StewartFloor Blog

EPA LEAD PAINT RULE ENFORCEMENT DELAYED

The Environmental Protection Agency announced on June 18 that it would delay enforcement of its Lead Renovation, Repair and Painting rule. The rule went into effect on April 22, but the EPA will delay enforcement of the rule until this fall, which will provide wood flooring contractors, and the companies they work for, with more time to become certified in lead-safe removal practices as required by the EPA.

The new law requires contractors working in homes or child-occupied facilities (schools, daycares, etc.) built before 1978 to become certified in lead-safe work practices by attending an EPA-accredited training program. Contractors now have until September 30 to register to become certified, and firms have until October 1. Contractors must complete their certification training by December 31. During this interim period, all contractors and firms must continue to implement lead-safe work practices. For more information, visit the EPA’s web site at www.epa.gov/lead/pubs/renovation.htm.

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Are you thinking about making a sophisticated interior change by purchasing new wood floors?  There are many wonderful reasons to choose an exotic wood floor, one of the primary reasons is to have the color of floor you want and without a stain.  Color through and through will always provide more visual depth than a stained product, no matter how beautiful the stain is.  Additionally, what happens when your floor inevitably gets scratched?  All of our floors are created by nature and we do not stain them.  Visually it is much better to have the same color of wood underneath the finish that is on the top surface.

We are happy to answer any questions you have regarding a wood flooring purchase whether it be based on design or technical attributes.  Happy Shopping!

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Are you doing a remodel of a room or perhaps your entire residence?  Are you planning to install new wood floors and perhaps doing some painting?

Something you want to be aware of and one of the most common mistakes made, you should not or your builder should not be painting a room or the entire house after your wood floors are installed.  Don’t forget that wood is hygroscopic.  What does hygroscopic mean?  It means that wood adjusts to the environment it is exposed to, paint represents moisture, moisture and wood do not go together!  This is a very common mistake made in new construction, not to mention that you must avoid getting paint on your floors by adequately covering them up.  All of the moisture from the paint is going to be absorbed within the room.  Please do yourself a favor and protect your wood floor investment, painting should be done before the installation of a new wood floor NOT beforehand.

One cannot recommend enough the use of a hygrometer to measure relative humidity.  As a general statement a room or home with wood flooring should be kept at 40-60% relative humidity at all times.  If a room is to dry it will cause shrinkage and gaps or in severe dryness, surface checking or cracks on the face of the flooring.  If the moisture is too high, cupping of the floor can occur as well as other moisture related issues.

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Shopping for a new wood floor?  Are you dreaming about that gorgeous American Cherry or Walnut floor which matches your kitchen cabinets or bedroom ensemble?

Something often overlooked in this choice is the wood flooring species and durability.  An educated consumer needs to consider the hardness of the species they are considering.  Do you like the species because of the grain or because of the color?  Generally speaking, we choose a floor because of color and not because of a species particular grain pattern.  If this is the case for you, please do your homework and analyze your own lifestyle.

American Cherry and Walnut are very prestigious hardwoods and we certainly have an affection for them in North America, but they are very soft.  This fact doesn’t so much matter for the dining room table or for your bedroom, but when you are walking on it, it makes all the difference in the world.  All woods dent due to their cell structure.  Denting occurs when this cell structure is crushed.  Consider this fact, a 125-pound woman walking in high heels has an impact of 2,000 pounds per square inch.  An exposed heel nail can exert up to 8,000 pounds per square inch.  These types of impact will dent any floor surface.

Analyzing your lifestyle and household when making a flooring choice will help assure your longterm satisfaction.  Expectations are everything, so arm yourself with the facts in order to make the best decision for you.

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Species of wood are as unique as individuals. It’s important when choosing a new wood floor to consider your climate and how one species behaves in your climate compared to another species. Wood is hygroscopic, and this means it adapts to the environment it is in. Some species are more stable than others which means they move less in service.

During the winter months with the heater on to maintain a pleasant environment, wood will shrink, and this is what creates the “gaps” you commonly see in the floor. There is nothing wrong with the floor and it is not defective, it’s simply shrinking due to the dryness in the air or low relative humidity. A humidifier is highly recommended for winter months. In the summer months, more humidity means the wood swells again and gaps typically close up. Depending where you live, a dehumidifier may be necessary in the summer months.  Some woods shrink less than others and are more stable than others; if this is a critical point for you, then comparing species stability should be on your list of considerations in selecting the right species of hardwood for your new floor.

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Don’t be fooled!  If you are shopping for wood flooring, don’t be fooled by a salesperson discussing the number of coats of finish as a comparison of the durability of one flooring product over another.  This has become one of the greatest and most confusing myths in the wood flooring business.  This floor has 7 coats, this one has 15 coats, it doesn’t matter how many coats.

