FAQs

CARPET

• How do I buy Durable Carpet

Every fiber has its own characteristic and no single fiber has everything. Regardless of which fiber you choose, the construction of the carpet is what makes carpet durable. For durable, heavy traffic carpet you want to look for a dense construction. Shorter pile heights perform better in heavy traffic areas (like entry ways, stairs, halls, playrooms) so choosing a pile height of a ½ of an inch or less will be more durable. If choosing a cut pile carpet, a tighter twist will be more durable than a looser twist. If choosing a Berber carpet, the smaller tighter loops will be more durable than the larger looser loop.

• Will you charge for removing my old carpet and pad?

No. At Reed Floors we won’t charge you to remove your old carpet and pad when replacing it.

• Can I keep my old carpet padding?

You should always take the opportunity to change the padding when replacing the carpet because over time, it becomes compacted, full of dust, and who knows what else! The walking paths of your new carpet will pick up dirt that is trapped under the old padding and make the new carpet look terrible if the dirt comes though in the heavy traffic areas. Also, most warranties on carpeting will be void if you lay it over old padding.

WOOD

• Engineered or Solid Wood?

Engineered products are available in Planks. Strips are manufactured of hardwood using a cross-directional laminated construction (3 to 5 layers), with a top layer of premium hardwood. This construction counteracts the natural tendency of wood to expand and contract with seasonal changes in temperature and humidity, making engineered products inherently dimensionally stable. Solid wood products, available in Planks, Strips, or Parquet, are manufactured from a solid piece of wood. Solid hardwood is not recommended for installations below grade, such as in a basement.

• Advantage for Engineered hardwood floor over solid products?

In general, engineered products can be installed in any room in the home, whether on-grade, below-grade, or above-grade. Engineered products can be nailed down, glued-down, or stapled down, depending upon the situation. Some engineered products can be “floated” over most subfloors without the use of nails or adhesives, making it ideal for remodeling. Solid wood products are not recommended for below-grade installations and must be nailed down or glued down.

The best engineered wood flooring is overall more stable than solid wood flooring. Separations between boards during the relative humidity changes are less with any engineered flooring, which adds to their appeal for use in basements or in tropical regions of the country where higher moisture levels are common.

• What is the difference between floating, gluing a floor?

Floating: For engineered hardwood floor only
Floating hardwood floors are those that are not secured to any subfloor. They are suspended above the floor while resting on a cushioned underlayment. They are installed by gluing the tongue and groove together. Expansion and contraction (movement) within any wood flooring takes place when prolonged relative humidity changes occur within the homes environment. The benefits of using Floating installation is that the floor boards are connected to themselves, not to the subfloor making the whole floor move independently as one “Unit”. Thus, the seams between the floorboards will not open up and any movement within the floor is only evident around the edges of the room that is covered by the baseboard or 3/4 round molding on top. Floating wood floors can be installed on any grade level. Floating floors are the best choice for installations over radiant heat systems where stapling or direct gluing down engineered flooring over exposed radiant heat pipes can be a problem or even prohibited.

Other Types Of Floating Floors – Click Together
In recent years, easier types of floating floors were developed; enter click type floating floors. These are still installed by the floating method, but without glue on the tongue and groove. Once again, manufacturers will vary in that the design is slightly different, but all click floors have one thing in common: a mechanized system milled into the boards that allows the floor to stay in place by tongue and groove once they are connected.

Gluing:
Some consumers prefer the solid feeling of hardwood floors underfoot and complain of the hollow effect that floating floors exhibit. A properly glued hardwood floor will feel and sound very much like a traditional solid floor.
Most engineered flooring brands can be directly glued down over a wood subfloor or concrete slab above or below grade. Gluing the floor down to the subfloor using polyurethane adhesive will allow the floor to move naturally. Gluedowns are installed by trowel spreading the adhesive on the subfloor. Each and every individual board is placed one at a time onto the adhesive.

• Should I use a refinished versus unfinished?

coats of UV-cured polyurethane or aluminum oxide applied. These prefinished wood floors are tough and durable, many with 10 coats of finish. Installing a prefinished wood floor eliminates the time, dust, and odors associated with the on-site sanding and finishing of an unfinished wood floor product. A prefinished floor can be installed in a day. An unfinished flooring installation may require twice as much time for the same area, not including the sanding and finishing time.

• Installing wood in high traffic areas, like kitchens?

