Archives

Fixing Scratches in Hardwood Floors

When looking into hardwood floors, one of the hardest parts of the maintenance is learning to keep the scratches and scruffs to a minimum. Beautiful hardwood floors can be worn down by heels, pets, and furniture that is placed on them. Learning to maintain their hardwood floors is going to be one of the most important aspects of hardwood floor ownership for a homeowner.

Interior designers and homeowners alike realize the importance of beautiful hardwood floors in a home. Not knowing how to properly maintain a hardwood floor is unfortunate, and many homeowners have no idea how to go about removing the scratches from their hardwood floors. The wood used in making hardwood floors is dense, and although that makes them long lasting, it also means that the scratches can be hard to remove. Here are a few tips on removing the scratches from hardwood floors that are in homes.

Tips on Removing Scratches from Hardwood Floors

When to Use Sandpaper

Even those who have been sanding for a while may not be aware of all the benefits of using sandpaper on floors. Sanding down a wood floor blends in the scratch with the rest of the floor, and sanding should be done when the scratch is deeper and it is unable to be hidden with markers, crayons, or pens that are similar to the color of the wood of the floors. When sanding, remember to sand WITH the grain, going long-wise if the grain is as well.

Hide Scratches with Crayons and Markers

This is not the most ideal way to hide scratches, but for small ones that are isolated, using a similar color of crayon, colored pencil, or Sharpie could be an efficient and inexpensive way to remove the appearance of the scratch or scuff and help blend it in with the rest of the flooring!

Use a Walnut

Similar to sandpaper, walnuts are very adept at removing scratches from wood floors. Run the walnut along the whole length of the scratch, and the natural oils from the walnut will seep out into the scratch and help to blend it in with the rest of the floor. After rubbing the walnut across the scratch, leave the oils to soak for several minutes before rubbing across the scratch with a lint-less cloth. Voila! It is finished.

Premixed Wood Filler

While wood filler does not permanently fill gaps, it does do a good job of hiding small holes and scratches on the floor. Wood filler does do a good job of temporarily filling gaps that are in the wood floors, so when there are problems, that is going to be a good place to start. The moral of the story is that when it comes to hardwood floors, wood filler makes an excellent temporary fix. In the long run, it will be best to replace the board(s).

Call a Professional

There are times when doing it yourself just isn’t a luxury you have. The appearance of the hardwood floors in a home is very important, and much of the time it is more efficient to simply call a professional. There are many contractors and specialists who specialize in the repair of hardwood floors. For help in finding a reputable hardwood floor repairman, simply contact the interior design firm or hardwood floor distributor that installed the hardwood floors. At certain times, it may be best to go ahead and have a portion of the flooring replaced. In times like that, it is best to speak with a professional.

Interior Designers and homeowners all realize the great benefits of having hardwood floors that are pristine and sleek, void of scratches or marks. Accidents do happen and scratches can occur, so when installing hardwood floors in a home be sure to look into how to properly maintain the floors and remove the scratches and scuffs. For those who are looking into commercial flooring, residential flooring, and hardwood floors – get in contact with Lane Sales, Inc. today at 800-731-3483!

MAKING THE CHOICE BETWEEN HARDWOOD AND CARPET AT YOUR BUSINESS

There are a lot of choices out there when picking out flooring. One of the larger decisions is between hardwood or carpet for your business. Here are a few things to consider when making your decision.

Carpets Can Be Custom Designed

You are not just stuck with a few options when it comes to carpet. There are natural wool carpets for those that like natural fibers. Synthetic fiber carpets are also long lasting and can be custom sized to your room or purpose. A special design or pattern is also not a problem.

Hardwood Is Beautiful But Requires Different Upkeep

While hardwood can last for many generations, it does require some care and maintenance that carpet does not. Wood is naturally more susceptible to moisture damage if spills are not cleaned up quickly. On the other hand, if you want to create a rustic and old fashioned atmosphere then hardwood is a classic choice.

modern-hardwood-flooring

Combining The Best Of Both

Hardwood flooring and custom carpets can be combined to create a very classy and upscale look for less money than you might think. You might consider an Oak floor with runner rugs in areas that get a lot of foot traffic. This will offer you beauty, but you won’t have to worry about a floor wearing unevenly.

Samples And Planning

Lane Sales can provide samples so you can get a better idea of what to expect when your order from us. You can compare carpet samples on hardwood samples if you are pondering the idea of a combined approach. Contact our staff today to get started designing the perfect floor and carpet combination for your business. We can have your custom order ready promptly and with the highest level of customer service in the industry.

Contrasting Area Rugs and Hardwood Floors

When interior decorators are considering the placement of area rugs and where they should go in the house, one of the first things they look for is how to pair these rugs with hardwood floors. Hardwoods are beautiful, but sometimes contrasting the sleek look of the wood with a rug is a great way to make the floor of an entire room pop and really tie the whole room together.

Those that specialize in designing a home and those that are in the carpet business know an awful lot about carpet and flooring. They also look for patterns as they use their imagination to help someone’s home become more decorative.

Tips for Area Rugs and Hardwood Floors

Consider Colors to Contrast

Remember that area rugs come in many colors, as well as the different sizes they are available in. It’s important to match an area rug with the color it has, so that it isn’t conflicting with any of the other colors in a room. Even though interior design is a business, it is still supposed to be fun. Have fun in decorating a room, just make sure the area rug matches the room it is placed in. The interior design specialists that provide the area rug will also be able to provide a host of tips when it comes to color scheming.

Look for Patterns in a Rug

The hardwood floors aren’t the only part of the room to analyze when considering area rug placement. Remember that utilizing an area rug is going to help by contrasting or matching with wallpaper, paint styles, and the décor in a room such as furniture, lamps, and draperies. For instance, a rug that is paired well with everything else that is going on in a living room will do well in putting the final touches on an already ornate room.

Place Rugs in Larger Rooms and Under Tables

Large rooms with open areas can benefit greatly from placing an area rug over a hardwood floor. This best way to keep a hardwood floor safe under a kitchen or dining room table is to go ahead and place an area rug underneath. This makes seating feel more comfortable. Placing an area rug over hardwood floors also helps an area feel more like a dining room than a kitchen or decorative area. Sometimes it’s okay to get comfortable and put a rug down under the table.

Area Rugs in High Traffic Areas

Placing a rug in a high traffic area is one way to keep a hardwood floor from wearing down as fast. Hardwood floors are a durable material for flooring, but they still wear down and placing something over the top of them to protect them is one way to go about increasing the lifespan of your hardwood floors.

Rugs Make Cleaning Easier

Hardwood floors themselves are durable and fairly easy to maintain. But remember, even those who are the best at maintain hardwood floors can have a hard time when it comes to crumbs, scratches, and scuffs. Another big benefit of utilizing a rug with a hardwood floor is that vacuuming a rug can be simple and easy, especially when compared to trying to get a scratch out of a brand new hardwood floor. When maintenance is an issue, a great solution could be going with the area rug.

Lane Sales, Inc. is the premiere provider of commercial and residential flooring, as well as area rugs and other interior design solutions. When looking into a flooring provider, it’s best to let Lane Sales do the work and provide top-of-the-line flooring service. Lane Sales provides luxury vinyl tile as well. They aspire to be the wholesale provider of commercial and residential flooring products! Go ahead and give a call today at 800-731-3483!