WoodFlooringGuy.com

Q: I am extending a kitchen out into an addition that was built on a slab. I will need to frame the slab to raise the deck five inches to the same plane as the original kitchen. Should I lay a vapor barrier on the slab before framing? If so what should be used as [...]

Q: I have enjoyed viewing your site and thank you for the info. I have recently started to rescreen wood floors and am thinking of getting into sand and finish as well as insulation. Do you have any suggestion as to professional training I could get such as sand and finish classes as well as [...]

Q: I looked at a house with beautiful floors, except every floor (first floor and second) was high in the middle and sloped to the outer walls. Why is this? How can this be on the second floor also? Are houses built this way? The floors were beautiful otherwise. A: I couldn’t even attempt an [...]

With few exceptions: “I really couldn’t do that, because this type of work requires an apprenticeship, where a person learns through theory and practice over an extended period of time under the tutelage of a professional. This is not DIY work.” 1 “You would actually save money and your floors by hiring a professional.” 2 [...]

I recently moved into a home with hardwood floors, and although they’re in good shape they look as though they could use an extra layer of protection. I’m wondering if there is a DIY way to add a layer of protection, like polyurethane (or something better) that will still leave the floors with a nice shine but will also protect against heavy foot traffic, dogs, kids and frequently dropped things.

Please give me directions on sanding and top coating an oak floor. It’s mostly in good condition. It has been under a rug for the past 25 years.

My existing wood floor has no subfloor. To me the floor does not feel very solid. Is there anything I can do to improve my floor?

We are building a new house. We had a flaming red birch wood floor installed. They sanded it and put two coats of a water based sealer on it, 4 months ago. The house took longer to finish then expected. When they came out to put the third coat on it and replace some big gaps in the floor (due to a subfloor seam pulling apart, due to drying), we noticed white blotches all over the floor. The company that laid the floor states he has never seen nor heard of this. The rep of the company says he has never seen this before. They all say it’s a problem, but they don’t seem to have an answer except charging us more money to redo it and see what happens. What caused the white areas, and how does it get fixed?

Before I hire… Is there any way I can “tell” if the job done may be good or bad?

Our house has engineered hardwood floors, and an open stair case (no risers). We would like to install solid slabs, and add risers. What would you recommend for risers? Is solid slab engineered hardwood (for this application) available?

Right now I am dealing with a cash settlement issue to cover the damage. The contractor for the moving company claims department estimated the cost to sand & refinish approx 500 sq ft. would be roughly $600 with 3 coats of varathane-– a cost that I guessed was a low-ball. Your estimate certainly acknowledges that.

I am interested in getting hardwood flooring for the main floor of our house. This is the main walkway through the house, so durability is key. We also have a large dog! Any suggestions?

My husband and I are trying to determine our options for getting rid of the old carpets on our second floor. We have lifted the corner of the carpet in a couple of the rooms and it looks like there is plywood that was put over top of the original hardwood floors (our house is circa 1918). We don’t know what the hardwood floors are like underneath and would like to know how we could go about determining whether it is worth trying to save the floors or whether we should install new floors. If we choose the latter option, then we might install cork in the bedrooms and then might choose to keep the plywood. However, we are not sure how to decide.

So I didn’t heed the expert advice and I refinished my hardwood floors myself…

My wife and I just bought a 1929 home. One of the bedrooms had carpet. We pulled the carpet and there are vinyl tiles glued to the hardwood floor. We began removal of the tiles but the glue is sticking to the hardwood floor beneath the vinyl. How do we remove the glued vinyl tiles without damaging the hardwood flooring underneath?

Is there a way to darken oak flooring that has been refinished, possibly a dark wax or a colored shellac? I would like to obtain a color similar to my fir doors and windows.

I have 40 year old parquet in the basement of my back split that has lifted due to the weeping tiles overflowing during a recent rain storm. (In my neighbourhood the downspouts go down into the ground where the rain water is then taken directly to the storm sewer system. One of the underground pipes was blocked and the water backed up into my basement.)

I just bought a 70 year-old house. I’ve looked at the hardwood floors and they don’t seem to be in too bad shape at all (there was carpet covering them). I want to bring them back to life. Do I need to sand them down or can I just throw a coat of varathane on them, or wax them?

We have just recently bought a house dated somewhere around the early 1900′s, After removing the 10 year old carpet and the 40+ year old linoleum we discovered the original hardwood floors underneath. The linoleum seem to have been laid with some sort of tar or tar paper under them. Is there anyway to remove the tar or what ever it is on the floor without destroying the hardwood and what is the best thing to finish them with?

We have a 3000 sq. foot hard wood dance floor (we think it’s oak, but not sure). We are looking at a minwax polyurethane water based clear finish. We are doing this job ourselves, sanding, sealing and finishing. We want to know which of their four options is the best for us to use; matt, satin, semi gloss or clear high glass. Please keep in mind we want to end up with the most durable, the best looking, the least slippery and the longest lasting finish. Please also keep in mind, this is a high traffic, commercial use dance floor used 7 days a week.