I remember when things where a lot more simple several years ago before the economy took a really tuff hit. Contractors basically listed their information in the most common advertisement platforms like print form or media. Yellow Pages, Radio, or signs in the yard of a project being worked on are examples. The latter is still used for the most part when roofing, remodels, or pavement work is being performed. Customers called and we handled the questions over the phone or in person. However, now things are geared to reviews and fan pages like Yelp or FaceBook and even LinkedIn applications. These do have a value, but true value will always come from speaking with the contractor’s directly and asking pertinent questions about the work you need performed, and you can get valuable insights from the industry of those particular contracting licenses. An example would be, say you’re looking into having a new roof, if your interest is to learn as little or much as you can about roofs, you can use Google or any search engine’s search to find an association of that trade such as the NRCA (The National Roofing Contractors Association) for information you can trust.

Once you’ve gained enough information from these sites, speaking with qualified contractor’s directly will help you make a great choice in that selection. The information is out there, but the real Guru’s are the artist and companies that have state licenses and actually perform the work! Many states like California require licensing and bonding, but some states do not. However, trades still have associations attached to them with information you can trust. So take a little time to learn as much as you can about the projects you want performed and talk shop from this experience with your potential contractor.

I’ve talked many DIY through handling a refinishing project which will save you some hard earned cash of course, but you truly must be willing to put some hard work into it. Hardwood floors look stunningly beautiful, and people definitely want them, but customers sometimes think they magically appear after several days. The work is intense and the knowledge is paramount so you get what you put into them. The tools are very powerful and require complete understanding to operate efficiently.

Always make sure you read any instructional manuals for tool usuage.
Always use electrical outlets approved for the plug prongs.
Keep cords and sharp objects away from your body.
When using power saws and other related equipment, wear goggle eye protection.
Sanding creates fine dust and masks should always be worn to prevent breathing the dust as well as stains and finishes when apply them.
Wear protective gloves when needed.
Soak stained rags in water and dispose of properly to prevent spontaneous combustion.

For those that want a professional appearance we are in the service industry and have the experience and expertise to handle any size flooring project for you.

Where the problem issues come into play is from a refinishing point of view. Let’s say you’re redecorating and you now want your floors to be a different color, well before you began the process of sanding pre-finished floors, there is a need for cautious investigation. The top layer’s thickness will be considered since not all manufacturers top layer’s are equal in thickness. This has plenty to do with pricing of the material in general and something that many customers would never know if a salesperson neglects to even mention this. One solution to determine the thickness is to remove a flooring vent and view the side of the flooring cut around the vent opening. If all is OK there, you still face the fact that if you loved your bevels, they may not (in most cases) be able to be saved because the sanding will go below the thickness of the bevels, and your floors will become a traditional square edge floor. Once your professional flooring contractor covers these crucial issues with you and you agree that a color change for design or overall sanding to repair unsightly scratches or scars to your flooring, your newly refinished floors will be beautiful as the day you first had them installed and will give you years of enjoyment.

When I’m working on floors I always stand back and admire the work in progress, I’ve always done that. It’s like I can’t work two hours straight without always standing back with a smile on my face staring at the progress. I always see the completion of the floor way before it’s completed. It really never occurred to me until recently, but I guess I’m having my cake and eating it too! I love my skill, and I get to enjoy the beauty of my labor. My customers hire me to do the work and look forward to having their floors, but every job has a piece of me somehow and someway.

Today, I got a call from a customer whose home I did in Maple Hardwood over eight years ago. She asked if I remembered her and would I be interested in doing some additional work for her. I smiled and immediately told her where she lived and what floors I installed for her at that time, to her amazement she really enjoyed hearing that I remembered her as well as what she hired me to achieve for her. I may have impressed upon her the value I place on my customers no doubt, and I smiled to myself knowing that she knew that. Hardwood floors are a lifetime of beauty. So have your hardwood floors, and enjoy them too!