Flooring finishes must be optimized for hardness and flexibility.  All urethane aluminum oxide finishes have to put x amount of grams of aluminum oxide per square meter(10.764 square feet) of flooring.  Different finish manufacturers use different methods as well as some manufacturers develop more proprietary finishes with the assistance of the coating manufacturers.  When it comes to the practical points of a finish, keep in mind gloss levels and textured surfaces have much more to do with how a floor will look over time than the number of coats of finish.  The higher the gloss level, the more wear and tear will show.  A textured finish such as an open pore/brushed finish or a handscraped surface will show less wear.  The reality is that although aluminum oxide makes for a low maintenance and durable finish, it will still scratch.  Some finishes are better formulated and refined than others, but this has no relationship to the number of coats.

Don’t be fooled and fall for this misleading and uninformed information.

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“Good Things” to keep in mind when considering your new wood floor purchase from an internet source:

• It’s relatively inexpensive to start a business and launch a website
• It costs very little to offer products for sale on a website
• Does the website you are considering to purchase your new floor from actually own an inventory or simply offer manufacturers products for sale?  This is unfortunately very often the case which means the site is purchasing flooring from an importer or distributor.
• Does the website company have any influence or control over the quality control of the flooring production?  This is a key element in protecting yourself.  If a company has no investment in inventory and no control over the quality of the product they are selling this is a red flag.
• We own all the flooring we sell.  The difference?  We are completely invested in the process from start to finish.  We have exclusive relationships with manufacturers in Brazil, Paraguay & Peru.  We inspect everything we purchase and offer for sale.  Although we currently do not have a storefront, we maintain a half million dollar investment in Exotic Wood Flooring between our 4 warehouses.
• We are specialists!  We are available to answer any and all of the questions you may have and help you navigate between fact and fiction in the world of exotic wood flooring.
• As the old adage goes, “if it sounds to good to be true, it probably is.”  We have 13 years experience in brazilian hardwood flooring.  We are here to help educate you so that you can make a sound buying decision and one made with confidence.
  

  Stewartfloor flooring being prefinished in Paraguay

  

  Stewartfloor Brazilian Cherry Flooring being inspected on grading table in Brazil

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Routine Wood Flooring Maintenance

With today’s highly advanced coating technology used in wood flooring stains and finishes, caring for your wood floors has never been easier. Regular maintenance requires little more than sweeping with a soft bristle broom, and vacuuming with a soft floor attachment. You also should clean your floors periodically with a professional wood floor cleaning product such as Bona or Loba floor care. There are other acceptable cleaners, just make sure if you have a polyurethane aluminum oxide finished floor, you use a cleaner which is approved for this finish.
Preventive Maintenance

The following are additional steps which should be put into your routine maintenance plan and to extend the life of your beautiful wood floors.

1. Do not use sheet vinyl or tile floor care products on wood floors. Self-polishing acrylic waxes cause wood to become slippery and appear dull quickly.
2. Walk off areas are essential. Use throw rugs both inside and outside doorways to help prevent grit, dirt and other debris from being tracked onto your wood floors. This will help prevent scratching.
3. Do not wet-mop a wood floor. Standing water can dull the finish, damage the wood and leave a discoloring residue.
4. Wipe up spills immediately with a slightly dampened towel.
5. Put soft plastic or fabric-faced glides under the legs of furniture to prevent scuffing and scratching.
6. Avoid walking on your wood floors with cleats, sports shoes and high heels. A 125-pound woman walking in high heels has an impact of 2,000 pounds per square inch. An exposed heel nail can exert up to 8,000 pounds per square inch. This kind of impact can dent any floor surface.
7. When moving heavy furniture, do not slide it on wood flooring. It is best to pick up the furniture completely to protect the wood flooring.
8. For wood flooring in the kitchen, place an area rug in front of the kitchen sink. This is a high traffic spot.
9. Use a humidifier throughout the winter months to keep wood movement and shrinkage to a minimum. Maintaining relative humidity throughout the year to 35-55% is recommended as excessively low or high relative humidity can have negative consequences.

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High Gloss Brazilian Walnut Flooring - Shows light reflectivity

If you’ve been shopping for a new wood floor lately, I bet you have heard about wood flooring gloss or sheen levels.  Let me help you understand this concept better.  Gloss is an optical term that describes the ability of a surface to reflect light.  The higher the gloss level, the more it directly reflects light.  The lower the gloss level, the surface absorbs and diffuses the light sources.  This is normally measured at a 60 degree angle which is equivalent to looking at the surface while standing up.

As a homeowner or commercial property manager it is key to understand what this means.  The higher a gloss level, the more wear and tear will show.  Think of a piano finish(high gloss)…..it shows everything!  The lower gloss level shows less wear and tear and depending on the gloss level will actually bring out more of the naturalness of your wood floor.  It seems crazy that we buy wood floors because they are a natural product and than we put a plastic derived finish on top of them which takes away from this natural surface.  The great news is that there are many options on the market to consider what is the right choice for you.

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Looking for a unique and exotic wood floor?  Tigerwood Flooring has a wild side with expressive graining like that of a brushstroke from a master painter.  This flooring is equally at home in a contemporary or traditional space. The initial orangey hues will soften to an orangey brown with exposure to natural light.  This species truly ages gracefully.  Please call today if we can answer any questions for you regarding this exceptional species.

Tigerwood Flooring

Tigerwood Flooring

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