors, this is where we begin working with you.
Staining
After the sanding is completed, the floor is vacuumed and ready to be stained if a stain or color is to be applied. We can provide you with several color samples to choose from, and stain selection will be done on the newly sanded floor while you watch and approve the stain color. Remember, lighting and wall color sometimes affect the stain color.
Finishing
After the stain is applied or if the floor is to be natural (with no stain or added color), the first coat of finish is applied. Most floors are finished with an oil-based polyurethane finish and a very durable finish. Slaughterbeck Floors applies three coats of finish, and between each coat, we "screen" the floor and inspect it for any cracks and fix them. Humidity and other moisture factors will affect drying time, however usually we do a coat a day. Base and trim are usually installed between the second and third coats of finish. Other types of finishes are water-based and Swedish, also known as conversion-varnish finishes.
Curing
After 24 hours, you can walk on your new floor in stocking feet only. After 72 hours, you can walk on the floor in soft-soled shoes. At this time, you can begin to put furniture in place, but do not drag it on the new floor. Curing is usually complete after 30 days, then you can put area rugs down on the floor.
Recoats
A recoat is a new coat of finish applied to the floor without sanding down to the raw wood. It is a way to restore the floor's "luster". Your floor will not accept a "recoat" if there is any oil or wax residue on the floor. This is important to remember if you wish to consider future "recoats". Each homeowner is responsible for his or her own floor's acceptance of a "recoat"
