Hardwood floor refinishing takes years of training to truly master. When deciding on a hardwood flooring contractor to refinish your hardwood floors, it’s important to consider that you get what you pay for. If you only focus on the price per square foot, you will be missing out on the best value for your money. Our employees are certified in the Lagler Premium Sanding Technology (PST) methods to obtain premium wood surfaces using our Lagler sanding equipment.
First sanding cut: we cross-cut all hardwood floors at an angle with our Lagler HUMMEL belt sander to make sure your floor is completely flat. This step is often skipped by contractors looking to save time and cut corners on the job. A floor that is not cross-cut will exhibit a slight wavy or rolling appearance.
Final sanding cuts: progressively finer grits of sandpaper are used on the final sanding cuts with the HUMMEL belt sander and our Lagler FLIP and Clarke Super 7R edger sanders, ending with the appropriate grit for the stain or finish that will be applied. The floor is inspected to ensure there are no dig marks from the belt sander or edger.
TRIO: the Lagler TRIO multi-disc sander is used on all of our jobs instead of a traditional buffer. This sanding machine evens-out the hard grain and soft grain of the wood so the floor is sanded as flat and even as possible, without “dish-out” of the soft grain. This sanding step really takes your floor up a notch! The TRIO spins at a much faster RPM than a traditional buffer and weighs twice as much, allowing it to close the grain of the wood so the finish will stand on top of the wood floor for better protection and durability. Not all contractors use this machine, so when comparing bids ask the flooring contractor if they plan to TRIO your floor.
Filling: we fill all nail holes, knot holes and gaps between boards. We use a wood filler that will match the color of the wood, adding dyes if necessary.
Finish: wood floor finishes vary in durability and price is a factor in quality. When comparing bids, it’s important to know the manufacturer and product name of the finish used. Glitsa Swedish finish, a conversion varnish, is the most popular finish we use. We also use GlitsaMax X2: a 2-component, commercial grade Waterborne finish. If you would like to use a Wateborne finish on your job, make sure your contractor is using a 2-component finish, and not a single component finish, such as Glitsa Infinity II. Zero-VOC hardwax oil finishes such as Pallman Magic Oil are also available, for a natural, hand-rubbed appearance. We use finishes from other manufacturers to obtain other custom designs.
Stain: custom stain colors are our specialty! Grey stains became popular in 2014 and we are seeing that trend continue into 2018. When staining a floor, samples are always applied to your floor so you have the opportunity to see how it looks in your home prior to making a final decision. We use stains from Minwax and DuraSeal.
Dust containment: all sanders have integrated dust collection. The Lagler HUMMEL is the finest belt sander in the world and emits very little dust during sanding. We use one of the best portable vacuums on the market, the Pulse-Bac 550 with HEPA filters, attached to our Lagler and Clarke edger sanders that sand the perimeter of the room. The Lagler TRIO is certified dustless in Germany and we use this machine for the final sanding cuts instead of a traditional buffer. The buffer is where most of the dust on a job originates, which is one reason why we don’t use a traditional buffer to sand your floors. We use Festool orbital sanders for staircases and other detail areas. Festool is known worldwide for making the finest power tools available with highly efficient dust collection. We vacuum all surfaces before the finish coats are applied. There is no such thing as “100% dustless” or “dust free sanding”, but your home will be clean when the job is completed.