American Floor Care is your hardwood and tile floor care and maintenance specialist. We provide services in northeastern Ohio and western Pennsylvania. So, if you need help in enhancing and maintaining the look of your hardwood or tile floor, you’ve come to the right place.

And if you have questions regarding our floor care services, we’re hoping we’ve covered them all in the following Q&A.

1. What should be my basis in selecting the right hardwood floor for my home? 

A major consideration you need to make is the design or style of the room where the hardwood floor is going to be installed. If the overall look of your home is traditional, you may opt to have hardwood with a narrow board width (4 inches and below) and a light to medium color. For contemporary home interiors, it’s advisable to use a narrower board width (2-1/4 to 3-1/4 inches) in a much lighter natural hue.

Country-style homes usually look beautiful with wider boards (about 5 inches) with dark to light color and lots of character. When discussing your choices with your floor care services provider, make sure you talk about the amount of traffic the area receives, as well as the type of furnishings, fabrics and decorative elements that will occupy the same space.

2. Is it normal for hardwood flooring to have color variations? 

Hardwood is derived from natural sources, the trees growing in the forests, so no two boards will be exactly alike. This uniqueness innate in every single board is what makes hardwood flooring such an interesting and appealing material. If you want a more or less uniform shade or grading for the wood, be sure to discuss this with your supplier or service provider.

3. How difficult are hardwood floors to maintain? 

Hardwood flooring isn’t difficult to maintain at all. For best results, we advise regularly vacuuming your hardwood floor with a soft-bristled brush and the recommended cleaning agents. To protect your floor from scratches resulting from unprotected furniture legs, see if you can get tap-in or self-adhesive chair glides. This will make a big difference in preventing damage to the flooring material. 

4. Is it okay to use a wet mop to clean hardwood floors? 

No. Please don’t use a wet mop for cleaning or wiping hardwood floors. Wood and water simply don’t mix. Excess water can penetrate the wood boards and lead to discoloration. So always use the recommended cleaning agents and methods to ensure the longevity of your hardwood floor. 

5. How do I protect hardwood flooring in high-traffic areas? 

Even if you have the toughest hardwood around (like hickory and maple) installed in high-traffic areas, stones, grit, and water can damage, scratch and prematurely wear down the finish. Unprotected furniture legs can add to the damage, as well as high-heeled shoes that can leave indentations on the surface. To protect your hardwood floors, make use of heavy mats and small rugs to protect high-traffic sections such as entry points, and in front of stoves and sinks. Install felt chair glides on all furniture, and avoid using furniture polish and oil soaps as these will not only damage the wood but also dull the finish.

6. Do you think our dogs will ruin the wood floor? 

Dogs like to dig so they may scratch the surface of any type of wood flooring. However, there are also lots of pet (dogs and cats) owners that have hardwood flooring in their homes. What you can do is make sure your dogs are housebroken as pet urine will ruin the natural color of the wood, especially if it’s not cleaned up right away. You should also ensure that your pets’ nails are trimmed and or have them wear special dog booties.

7. What types of products does American Floor Care use?

At American Floor Care, we use a wide variety of name brand floor care products and state-of-the-art equipment. We use top-of-the-line strippers, sandpaper, protective coating, stains, sealers, and finishes. These components are not only important for the purpose of durability but also to ensure your hardwood or tile floors continue to look great for a long time.

8. Is it okay if I do my own sanding and refinishing work?

If you have the skills, experience, and specialized equipment to do an efficient job, why not? However, if you plan on applying a DIY approach in order to save on costs, think it over carefully. It may not be worth it. 

As professionals who have been doing this for several years, we can tell you with confidence that the quality and longevity of our work attests to the expertise and workmanship we invest in every job we handle.

Contact American Floor Care

We know you may have specific questions about your flooring that aren't addressed here. So if you have another concern, please use our online contact form, or get in touch via email or by phone.