Until most recently all the previous years in the U.S., we basically had several flooring species (domestic) to choose from which were (Oak, Maple, Pine and Fir, Beech, Walnut etc.) and the different sizes and shapes allowed for multitudes of patterns and designs. Today it is impossible to name all the choices that you can have to enhance your home. It is a constant challenge to learn how they will respond to our standard ways of sanding and finishing these woods and not to mention how they will hold up in our environment over time.   For the most part us professionals have learned from examples, experience, and sharing our wisdom throughout out industry to get vital answers on given subjects about these untried formulas for perfection. It is and will continue to be a part of our learning a process and the education that comes from that process to ensure that we make your selected choice of exotic wood flooring an experience you will love for a lifetime.

Exotic – of foreign origin or character; not native; introduced from abroad, but not fully naturalized or acclimatized: exoticfoods; exotic plants.

The photo above are logs from the species “BOIS DE ROSE”

NOTE: “bois de rose” just means “wood that is red” and it is a name that is used for many woods, especially in South America. However … in the USA, it is generally used to mean Madagascar Rosewood, which is widely used by Luthiers (instrument makers). I believe that for the most part, this exotic wood is stable and will make a most dramatic statement in absolute beauty!

Well the dream did come true eventually and yes, I was the man alright! I never wanted to not be the man so bad I was willing to do the Daniel Webster deal, sell my soul to get out of here. Please allow me to continue to explain, the way I see it, there’s those that like the office and fit in, and those that find out the hard way, the latter being me of course. I’m a tradesman, a craftsman, a Master-Craftsman and I’m more in my element when working the field, on the job with my guys or personally picking up and delivering the materials.

There is a benefit from working with a contractor directly as opposed to working with retailing contractors, (brick and mortar) operations. Yes, you will save on your materials and installations as well as all aspects of your contracted project. This is simply due to not having the greater overhead of course. So you may ask, but they have a showroom and yes indeed you are right. But so do the manufacturing distributorships that are local to the areas, and besides, they have much more samples than a retail outlet would have in general. However, there are occasions when this will not be the case, but many of the samples that make up a showroom aren’t what you are looking for anyway.

Remember the store doesn’t do the work, and the floors won’t install themselves! There’s an old saying I used to hear growing up listening to my uncles talk shop “It’s the monkey behind the wheel”. Contractors are artists and mechanics with skill levels that are diverse as languages from distant places. There are many questions that will arise from this topic, please inquiry with them and I will more than happy to answer all of them.

Almost thirty years ago I was a young ambitious guy trying to be the best I could be. I never entered a customer’s home without asking if I should remove my shoes or if there was anything the customer required from me upon arriving to their home for an estimate. If I was hired, and I usually was, I always made sure I mailed (snail mail) a thank you card that was always accompanied by a vase and roses or assorted flowers. It was my way of really saying how much I appreciated the job. How did I let such a wonderful gesture get away from me?

When economics come into play on a global scale like the last three years have, it’s easy to reflect on lost income and major and minor issues about how you could have been better at your customer service can really take its toll on you. So, I would like to say thank you to all the customers I’ve had over the years because without you’re believing in me and my craft, I would never have survived then or now. You are my customers, and you’re always right!

Today’s finishes are extremely tuff for traffic areas, but chemically they can be a wimp when mixed with other products. Over the counter products advertise they can clean you floors in a snap. However, many properties of the product simply don’t work with Urethanes, they can have a chemical imbalance thus causing damage to your floors finish. All quality installers will explain how to care for your floors as well as tell you what the manufacturer for prefinished floors recommends, this is needed for sure because it could have severe implications to your floors warranty. Remember to call your flooring contractor for advice about cleaning your hardwood floors.  This information is extremely valuable to home owners that inherited the floors from the home purchase and may have never had hardwood floors before. Remember to call and ask questions from professionals, it could save you enough for a trip for two somewhere.