Elegant Floor Service refinishes, repairs, restores and installs hardwood floors in the MD, VA & DC areas.

Has your hardwood floor lost its original shine? Does your floor squeak in certain spots? If so, it may be time to refinish or replace your hardwood flooring. At Elegant Floor Service, we provide a variety of services to meet your needs. From wood floor installation, refinishing, repair, restoration, and maintenance, we have just the right tools and experience to leave your floors looking brand new—even if they aren’t!

Contact us today to learn more about our flooring services.

 

Things to Consider

So, how do you know if your hardwood floors need refinishing or if they need to be replaced? That’s where we come in. Take a look at some things to consider when choosing whether to replace or refinish your hardwood floors:

Price

How much are you willing to spend on your project? Taking the time to make a budget may be the only step you need when deciding whether or not to replace or refinish your hardwood, as refinishing tends to be a less expensive alternative to completely replacing your floor.

Project goals

What is the purpose of your project? Do you simply wish to bring back the original shine of your hardwood floors, or do you want to change the style, direction, or consistency of the wood? Understanding the goal of your project is a huge help when deciding whether or not you will completely replace or refinish your hardwood floors.

Time

How much time can you devote to your project? Refinishing your existing hardwood floors may take up to four or five days—without being touched by people or pets—whereas replacing your floors is a faster process.

Quality of wood

Are your hardwood floors warped, damaged, or split due to large amounts of traffic? If so you may need to replace your entire floor, since refinishing will only brighten any damage to the flooring.

Age

How old are your floors? If your hardwood is decades old or has been refinished multiple times, it may be time for a total replacement. Check if any surface wood has been exposed due to age or previous work. If so, it may time for a total replacement.

Refinish vs. Replace—What Is the Difference?

When you refinish your hardwood floors with Elegant Floor Service, we make your house look brand new—so new your guests may think you’ve installed new wood! Refinishing your floors will not only save you money over replacing your floors, but it will:

• Give your floors and home a makeover
• Eliminate scratches, scuffs, and other marks
• Protect your floors from future damage
• Bring back shine
• And more!

Have some room in your budget and want to upgrade your hardwood floors? Than make sure to talk to one of our industry experts about hardwood floor installation from Elegant Floor Service. We offer a variety of wood—all designed to make your home look good as new. We offer:

• Pre-finished & unfinished wood
• Oak, Birch, Cherry, Maple, Bamboo, Ebony, Gingerwood, and more!
• Solid and engineered wood flooring
• And more!

Call us at (800) 417-3172 or contact us today for your free estimate!

Why Choose Elegant Floor Service?

With 27 years of industry experience, we have established a well-earned reputation for quality and value. Our sales team works closely with each and every customer to help select the right hardwood style and color that best suits your needs. At Elegant Floor Service we also provide:

Trained, uniformed floor mechanics held directly accountable to our company

• Free estimates
• Industry expertise
• 27 years of experience in the flooring industry

Be sure to check out our special offers to save money on your next flooring project, and contact us to learn more!

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Protect your hardwood floors from the harsh elements of winter with these tips from Elegant Floor Service!

Although winter does not officially kickoff until December 21 in 2014, the recent polar vortex has brought freezing, winter-like temperatures and conditions to the Maryland, Virginia, and Washington DC areas. With wintry weather around the corner, it’s time to prepare your hardwood floors for an onslaught of snow, slush, dirt, and salt.

The seasonal changes of winter—cold temperatures, weather conditions, salt, dirt, etc.—combined with the increased amount of foot traffic around the holiday season can do a number on your hardwood floors if proper steps are not taken. Continue reading to learn about the effects of winter on your hardwood floors and how to properly protect them during winter.

What Damage Can Winter Elements Cause to My Wood Floors?

There are many factors that contribute to the breakdown of your wood floors. Some damage winter elements can cause to your hardwood floors include:

Gaps– Air circulated by your home’s HVAC system is typically much dryer during the winter than during the summer, spring, and fall. Dry air reduces the amount of moisture in your wood floors and can cause separation, resulting in thin gaps between planks. Don’t worry, small gaps are to be expected! As winter turns to spring and outdoor temperatures begin to warm up, moisture will return to your hardwood flooring and eliminate almost all of the small gaps.

Scrapes and scratches– Dead leaves, mud, snow, slush, dirt, salt, and other winter elements are often unintentionally dragged into your home from the bottom of boots and shoes. If not cleaned right away, these could leave unwanted scrapes and scratches on your hardwood floors.

Rotted wood– If left long enough, dirt and other wintry elements can cause your hardwood floors to rot. When this happens, it is important to contact your local flooring expert to prevent further damage.