With the variety of products available and a choice of installation options, hardwood flooring can now be installed in any room of the home. The urethane finishes on most new wood floors stand up to water and traffic, bringing wood flooring into bathrooms, kitchens, and other higher-stress areas. These finishes resist stains and wear better than other finishes and require no stripping, buffing, or waxing. High traffic areas include exterior doorways, hallways, mudrooms, and the areas in front of the sink, stove, and refrigerator. To protect the floor just inside exterior doorways, use walk-off mats or small rugs to catch tracked-in dirt and grime.

• Engineered hardwood floors over radiant heating systems?

Engineered hardwood floors in planks or strips are the best floors to use with radiant heating systems. These floors are manufactured of hardwood using a three-ply or five-ply laminated construction, making them inherently dimensionally stable. This means they are less susceptible to changes in temperature and humidity. It is important to note that when installing any hardwood floor over a radiant heating system, the maximum temperature of the subfloor should never exceed 80º (F). Oak is an ideal choice over in-floor radiant systems. We also recommend ash or merbau. We do not recommend that you use maple or pecan above an in-floor radiant heat system.

The point of acclimating wood flooring before installing it is to allow the moisture content of the wood to adjust to “normal living conditions” at the site. That is, the temperature and humidity conditions that will typically be experienced once the structure is occupied. Thus, it does no good at all – in fact, it is likely harmful — to store wood flooring at the job site under conditions that do not reflect those normal environmental conditions.

• Will you climate my wood floor?

The wood flooring industry has done a good job in recent years communicating the message that wood flooring is a dynamic material subject to changes in dimension as a result of changes in humidity in the surrounding environment. This has led to increasing awareness of the need to acclimate wood flooring before installation. Unfortunately, some installers have heard the message as, “Leaving wood flooring at the job site for two weeks will properly acclimate the wood, no matter what the conditions are.” In truth, some wood flooring may already be at the proper moisture content when it is delivered. To allow it to sit at the job site under excessively humid conditions will only cause the flooring to absorb unwanted moisture.

We understand the dynamics of water and wood and make educated judgments about when and how much acclimation is required. Our wood maestro will let you know about acclimation depending on the season of the year, the weather conditions, and the product you have chosen.

• Are wood floors hard to maintain?

No. A hardwood floor finished at the factory features three to seven layers of a UV-cured polyurethane. This finish gives the floor a tough, durable, and smooth no-wax surface that is both luxurious and easy-care.

Routine maintenance is a little more than simple sweeping and vacuuming. Always make sure your hardwood floors are protected from moisture and heavy wear that creates scratches. Preventive maintenance like area rugs, floor protectors (on ALL furniture on your hardwood floors), and routine maintenance with proper hardwood floor cleaner should always be exercised (use of improper products can contribute to additional wear, may VOID your warranty, and cause failure when recoating).

• Are wood floors Ecological?

Unlike most floor coverings, wood floors come from a sustainable natural resource. Long gone are the days when timber was cut down with little thought for the long-term consequences on the nation’s forests. Today, most timber is cut from forests that are carefully managed to ensure continued resources in the future. In fact, according to U.S. Forest Service statistics, almost twice as many hardwood trees are added annually through new growth as are harvested. Additionally, there are more standing hardwood trees today than there were 50 years ago.

• Are wood floors better for allergies?

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has said that indoor air quality is one of our top health threats. Installed in the home or elsewhere, wood floors help contribute to a healthy living environment. Hard surface flooring such as hardwood floors does not trap or harbor dust mites or molds. This creates better air quality for all inhabitants. The hard surface of wood floors also helps avoid artificial substances such as pesticides that can accumulate on some floor coverings. A recent EPA study found that pesticides used in gardens and homes accumulate on floors and other surfaces in the home, but that wood floors greatly reduce the accumulation of such toxins. Another concern for the home environment is the off gassing of toxins that results from some synthetic materials. Any of these chemicals can make people in the home chronically ill.

• Are wood floors expensive?

Hardwood floors are very competitively price and represent an excellent value when compared to other flooring options. Hardwood floors never have to be replaced and will enhance or even increase the value of your home should you decide to sell. When compared to other flooring products, hardwood floors provide long-lasting value, as Real Wood Floors are “Beauty that last a lifetime”.

• Is it cost effective to select wood flooring over less costly materials?

Yes! The National Wood Flooring Association (NWFA) and residential real estate agents say that homes with wood floors hold their value better, sell faster, and fetch higher prices (according to a recent, nationwide survey commissioned by the trade organization). By a three-to-one margin, real estate agents said that a house with wood floors would sell faster than a carpeted house. Some 58% said a house with wood floors would bring a higher price.