Q – Where can hardwood floors be installed?

A – Muskoka hardwood floors can be installed pretty well anywhere in your home. ¾” solid products from the Muskoka Gallery Collection can be installed on or above grade. Engineered products from the Muskoka Architectural Collection and the Muskoka Solid Sawn Collection can be installed below, on, or above grade. All Muskoka products should avoid being installed in any bathrooms and/or wet bar areas.

 

Q – Should I use mats over my new hardwood floor and if so what types are recommended?

A – Article Taken From Basic Coatings Newsletter dated December 2001. Many homeowners find that rugs make a fine addition to the hardwood floors in their homes. While beautiful, rugs can be a source of problems on a newly finished floor. A small investment in homeowner education can pay off later with increased customer satisfaction.
Rugs should not be placed on newly finished floors until they are completely cured. This can take anywhere from seven to thirty days depending on the type of finish used and the conditions of the job site. Also, rugs should not be placed on prefinished floors until the installation adhesive is cured. Adhesive cure time varies on the manufacturer. Always check the manufacturer’s installation instructions for the cure time on whatever type of product is involved with an installation. Placing rugs or coverings of any kind over the floor before curing can cause discoloration, softness, or a change in the luster of the finish.

After the floor is cured and rugs are allowed to be used other issues must be considered. Some types of rug backing can cause the rug to move or slide around on the floor, causing scratches. It is recommended that a pad be placed under rugs to prevent movement.

Most rugs are made of rubber and PVC (vinyl). PVC backed pads contain plastic cizers that can cause problems with the finish even after the cure cycle, as well as cause problems with prefinished floors. The most recommended pad is a rubber honeycomb type pad, which has holes in it, and will allow the finish and floor to breathe. Glued rubber or PVC backed rugs are not recommended because they will not allow the floor to breath. Do not use a stiff pad with hard cleats or grippers on the bottom. These types of pads can cause indentations in the wood.

Remember that wood will change color due to sunlight over time, and the portion under the rug may change. It is best to move the rug periodically to keep even color through out their wood floor.

 

Q – How do I care for and maintain the beauty of my Muskoka Floor?

A – The best way to maintain your Muskoka floor is to eliminate street shoe dirt and other household dirt from your floor. Regular vacuuming will ensure that the dirt will not scratch your floor. Using the Muskoka floor cleaner will also assist in keeping your floor beautiful for a very long time. Visit the retailer where you purchased the floor and request to buy the Muskoka Cleaning and Maintenance kit. We also recommend that you use felt protector pads in place of metal or plastic buttons on all furniture to eliminate damage to your floor.

 

Q – Why do I see gaps between the boards of my hardwood floor?

A – Mother Nature. Household dryness. The loss of moisture results in the most frequent reason for shrinkage of individual pierces and cracks. Should a floor have been exposed to excess moisture then afterwards, “dried out”, cracks will develop. If subjected to extreme moisture, the edges of the wood (a vegetable ,made up of cells), can crush, and subsequent drying and shrinkage can present larger than normal cracks. Square edge (unbeveled) floors show cracks more than beveled. White, light, pastel finished show cracks more than darker wood-tone finished floors. Most cracks are seasonal – they show in dry months, or the cold season when heating is required, and close during humid periods. This type of separation and closing is considered normal. In solid 2 ¼” wide strip oak floors, dry time cracks may be the width of a dimes’ thickness (1/32”). Wider boards will have wider cracks (and the reverse is true). To improve this situation add moisture to the air space during dry periods. A constant Relative Humidity (RH) of 40-55% works in concert with the manufacture of wood floors to provide stability in the floor. Live with normal cracks or add humidity – its’ the homeowners choice. Easy ways – boil a pan of water on the stove, turn off bathroom exhaust fan, open dishwasher after rinse cycle, a pan of water in furnace fan compartment, hang laundry to dry in basement. Better yet, install humidifier to furnace controlled by a humidistat set between 40-55% RH. In dry and warm climates, add moisture (pan or humidifier) and run furnace “fan only”.