Step 1: Prepping the Work Site
Existing base shoe will need to be removed. This also includes furniture, appliances, toilets and pedestal sinks.
If you’re re-finishing hardwood floors that have been carpeted, you will most likely need to have new base shoe trim installed around the perimeter of your room. This piece of trim hides the space between your hardwood and the base trim that is left for the expansion and contraction of your home. This gap was previously hidden by the carpet and pad. Before we start sanding we will remove the existing base shoe.
Step 2: “Lace In” New Wood as Needed
In some homes it is necessary to replace or “lace in” new wood to the existing hardwood. This could be due to water damage, pet stains, or where patch work is necessary. Most of the time there is little to no difference between the new wood and existing wood once the project is completed.
Step 3: Prepare & Plastic Off Areas
Before we begin the sanding process our crews will do a little prep work. We may plastic off doorways, cabinetry, or areas that are not being refinished. Ridgefield Industries will not hang plastic any higher than a 6ft ladder can accommodate. Ridgefield Industries will not cover vaulted ceilings!! Zip walls are to be supplied and installed by customer or general contractor.
Step 4: Sand, Buff & Tack the Hardwood
Sanding hardwood floors for re-finishing involves numerous steps. The sanders start with a more aggressive grit sandpaper to remove the current finish and debris. Then they make several additional cuts with the sanders at higher grits to produce a smooth, even surface. Depending on the size of the area you are refinishing, this process can take one day or multiple days. We follow the National Wood Flooring Association’s sanding guidelines with each step for the best results. The final step is to vacuum and dry tack the wood in preparation for coating.
Step 5: Coating
Ridgefield Industries offers a different floor finishes. These include Water Based Urethanes, Oil Based Urethanes and Swedish Finishes. The process and schedule for applying finish vary based on the product you’ve chosen and the manufacturer’s dry time. Some products allow you to walk on your hardwoods by the end of the day, while others require you to be completely off the wood areas throughout all of the coating steps. Pets need to be off the floors during the course of the coating, regardless of finish choice. We will provide you with a detailed schedule for your particular project so you will know when you can and cannot be on the finish.
Step 6: Putting Your House Back Together – YOUR RESPONSIBILITY!
The client is responsible to move back all furniture and appliances and to re-connect any plumbing or electrical. The Client is responsible for any cleaning or painting of walls, or ceilings and cleaning of air ducts. Customer will be responsible for the final fill and touch-up of all trim work. Ridgefield Industries is not responsible for job site generated waste disposal unless contracted otherwise.
Step 7: Protecting Your Hardwood After The Finishing Process
Protecting your newly refinished hardwood floors is the most critical component to keeping your investment looking new, and we offer several protective options for you. We recommend you put felt protection on all furniture and install wool “tap-ins” on all moving wooden furniture, including chairs, bar stools, and ottomans. “Roller blade” style wheels are a great replacement for plastic or metal casters on desk chairs. Masonite or hardboard should be used underneath larger furniture and appliances such as pianos and refrigerators when put back in place. Never slide anything across the floor, but set items in place.
Ridgefield offers proper cleaning kits based on your floor finish to get you started caring for your hardwood floors properly from the first day. Different finishes require different cleaning products, so be sure to talk to the staff in our office. Many interior products on the market right now say they will “rejuvenate” your hardwood when, in reality, they can cause oil build-up to adhere to the urethane. We advise that you avoid any and all products that say they will renew, polish, or rejuvenate your hardwood floors. NO WAX, or SILICONE PRODUCTS!
Rugs should be left off of the hardwood until the finish has had a chance to completely cure. Any under-rug padding needs to be compatible with your floors finish. The waiting period is 2-4 weeks depending on the finish used.
Step 8: Maintaining Your Hardwood Floors
We recommend you have your floors buffed and re-coated occasionally to maintain the integrity of your finish. Keeping up with this regular maintenance will prevent the need to re-finish your floors again. The frequency you’ll need to do this will depend on your lifestyle, pets, children etc. General timeline is every 5-7 years.