How to Protect Your Hardwood Floors from Winter

Follow these easy steps to protect your hardwood floors from winter:

1. Keep a consistent thermostat setting– Constant changes in temperature and humidity cause wood floor planks to separate. To protect against separation and gapping, try to keep the thermostat in your house at a consistent temperature and avoid turning your heat up and down frequently.
2. Clean your wood floors– Letting snow melt or not picking up leftover dirt and sludge will cause the most damage to your hardwood floors if not cleaned as soon as possible. Protect your flooring by sweeping, vacuuming, and mopping when necessary.
3. Take off your shoes– Shoes and boots are the leading cause of unwanted scuffs, dirt and sludge. Not only will taking your shoes off prevent scuffing, but it will also leave unwanted snow and slush outside. Lastly, ask friends and family to leave their shoes at the door in order to protect your beautiful floors!
4. Lay floor mats– Floor mats are an easy way to protect your hardwood floors. Laying floor mats over your hardwood in high areas of foot traffic reduces the amount of damage to your flooring and lessens the chance of unwanted elements coming in contact with your floor.
5. Know your floor– Knowing things like how old your floor is, what work was previously done, and how much money you have previously invested in your flooring will all help when deciding how much time and money you wish to spend protecting your hardwood floors.

Hardwood Floor Services from Elegant Floor Service

Elegant Floor Service is Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, DC’s trusted flooring expert. With over 27 years of industry experience, our flooring technicians know the perfect method to bring out the beauty in your hardwood floors. We offer:

• Wood floor refinishing
• Wood floor repairs
• Wood floor restoration
• Wood floor maintenance
• And much more!

Contact us today for a free estimate on your hardwood flooring needs!

Homeowners take pride in their wood floors. Let’s face it, no matter if you installed a light-colored oak hardwood floor, a darker-toned cherry wood floor, or something in between – like hickory – you want your floors to look good!

It’s surprising how quickly some people can point out a hardwood floor that is not flat, and if you’re not careful when choosing a wood floor installer, you may end up with a cupped hardwood floor. We’ve outlined five tips to help you prevent your floors from cupping this summer. But first, we must understand what it means to have “cupped floors.”

What Is Cupped Hardwood Flooring?

Cupped hardwood flooring occurs when there is a change in moisture levels in the air. How do you know if your floors are cupped? First, look to see if the sides of the flooring are higher on the ends of the boards (where pieces connect) than in the center of the board. If the floorboard looks concave, you have cupped hardwood floors.

Think of it like placing a small strip of water onto a small drop of water – the paper will curl up and away from the water. The same thing happens to wood flooring.

What Causes Hardwood Floors to Cup?

Cupping in hardwood floors is caused by a change in moisture levels in the air. However, raised moisture levels are not the only cause of cupping, they can also be caused my lowered moisture levels depending on the type of hardwood floor installed in your home.

Solid wood floors cup as a result of elevated moisture saturation in the air. For most solid wood floor species, noticeable cupping can be visible after just a few days. Unlike solid hardwood floors, engineered wood floors cup when moisture levels are reduced. Since engineered wood flooring is created using two layers of wood, the face of the boards will begin to cup faster (roughly 10 times faster) than its backer layer.

5 Tips to Prevent Your Hardwood Floor from Cupping

During the summertime, humidity levels tend to be higher than during the winter, when indoor moisture levels are often dried out due to your heating system. To help protect your hardwood floors against cupping, follow these 5 tips:

1. Only install acclimated wood floors. It’s best to manufacture your hardwood floors in the same climate as they will be installed in. This helps prevent cupping because the hardwood floors will be acclimated to their final destination’s humidity levels and help protect against cupping throughout the year.
2. Fasten floor boards properly. Wood expands and retracts throughout the seasons, so ensuring they are properly installed and fastened can take advantage of their elasticity and prevent cupping during the summer.
3. Install a whole-home humidifier. Whole-home humidifiers work in conjunction with your HVAC system to monitor and create optimal humidity levels in your home. These systems can control the moisture level throughout your entire house and help protect against hardwood floor cupping in rooms with wood floors.
4. Never damp mop a wood floor. When cleaning your hardwood floors be sure to use as minimal water as possible, especially during the summer. High humidity levels can cause the water to evaporate slower and cause your hardwood flooring to absorb more water than usual during mopping.
5. Run vents as much as possible. Hardwood floors are a popular flooring choice in kitchens and bathrooms. To help protect against cupping, run stove vents or bathroom vents while cooking or showering for more than 10 minutes.

Hardwood Floor Restoration in Maryland, Virginia & Washington, DC

Elegant Floor Service is the premier choice of hardwood flooring experts in the Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, DC areas. Our wood floor experts are industry trained and can answer any of your hardwood flooring questions.

For a free estimate or to schedule hardwood floor restoration in the DC metropolitan area, contact us today!

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