You can have the warmth and beauty of hardwood in any room in your home with products ranging from 3/8″ to ¾” thickness in engineered as well as solid wood flooring. Because of higher moisture in bathrooms and laundry rooms; wood flooring is not recommended. Wood floors are an investment in your home for years to come and can be refinished instead of being replaced. They are available in a variety of different species, colors and can be nailed, glued, or floated over a variety of existing surfaces. We offer two types of wood floors, which are custom wood floors and prefinished wood floors. Visit our showroom and compare them side by side.

Custom wood floors allow you to personalize your floor. You can specify your species, thickness, width, color, and sheen. Your options are limitless! Custom wood flooring is the most commonly used type of flooring in new construction and remodel projects. It is unfinished wood that requires installation, sanding, staining, and finishing on site. Since custom wood flooring is sanded onsite; the floor has a flat surface over the entire area.

This is the process:

1. The installation process begins with tearing out any existing flooring. Removing other floor surfaces is recommended so the new wood floor can be laid as close to the subfloor as possible. This improves the stability of the wood floor.

2. Subfloor is prepped and a moisture vapor retarder is laid.

3. The tongue and groove wood floors are installed by nailing, gluing, or floating.

4. The floors are then sanded and stained or left natural in color. Three coats of finish must then be applied. These coats are applied once per day with appropriate drying time of 8-10 hours before you can access the floor. Depending on the size of the floor; the installation process could be 5-7 days for completion.

5. Furniture can be moved onto the floor 3 days after the final finish is applied. Felt protectors will need to be placed on all chairs and furniture before placing them on the wood floors.

6. Area rugs can be placed on the floors after curing for 30 days from final finish. Any rug, cloth, runner, etc. left lying on the floor for several days during this period may leave an imperfection in the finish.

Prefinished wood flooring is factory-finished wood flooring that requires the only installation. This is a great option for existing homes – no sanding so less dust and less time from start to finish. Since prefinished wood flooring is not sanded onsite; there is a defined edge between each plank.

Most prefinished floors can be completed in about one-third the time it takes to install, sand, and finish a floor on-site. Depending on the size of the floor; it could range between 2-3 days to complete a prefinished installation. With factory finish already cured; you do not have to wait the normal three days to move your furniture or wait the traditional 30 days before area rugs can be placed. You can start using and maintaining your floor right away! Without the job-site sanding machines in your home, there is no need to plastic off the room. For most jobs; there is little dust since cutting can be done outside or in the garage.

- Another benefit to prefinished flooring is the absence of odor that custom onsite finishes traditionally create. Our prefinished flooring has up to ten coats of fully cured factory finish applied before being installed in your home.

- With the ever-increasing demand for prefinished flooring; the manufacturers of custom medallions and borders have had to include prefinished items. These prefinished medallions and borders are options that can be inlaid into your new prefinished floor.

- Every prefinished floor we sell at Heartland Wood Floors has a manufacturer warranty for the structure of the product. Most are for the lifetime of the floor. Wear warranties on these floors vary slightly from manufacturers ranging from three up to twenty-five years.

If your floor is showing considerable wear or perhaps you would like to change the color; your best option will be refinishing. One of the real advantages of wood floors is that they can be refinished many times before needing to be replaced.

- Most custom finished floors can be sanded and refinished up to 5-7 times before needing to be replaced. The exact number cannot be given because no two people sand the floor alike and no two floors are the same. Normally, the floor will be sanded with three different grits of sandpaper (coarse, medium, and fine). In some cases where it is feasible, only two runs will be made. The condition of the floor is always the determining factor.

-During the sanding process, the three runs will remove approximately 1/64″ to 1/32″ of wood. If the floor has been abused (scratched or gouged); it may require heavier sanding to reach a flat surface. In those instances, it may be more beneficial to replace the damaged boards than to sand over the entire area.

- A 3/4″ wood floor is considered a lifetime product. Under normal conditions and with proper maintenance it will last as long as your home.

- The refinishing process begins by sanding the floor down to the bare wood. To minimize the dust in the home, we use a dust containment system. This system collects the sanding dust in an exterior vacuum outside your home.

As your floor begins to show wear or does not clean easily; a recoat is recommended. Depending on the traffic on the floor, you should recoat your floor at least once every two to five years. Recoating will add valuable protection in high traffic areas that wear out before the rest of the floor and will prolong the life of the floor. By maintaining your floor with a recoat every few years, you will avoid the time and expense of refinishing.

