Hardwood Floor Sanding, Refinishing and Installation – Custom Wall and Floor Tile Installations – Serving Eastern Massachusetts and Rhode Island
Q – What flooring is recommended for basements?
A– For installing flooring on a concrete slab we recommend a couple options. If you desire to have wood flooring there is an engineered floor, that is real wood with a plywood (engineered) base, that can be glued or installed as a “floating” floor for below grade application or on any slab floor. It can also be nailed over plywood, which is best if it is over a crawl space or basement that gets wet. Engineered flooring typically comes prefinished and can be sanded and refinished over the years just like regular hardwood flooring. Another option is vinyl plank flooring that can also be installed as a floating floor. It can resemble the look of hardwood and comes in a variety of styles. It is waterproof and very durable. A very reliable brand we recommend is Coretec.
Q – Do you offer more than hardwood flooring services?
A – Yes, we do beautiful custom staircases and Tile installations. See our gallery for pictures of some of our work.
Q – Does the furniture have to be removed from the rooms?
A – When installing, sanding or refinishing wood floors the furniture needs to be removed off the floor into other areas of the house or into a temporary storage unit. The only exception might be if you are having prefinished floors installed. Depending on the size of the rooms, often some of the bigger items can be moved onto the area of the floor as it is completed. Brilliant Finishes tries to work with you in suggesting the best way to accomplish the work. In some cases we can break the job up into two stages so there is a place to keep the furniture while the other floors are being done.
Q – Should I have unfinished or prefinished wood installed?
A– Both options are great choices. Here are some of the advantages of each. Prefinished flooring is a great choice when you don’t want to go through the mess of sanding and the odor of polyurethane. It has a slight bevel to the edge of the boards to hide the fact it is not being sanded. Some do not prefer that look so the unfinished wood that we sand and finish has square edges that butt up to each other. It is more traditionally found in houses with a more seamless look. When sanding and finishing floors every piece of furniture needs to be off the floor. Both are durable and we would be happy to discuss with you any further questions you may have.
Q – How do I clean my floors?
A – The best maintenance for your floors is to keep them vacuumed or dry mopped (Swiffered). This helps to keep grit/dirt from accumulating. The dirt can act like sandpaper under your feet or chairs, which can cause surface scratches. At times you may wish to clean your floors with some kind of cleaner. We do not recommend wax, Murphy’s oil soap or any other products that contain oils or silicons. By avoiding such products, it can be possible to re-coat the floor with polyurethane without first sanding the floors to the bare wood. If such products are used, a buildup can prevent the finish from adhering. We can recommend, based on our own experience and the experience of others, products specifically designed for wood floors by the makers of polyurethane such as Bona’s Swedish Formula. It is easy to use and yields nice results.
Q – How long will the job take?
A – The time it takes to complete installation or refinishing work varies according to the size and the type of job. A typical refinishing job usually takes 3 days. The sanding will take 1 day and the coating process will take 2 additional days and if the flooring is stained that could add an another day.
Q – Is your company insured?
A – Yes, we are fully covered with both liability and workers comp insurance.
Q – Should I have unfinished or prefinished wood installed?
A – Both in unfinished and prefinished flooring, the choice of types of wood are many. These include oak, maple, ash, cherry, Brazilian cherry, mahogany, birch, red birch, etc. Most people go with red or white oak. Not only is oak a hard wood, but it is an economically good choice and is more stable than other woods.
Q – What are the benefits of wood flooring over other types of floor surfaces?
A – Wood floors will last the life of the house. Wood floors will increase the value of a home. Wood is easier to clean. Wood is perfect in households where one or more members has indoor allergies. Wood has a timeless, classic, beauty. Wood flooring can be refinished to look new.
Article:Why Have Hardwood Floors……
Q – What choice of sheen is available?
A – The type of sheen you choose is really a matter of personal choice. The three most popular finishes are: satin, semi-gloss and gloss. All are equally durable. One note, however, the satin does tend to do a better job of concealing wear (scratches, etc.) over the years than the other finishes.
Q – What kind of polyurethane is used?
A – The most commonly used poly is oil-based as it has a long record of excellent durability. We also have a high-quality waterbase poly (“Bona’s Traffic”) that has proved to be an excellent product.
Q – What payment terms does Brilliant Finishes accept?
A – We accept personal checks and credit cards. For most jobs we expect a deposit (roughly half) the day we start the job with the rest due upon completion of the job.
Q – When can I put furniture back on my floor?
A – The day after we put the last coat of finish on the floor, furniture may be returned to the room. When moving furniture back to the room we recommend lifting and setting in place. Do not slide, or drag furniture across a newly finished floor. It will take one to two weeks for the floor to cure (to reach its’ hardest point), so extra caution should be used during this period. We recommend applying felt to the bottom of your furniture, especially items that may be moved often, such as chairs.
Q – When can I put my rugs back in the room?
A – It is recommended that rugs be kept off a newly finished floor for about two weeks. This allows ultra-violet rays to reach the entire floor for that time. Many put rugs in place before the recommended two weeks if they will be permanently kept in the same place.
Q – Will I be left with a huge dust problem?
A – We pride ourselves in trying to keep the dust to a minimum. Our sanding equipment does a great job in this regard. We also put forth effort in putting up plastic where needed. We also offer at an additional price a dust-less option in which we use vacuums on our machines to minimize the dust in the air. Our customers are very impressed with our ability to provide a “dustless job”.
Q – What payment terms does Brilliant Finishes accept?
A – We accept personal checks, PayPal, and credit cards. For most jobs we expect a deposit (roughly half) the day we start the job with the rest due upon completion of the job.
Copyright ©2010 Brilliant Finishes, Inc – Wood floor installation and refinishing in Boston, MA, Worcester, MA and surrounding Massachusetts (MA) area. Wood floor installation and refinishing in Providence,RI and surrounding Rhode Island (RI) areas.