Home and Garden
Walking the planks
Hardwood floors are beautiful and easy to clean and maintain
Date Published: March 2006
[Pico Van Houtryve/Gold Country News Service]
Chris Steiner has traded tile for hardwood floors for her Carlton Court home in Granite Bay.
[Pico Van Houtryve/Gold Country News Service]
Another look at the floors in Chris Steiner's Carlton Court home.
[Pico Van Houtryve/Gold Country News Service]
A framed floor vent show the detail of workmanship in the project.
[Pico Van Houtryve/Gold Country News Service]
The intricate corners also give the floors an upscale look.
Tips for care, cleaning of hardwood floors
Prevention
Dirt and grit: Dirt, grit and sand are a hardwood floor's worst enemies. They are like sandpaper to the finish, and can cause scratches, dents and dulling. Floor mats and area rugs in high-traffic areas, especially near entrances, can help trap dirt and prevent damage.
Water and other liquids: Standing water can damage the finish and eventually warp the wood. Clean up all spills as they occur.
Hand cleaners: Avoid any cleaning soaps with oil. These products can build up on the surface and create problems when it's time to place a maintenance coat on the floor. Instead, use neutral pH cleaners made specifically for wood floors.
Furniture: Always lift furniture items when moving them; dragging can leave scratches and dents.
Dents: Vacuum hardwood floors with a brush attachment; beater bars on vacuums can leave gouges.
Sunlight: Direct sunlight for prolonged periods of time can discolor hardwood floors. Close curtains or blinds or add sheer drapes to block out the sun's harmful UV rays.
Regular care
Sweep: Use brooms with fine, exploded ends to trap dust, dirt and grit effectively.
Vacuum: Vacuums with special bare-floor attachments are best; never use machines with beater brushes.
Dust mop: Use a good quality dust mop with a 12- to 18-inch cotton head. Special dust mop treatments for hardwood floors should be sprayed on the mop head 12 to 24 hours before dust mopping.
Source: The Hardwood Manufacturers Association
Prevention
Regular care
Source: The Hardwood Manufacturers Association
Chris Steiner is a big believer that hardwood floors make a home less "cold."
"They just look very rich and warm aesthetically," says the Granite Bay woman, whose Carlton Court home boasts oak floors in the dining room and living room.
Steiner and her family moved into the home 15 years ago, which at the time had tile as a flooring surface in many areas. After living with and cleaning the tile for about five years, the Steiners decided it was time for a change.
"We already had hardwood floors in some areas of the house, and when we were doing some remodeling, we just decided to continue with the hardwood floors," she says.
Steiner's reasons for loving the floors - ease of cleaning, durable surface, a softer surface than tile - are among the same benefits touted by the manufacturers and sellers of hardwood flooring surfaces in the area.
"Especially with all the growth in the area, we are seeing people who look at their homes as a reflection of themselves and want to make it look as good as possible," says Anita Gonzales, who co-owns The Floor Stop on Melody Lane in Roseville with her husband, Allen Taylor.
Far removed from the days of installing wood plank by plank in a simple pattern, homeowners today can choose from not only a variety of wood, but also a variety of patterns.
"The most popular choices we are seeing are the hand-scraped or hand-sculpted woods," Gonzales says. "It gives the wood a richer, more worn appearance. It's a classic look."
Installation can also involve two or more woods, she says, as well as different patterns, such as a herring bone pattern.
Wood choices also are varied, Gonzales notes, with the most popular being oak, hickory, maple and Brazilian cherry.
"The more exotic woods, like the Brazilian cherry, are extremely popular, and are among the most durable," she says.
Costs associated with installing hardwood floors are as varied as the choices of wood and pattern. On the low end, hardwood floors are priced at about $7 per square foot for materials, while installation labor tack on an average of $3 per square foot. The prices increase when more exotic woods are used, or if a pattern design is intricate and requires a lot of manpower to install.
"I've seen prices range from $15 to $16 for some of the hand-scraped hardwood floors," Gonzales says.
But because they are more durable than other floor coverings - like carpet or linoleum, which needs to be replaced every few years - in the long run it offsets the initial costs, she adds.
And the ease of cleaning is another big benefit, notes Steiner.
"All we really need to do is vacuum regularly and on a routine basis I use a Swedish cleaner designed for hardwood floors to damp mop the wood," she says.
In addition to routine cleaning, hardwood floor experts recommend a routine deep cleaning or buffing.
According to the Hardwood Manufacturers Association, waxing is also an easy way to restore the floor's natural beauty.
"Though a controversial treatment for surface finishes," the group's Web sites states, "floor polish or wax can give you a good looking floor in a matter of minutes."
"They just look very rich and warm aesthetically," says the Granite Bay woman, whose Carlton Court home boasts oak floors in the dining room and living room.
Steiner and her family moved into the home 15 years ago, which at the time had tile as a flooring surface in many areas. After living with and cleaning the tile for about five years, the Steiners decided it was time for a change.
"We already had hardwood floors in some areas of the house, and when we were doing some remodeling, we just decided to continue with the hardwood floors," she says.
Steiner's reasons for loving the floors - ease of cleaning, durable surface, a softer surface than tile - are among the same benefits touted by the manufacturers and sellers of hardwood flooring surfaces in the area.
"Especially with all the growth in the area, we are seeing people who look at their homes as a reflection of themselves and want to make it look as good as possible," says Anita Gonzales, who co-owns The Floor Stop on Melody Lane in Roseville with her husband, Allen Taylor.
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"We are seeing a huge shift away from carpet these days," she continues.Far removed from the days of installing wood plank by plank in a simple pattern, homeowners today can choose from not only a variety of wood, but also a variety of patterns.
"The most popular choices we are seeing are the hand-scraped or hand-sculpted woods," Gonzales says. "It gives the wood a richer, more worn appearance. It's a classic look."
Installation can also involve two or more woods, she says, as well as different patterns, such as a herring bone pattern.
Wood choices also are varied, Gonzales notes, with the most popular being oak, hickory, maple and Brazilian cherry.
"The more exotic woods, like the Brazilian cherry, are extremely popular, and are among the most durable," she says.
Costs associated with installing hardwood floors are as varied as the choices of wood and pattern. On the low end, hardwood floors are priced at about $7 per square foot for materials, while installation labor tack on an average of $3 per square foot. The prices increase when more exotic woods are used, or if a pattern design is intricate and requires a lot of manpower to install.
"I've seen prices range from $15 to $16 for some of the hand-scraped hardwood floors," Gonzales says.
But because they are more durable than other floor coverings - like carpet or linoleum, which needs to be replaced every few years - in the long run it offsets the initial costs, she adds.
And the ease of cleaning is another big benefit, notes Steiner.
"All we really need to do is vacuum regularly and on a routine basis I use a Swedish cleaner designed for hardwood floors to damp mop the wood," she says.
In addition to routine cleaning, hardwood floor experts recommend a routine deep cleaning or buffing.
According to the Hardwood Manufacturers Association, waxing is also an easy way to restore the floor's natural beauty.
"Though a controversial treatment for surface finishes," the group's Web sites states, "floor polish or wax can give you a good looking floor in a matter of minutes."
Sherri L. Shaulis is the editor of The Press-Tribune. She can be reached at sherris@goldcountrymedia.com.
