Sealing Hardwood Flooring- Do's and Don'ts For New Floors

Article by: Carlo Morelli

After you've installed your new hardwood floor, , Drip Drip Drip-That Darn Leaky Faucet! you'll no doubt be wondering how to , Upgrading Counter Tops protect it and keep it new looking. Should you apply a sealant? Should you wax it, leave it alone or what? Here are some tips , Window Styles on what to do.

Did you have pre-finished flooring , Laminate Wood and the Benefits over Traditional Wood & Ceramic Tile installed? This type of hardwood flooring , Custom Kitchen Cabinets typically uses a process called acrylic impregnation. Prefinished flooring , Upgrading Counter Tops companies recommend that no additional finish be applied. Compatibility and durability of the finish can be a problem. Waxes and oils should be avoided- they may contaminate the wood , Home Improvements - Expressing an Attitude and cause problems with adhesiveness when refinishing.

If you absolutely must coat the prefinished wood , Arch Window Treatments for Half and Quarter Circle Windows make certain to prepare it well, with either sanding or a deglosser. The finish will not stick otherwise. Additionally, when you refinish prefinished flooring, , Custom Kitchen Cabinets you can throw any finish warranty provided by the manufacturer , Asian décor trends out the window, , Install Wood Flooring since you just voided it.

For laminate floors, , Cleaning Wood and Trex Decks there is also no need to put any sealant on. Actually, do not put anything on top. It's perfect as is. That's the great thing about laminate , Reduce Your Heating Bills This Winter - Overlooked Sources of Heat Loss in the Home flooring; it is already protected from scuffs and spills. Read the warranty and installation guide, and maintain them according to the manufacturers , Laminate Wood Flooring and the Benefits over Traditional Wood & Ceramic Tile instructions.

Unfinished hardwood flooring , Custom Kitchen Cabinets is a whole different story. Preparation of the floor , Arch Window Treatments for Half and Quarter Circle Windows prior to finishing is critical here. The wood , Drip Drip Drip-That Darn Leaky Faucet! is sanded first, to smooth the surface and to open the wood , Composite Decking Material – Choose From Several Brands To Beautify Your Home pores up for better absorption of the finish. If at all possible, it is recommended you have a trained and experienced professional do the sanding; hardwood floors , Laminate Wood ing and the Benefits over Traditional Wood & Ceramic Tile are easily ruined beyond repair , Kit Homes: Popular for Over a Century by gouges and warpage due to uneven sanding. Thorough vacuuming follows sanding and sweeping to rid the floor , A Checklist for Bathroom Remodeling Plans of wood , Air Conditioners, What Could Be More Important Than A Good Brand Name chips, saw dust and debris. Finer dust and oily residues are then removed with cloth soaked in special spirit-based cleaners.

Two types of sealers are available: water-based and solvent-based.

Water Based Wood , Reduce Your Heating Bills This Winter - Overlooked Sources of Heat Loss in the Home Flooring Sealants- becoming more widely used because of the interest in healthier and more environmentally , Drip Drip Drip-That Darn Leaky Faucet! friendly construction. Some of the solvents used in the polyurethane and epoxy finishes face disposal issues, as well as health concerns over exposure to volatile organic , Dining Rooms: Designing for Your Emotional Well-Being compounds. Another benefit to the water , Windows and Killer Utility Bills based sealants is they are less flammable and some are even completely non-flammable. The downside is their greater cost, as they are not as widely available yet as the solvent-based types.

Solvent Based Wood , Heating Your Home With Solar, But Without Panels Flooring Sealants- include polyurethane, moisture-curing urethane, and solvent-based epoxy finishes. The moisture-curing urethane type finishes are currently no as widely used, due to their high flammability and strong odor, which necessitates the use of respiration equipment during application. In their favour, these flooring , Windows and Killer Utility Bills sealants are very durable and tough, although on the other hand, this makes removing them for refinishing difficult. The solvent-based epoxies have much the same properties, , Five Flooring Design Tips although they do have a more preferable appearance to some.

