10 Questions to Ask Your Hardwood Flooring Supplier

LauraOctober 12, 2020

10 Questions to Ask Your Hardwood Flooring Supplier Before Purchasing
1. If there are any problems, who do I call?
Most flooring stores will be buying the flooring they are selling to you from a distributor who purchases the flooring from the manufacturer. Sometime, especially with products coming from overseas there is more than one distributor involved. In many cases if you have an issue with your flooring and complain to the retailer they will call the distributor and let them know there is a complaint, the distributor will tell the manufacturer there has been a complaint. In most cases the manufacturer will deny the complaint and if you are lucky they will even send a representative to deny your claim in person. Most retailers would correct a manufacturing problem to make their customers happy because they are the ones dealing with the customers face to face but in reality they do not have the final say unless they want to replace the flooring out of their own pocket. The manufacturer is so far removed from the actual client that they know it is better for their bottom line to deny the claims and assume they will never have to deal with the issue because they are so protected by their warranties. Picture a person at a desk with a pile of hardwood flooring claims on their desk with a big stamp that says “denied”.
2. How durable is the finish?
Durability is probably the most important things to consider when purchasing a prefinished hardwood floor. The finish is what you are actually walking on and must be very durable to have a beautiful lasting floor for years to come. Many imported prefinished floors have very little durability and the finish can be taken off with a few swipes of 150 grit sandpaper. When buying hardwood there are a few ways to test the finish: one would be to take 150 grit sandpaper and rub the finish to see if the finish will come off and two would be to firmly press the edge of a coin against the finish, a quality finish will dent but not come off. Quality manufacturers will have aluminum oxide or better yet titanium oxide hardeners in the finish. Many offshore manufactured products will say they have aluminum oxide in them but actually do not. To test if a hardwood floor has aluminum oxide in the finish simply put the sample in your microwave and if it sparks, it does indeed have aluminum oxide in the finish. I know that may seem a little strange but it’s something worth checking because hardwood flooring is a big investment and you want to know the durability of the finish.
3. What is the structural and surface warranty?
This is a very important part of choosing a hardwood floor. Anyone can put a 25, 30, or 40 year warranty on the finish of their product but the real question is; will they stand behind their warranty. Many large …

Remodeling

Your Most Pressing Home Improvement Questions Answered

LauraMay 25, 2018

Most people who own homes want to make changes that tailor the home to their needs. You will find this article to be full of great advice on that specific need. As you move forward with your improvements, you will build a great sense of accomplishment and confidence as you go. Read the next few paragraphs to get more information.

Prior to purchasing a home, have it inspected by a professional. It is best to get a professional opinion in case there is anything that you missed when walking through the home. A third party professional is objective and can keep the process civil.

Refinishing your cabinets, instead of choosing to replace them, can save you quite a bit of money. Add paint to the bases, install new doors and touch them up with well-coordinated hardware and you have a completely new look. This is an inexpensive task that can be done in a weekend, and it will give your home a fresh, new feel.

Paint stripes on your old walls before installing paneling! Often even the most carefully installed paneling allows a bit of the old wall to peek through. Be sure to measure the paneling before you install it. Paint the walls at these joins with a color that matches your paneling.

If every method you’ve used to fix your squeaky door has failed, you may need to replace your door’s hinge. You can usually get one at a local hardware store. All you’ll need to do is take the hinge apart, and then make sure each side is properly attached to both your wall frame and your door. Line up all the parts and put in new pins.

Vinyl is a cheap way of improving the look of your floor. In most cases, installing vinyl is easy thanks to pre-applied adhesive; the resulting floor surface is durable, strong, and resists water and wear. Vinyl flooring can be purchased a set of tiles or as a sheet for covering larger areas at once.

Before you buy any supplies, look around for a better deal. It costs a lot of money to install new flooring, and if you compare prices, you can keep your expenses to a minimum. There’s many discount stores that can help you save money.

Add bleach to your toilet bowl to keep it clean. Although bleaching toilets might smell bad, it lowers the risk of spreading germs and illnesses. In addition, it improves the look of your toilet. Scented bleaches can help limit the smell.

In order to attach PVC pipes, you need PVC primer and cement. These exact items must be used, as other types of adhesives are likely to leak. There shouldn’t be water on the outside of the pipe.

Would you like to make some changes to your house, whether small or large? You are not the only one! As you have probably seen, the article above contains a few simple tricks you can use to streamline your home improvement projects. It …