The recoating process begins by lightly buffing the floor with an abrasive pad or screen which may cause minimal dust. The floor is then cleaned thoroughly to remove dust and any contaminants. A final coat of finish will seal your floor.

Depending on the size of the floor; it can take between 2-4 hours to buff and recoat your floor. The flooring then must be allowed the proper drying time of 8-10 hours before you can access your floor.

Three days after the recoat has been applied; you can return your furniture into the recoated areas. Felt protectors will need to be placed on all chairs and furniture before placing them on the wood floors.

After 30 days of curing, area rugs may be put down in the recoated area. Any rug, cloth, runner, etc. left lying on the floor for several days during this period will leave an imperfection in the finish.

If your floor does not clean easily or has a residue that prevents the floor from being recoated; a deep cleaning with the Bona Scrubber is recommended.

The Bona Scrubber is also recommended for regular cleaning on commercial floors. It removes the toughest dirt and surface contaminants from all types of floors.

The deep cleaning process begins by exerting a vigorous mechanical brushing action on the floor to remove the dirt. Then the machine evenly spreads the wood floor cleaning solution on the floor. The squeegees suck up the washing water and enable the damp floor to dry.

Please remember your new floor is wood, a natural product that is subject to seasonal changes. During the colder months of the year when your furnace is running, some separation in your floors is normal. According to the National Wood Flooring Association, in solid 2 1/4″ wide strip oak floors, dry time cracks may be the width of a dime’s thickness (1/32″). Wider boards will have wider cracks and the reverse is true. Humidifiers will help reduce the amount of separation that will occur. You may also want to use a dehumidifier if you have excess moisture in your home to reduce cupping (individual boards with raised edges). Most separation that happens during dry seasons will close up during the more humid seasons. The suggested percentage of humidity in your home is 40% to 50% and the suggested temperature in your home is 65° to 75°. To maintain the suggested humidity and temperature levels, avoid adjusting your thermostat when away from your home.

Area rugs should not be placed on your newly finished wood floor for 14 days for water base finish and 30 days after for oil base finishes. After the initial fourtnees/thirty days have passed, avoid rubber-backed or other non-ventilated rugs which can trap moisture under them causing damage. Perforated rug pads should be placed under all rugs to allow the wood floor to breathe. Throw rugs are recommended in front of your sink, stove, and at each outside door to protect your wood floor from spills, sand, and grit. Rugs should be moved periodically, so the wood floor can age evenly.

Wipe up food and other spills immediately using a slightly dampened cloth or paper towel. For regular cleaning, vacuum with a soft-bristled brush attachment (vacuum heads with beater bars may damage the finish) or use an untreated dust mop to pick up dirt and large particles and then use a cleaner specifically for wood floors. Vacuuming or dust mopping regularly will keep the sand and grit off of your wood floor that may cause scratches or premature wear. Cleaning your wood floor once every 1-2 weeks is recommended, depending on the amount of traffic on your wood floor. Wood floor cleaner and a wood floor cleaning kit are available to purchase in our showroom or over the phone and shipped.

The use of wax or other household cleaners, i.e., oil soaps, dust treatments, is not recommended on your wood floor. If wax or other treatments are applied, recoating may not be possible. The use of steam cleaners are not recommended on your wood floor. If steam cleaners are used, the finish may peel, whiten, or become cloudy. Also, gray lines may appear along the edges of the boards.

Furniture should not be put back into the room(s) for two to three days after the last coat of finish has been applied. Protect your wood flooring investment by using felt floor protectors on your chairs and furniture. Floor protectors provide an excellent buffer to keep chairs and furniture moving across the wood floor easily, reducing the possibility of scratching or marring. Felt protectors should be replaced when worn (approximately six months to one year depending on usage). Floor protectors are available to purchase in our showroom or over the phone and shipped.

Do not walk on the wood floor with stiletto-heeled shoes or cleats. They put excessive amounts of pressure in small areas and may cause denting. Keep high heel shoes in good repair. Heels that have lost their protective cap can cause indentations in any floor surface – even concrete.

Pet nails can scratch or mar the finish. Keep your pet’s nails trimmed regularly to avoid deep scratches. Also keep your pet’s paws clean of gravel, grease, oil, and stains. Clean up accidents immediately using a slightly dampened paper towel and hardwood floor cleaner.