Anything is possible
Rhombus pattern parquet? Hand-distressed wide plank hickory pecan? Bamboo on a diagonal? Purple stain and matte finish? All possible, and we love a challenge. Although each project is unique, each also shares the benefit of a tried and true process, enabling us to maintain consistency and offer a clear, well-defined plan. Educating our customers on the process, as well as outlining, helps us to meet your expectations.

^ back to top

 
Demo, Carpet Removal & Leveling
If requested, we will remove the existing flooring prior to the installation or refinish of hardwood. We can remove carpet, tile, linoleum, or existing wood. Because we cannot determine the condition of the sub floor prior to demolition, or the existing hardwood prior to carpet removal, we will always include a budget for possible repairs. Whereas we cannot be exact, this eliminates a potentially large "surprise" upcharge.

Leveling of the sub floor is crucial to the final outcome of your project. Leveling involves correction of concrete slabs or gypcrete, and occasionally a joist floor that has settled due to structural reasons.

^ back to top

 
Sub floor and Substrates
Several types of sub floors and substrates are available, including moisture and sound reduction barriers. In most cases, we can install directly over your existing sub floor. We will recommend or specify which substrates are appropriate for your project.

^ back to top

 
Acclimation of Hardwood (installation projects)
Acclimatizing the hardwood is a crucial step in insuring success. Acclimation allows the moisture content of the wood to adjust to the "normal living conditions" of the site - that is, the humidity and temperature conditions that will typically be maintained by you or your client. In most cases, we like to allow two weeks for acclimation. The hardwood must be stored inside, and the heat must be turned on and set as you would normally keep it. Refer to our Jobsite Checklist for other conditions that need to be met. Prior to installation, we will perform a moisture test of the wood and the sub floor to insure the conditions are acceptable. If the moisture content is unacceptable (too high), the job may be delayed. Insufficient acclimation could result in wood moving after installation and finishing.

Beware! If the thermostat is set at 68 degrees during the job process, and you normally keep the heat at 75 degrees, your floors will dry out excessively and crown. "Cranking" the heat, or shutting the heat off seasonally will also adversely affect hardwood.

^ back to top

 
Installation of Hardwood
The quality of the finished product depends on the installation and finishing processes. We install hardwood according to industry standards, and in many cases exceed those standards. We normally budget between 10% and 15% additional hardwood, to eliminate unsightly, and excessive short boards. The industry standard is between 5% and 7%. Depending on the type of substructure, we may glue and/or nail hardwood to an existing or newly-installed sub floor. Floors may also be floated, in some cases. In each instance, we use time proven methods, whether it is tongue and groove or top-nailed wood. We have developed our own techniques to achieve results that are typically thought to be impossible, such as very wide boards over radiant heat. Expect from 100 to 400 square feet of wood installation per day. The amount of time depends on the complexity of the installation (patterns, borders, curves, etc.), and size of the rooms. During the installation process, the heat must be maintained as described above to acclimation info above.

^ back to top

 
Repairs and Patching
Any time there is an area of the floor where general sanding will not correct the problem, boards can be spot-sanded and finished without refinishing the entire room. In some cases, damaged boards will need to be pulled and replaced with new wood - patching. When we spot-repair an area, we recommend a refurbish - one coat of finish - to match the sheen. The spot-repaired area will initially appear lighter, but will blend over time as the finish ambers (darkens & yellows). When we spot-repair or patch, our primary concern is to blend the old and new wood. Adjacent courses (boards) will need to be sanded or replaced to facilitate this. Whereas we do not guarantee an exact color or sheen match, Tree Lovers is known for exceptional repair work.

^ back to top

 
Sanding - Refinish or Refurbish?
A refinish is done in cases where the floor shows extensive damage and needs help. A refurbish is done in cases where the floor is in good condition, and the top coat has been worn down unevenly over time so that another coat is needed for protection and to bring back the luster of a new floor. In either case we are addressing the surface of your floor. Refurbishing the floor involves determining the type of finish, i.e. waterbased, oil, lacquer, wax or another foreign substance to determine adhesive properties then preparing the floor by renovating to remove foreign substances, then hand-sanding or screening and the application of one coat of finish. Refinishing will involve machine sanding down to bare wood. Often refinishing also becomes an opportunity to re-stain your floors, either to their original color or something brand new! In all cases, the sanding process is crucial to how the wood takes the stain and finish. Up-to-date equipment and world-class knowledge pair up to achieve the quality of finishes Tree Lovers is known for. Add custom stain color and processes to give your floors an unmatchable, unique look.

A typical project of 200 to 1,000 square feet will take 5 - 8 days for refinish, and 2 days for refurbish. We take 2 days to complete last coat. First we prepare the floor and clean the site, leaving it overnight for ambient dust to settle. On the second day we apply the finish after we clean the site one more time. We also inspect our job for quality control prior turning the job back over to the customer.

^ back to top

 


  

© Copyright 2005 Tree Lovers

info@treeloversfloors.com