The polyurethane finishes are probably the most commonly used hardwood flooring , Transform Your Home for Very Little or No Money at All - 50 Great Money Saving Options sealant. The balance between durability, cost and appearance finds a sweet spot here. Relative to other finishes, they are simple to apply and dry within 6 hours. However, they do have a moderately "solventy"Â smell and must be disposed of according to environmental , Custom Kitchen Cabinets protection laws in a safe , Arch Window Treatments for Half and Quarter Circle Windows manner.

You can read more about laminate wood , Windows and Killer Utility Bills flooring and prefinished hardwood flooring , Composite Decking Material – Choose From Several Brands To Beautify Your Home at http://www.onlinetips.org

What's Inside
So You Think You Want to Build a Steel House? - If you are building , Homeowners In Hawaii Get Windfall With Solar Power a new home , Kitchen remodeling and design ideas and you want it to be durable, unique, interesting and supremely livable, you might want to consider STEEL!The concept of a steel house , Having Natural Stone Installed In Your Property Â– The Pitfalls probably seems strange to most people, but in fact, it is a growing , Solar Projects – Should You Do Them Yourself? trend...
Creative Cooking and Storage for Kitchen Islands - Kitchen islands offer a variety of choices for cooking and eating. Adding an island is a great way to get the extra space you need in your kitchen. , Do It Yourself? You'd Better Think It Through! Before installing an island, consider the options available. Visit kitchen , Selecting Right Types Of Air Purifiers showrooms for inspirati...
Closet Organizer - Closet Organizer Closets are probably one of the most useful parts of a house , Have A Good Time with Friends Around A Cozy Fireplace and often the least organized. With a little work you can double your closet's storage capacity and orga...
What You Should Know Before You Buy A Hot Tub Spa - Hot tub spas come in all kinds of shapes and sizes, from small ones for just a couple of people at a time, to very large ones that accommodate several people at a time. But no matter which model you choose, any hot , About Tempurpedic Mattresses. tub or spa is designed to help y...
Vintage Lighting: Action Lamps, Stained Glass Lighting and Lava Lamps are here to Stay! - Since the early part of the 20th century lighting designers , Advantages of Kitchen Granite Countertops have created lamps and fixtures to captivate our senses. Much like the tranquility one feels staring at a warming fire , Countertops 101 - Basics on Choosing a Kitchen Countertop Material or the excitement one feels staring at the spectacle of a lightening s...
The Omega Juicer: A Superfood Fountain? - An Omega Juicer 8005 Nutrition Center is sure to become your family's health-hub within a short space of time. What a great machine this is! Like other single-gear, masticating juice extractors, it is nutrient-preserving and extremely versatile. Wh...
Concrete Mixers - Types Of Concrete Mixers - When you want to get a job done in your home , Western Style Decorating Tips or in the yard, , Creating a Peaceful Home Environment it is important to have the right equipment. If you are building , DonÂ’t leave your blinds hanging - Vertical blinds cleaning tips a foundation to a home, , Pellet Stoves Offer Cheaper, Eco-Friendly, Heating garage , Low Cost Decorating Ideas that Say Luxury to Homebuyers or shed, , Hot Sauna, Hot Tips repairing a sidewalk, or repairing the side of the building, , 10 Common Uses for Baking Soda having the right type o...
Duct Tape Wallets - Duct tape is a handy tool , How To Choose House Style Mailboxes for saving money on repair , Tips On Building A Workbench costs. However, in recent years it has emerged as a means of holding saved money. Duct tape wallets are perhaps the most innovative of products , Feng Shui: Water And The Cycle Of Life created using water-resistant adhesive duct tapes....
Vinyl Replacement Windows Add Value from Every Perspective to Your Home - The most important part of vinyl replacement windows , Improving Bathrooms In Your Home is critical, that you measuring your old window , Battery-Powered-Tools, How to Get the Most From Them opening properly and accurately. Vinyl windows , Roofing Shingles are custom built and can't be returned if they don't fit. Most are manufactured in 1/4" increment...