Job Spotlight: Hand-scraped Floors
Job Spotlight a hand-scraped hardwood floor refinish.
Hand-scraped floors are very popular for homeowners who are looking for a rustic, barnwood feel for their hardwood floors. To achieve this look, our hardwood flooring specialists scrape each board to give it the desired grooves and valleys. While this type of flooring is good for hiding dirt and pet hair, there is one drawback to consider: faster wear.
We recently completed a buff and coat on a hand-scraped floor we completed a few years back. The customer noticed that the higher parts of the floor - especially those underneath furniture or in high traffic areas - were showing signs of aging faster than the lower valleys in the floor.
The finished product looked good as new!
To schedule your own hand-scraped hardwood flooring job, submit an estimate request form or give us a call at 763-428-8601
The Easiest Way to Protect Your Floors
Floor pads are the most simple way possible to keep your floors scratch free! Learn how often to replace them and the size and price of our top-quality EZ Glide pads.
You just get your brand new hardwood floors and they are PERFECT… that is until someone (your kid, grandkid, neighbor, friend, etc.) scrapes a chair across your floor and BAM, say hello to a brand new scratch!
We have seen this exact scenario too many times to count, and it is heart breaking to have to repair scratches in a newly finished floor. But, there is hope. A simple solution to avoid scratches in your floors for as long possible. Floor pads are the best solution to avoid scratches, especially on items that are frequently used and moved - think kitchen chairs, ottomans, or benches.
When purchasing floor pads, it is best to purchase high-quality ones that are made of carpet or a very close material as they tend to last longer than the ones made of felt. At DFS, we offer many different floor pads and recommend changing them every 2 years to ensure absolute protection.
Our EZ Glide floor pads are top-quality. We always have the following sizes on hand at the listed prices:
1" round - 12 per pack - $3.99 + tax
1 1/2" round - 6 per pack - $3.99 + tax
3 1/2" x 5/8" strips - 6 per pack - $3.99 + tax
1/2" x 36" roll - 1 per pack - $3.99 + tax
3 1/2" x 4 3/4 pad - 1 per pack - $3.99 + tax
Contact us today to place your floor pad order!
Duane's Does Decks!
Introducing our new service, deck refinishing!
As a company, we pride ourselves on being the best in the industry with every service we offer. This is the reason why we focus solely on hardwood flooring services and don’t expand our services into many other flooring types.
In summer 2019, we noticed an area of opportunity to help homeowners with a new area of hardwood in their home: the deck. Many Minnesotans have wood decks that take quite the beating during our harsh winters. It seems that no matter what finish you choose, you always end up having to refinish your deck every 2 years due to flaking finish and weather wear-and-tear.
As professionals in wood refinishing, it made sense for us to expand our service into wooden decks. Now, we can do the dirty job of deck refinishing for you! We will sand off your old, flaking finish and reapply a new finish that will make your deck look good as new!
Contact Neva today to discuss your deck refinishing project! And keep scrolling to see an example of a recent refinish done by our team.
Before
After!
Team Work Makes the Dream Work
Without a well functioning team, we would not be able to deliver the best hardwood floors in the industry. Learn more about the team work behind every job we do.
At Duane’s Floor Service, any hardwood job we touch is a team effort. Our team is built start-to-finish to bring you the best customer service experience and the most beautiful floors on the block. So, what does the process with Duane’s look like?
Let’s start with your first touch point - Neva. Neva is one of the company owners and is the magic in the office. From guiding customers to the best hardwood choice for them (trust her, she has almost all of them in her house!), to scheduling, invoicing, and problem solving - she truly wears all the hats.
Our wonderful owners, Troy & Neva Gullickson
When you schedule an estimate, we have a rotating team who will come to your home, measure your project, and discuss your options. We encourage all potential customers to ask any question you might have about your hardwood project, our company, and how we will work together to provide you with an experience that you cannot find with any other hardwood flooring company.
Now we get to work. Whether you are getting an entirely new floor installed, refinishing existing floors, or repairing some unsightly damage, we are dedicated to working hard. Staying on schedule and delivering flawless hardwood floors is the mission we set out to accomplish every day.
Sam and Mike hard at work!
Happy customers who are beyond excited to invite their neighbors over to show them their new floors is the greatest gift we receive as a company. Our ultimate goal is a happy customer, and none of this would be possible without the hard work and dedication that our team brings to the jobsite every single day.
So, thank you to our customers and thank you to our team. We couldn’t do what we do without you.
Buffing vs. Sanding
Learn the difference between the buff-and-coat and the sand-and-refinish.
It’s in the nature of all hardwood floors to be susceptible to signs of wear-and-tear like scratches, grooves, sun discoloration, and other damages. It is also in the nature of hardwood floors to bounce back from these things!
There are two methods that hardwood flooring professionals use to restore hardwood floors: buffing and sanding. Many people don’t know they have these restoration options, or don’t understand the difference between the two, so let’s clarify!
A buff and coat is more of a maintenance procedure that should be done about every 5-years to extend the life of your floors. In this process, the hardwood flooring specialist buffs down the finish of your floor down to the last coat of polyurethane - it does not go down to the bare wood or remove your stain. This process allows you to remove superficial scratches and discoloration from your floor’s finish and gives your floors a fresh new coat of finish.
The sanding and refinishing process goes deeper - it takes off the floor’s finish as well as the surface of the damaged wood. This process reveals a new layer of your hardwood floors, and allows you to stain it a completely different color if you want to! For severely damaged hardwood, this is the process you want to select.
Breaking it all down to conclude: “Sanding takes care of deep imperfections and allows homeowners to change the color of their hardwood floors. Buffing is simpler, faster, less disruptive, costs less and extends the life of wood boards” (Royal Wood Floor).
Is your floor in need of a buff and coat or sand and refinish? Contact us today to schedule a free estimate and we will tell you which process your floor needs to look as good as new!
It's in Our Blood
With three active generations on our Duane’s Floor Service team, there are still opportunities for growth and learning.
The love for hardwood floors is in our blood. We have three active generations working right now; our founder and grandfather Duane Gullickson, owner and father Troy Gullickson, and future-owner and son Sam Gullickson.
Sam has nearly two decades of hardwood flooring experience under his belt, but there are still jobs where half-a-century of experience is needed.
We recently completed a double herringbone hardwood floor design, and were beyond blessed to have Duane here to guide Sam through the process.
Installing a double herringbone floors require a lot of focus and concentration to ensure that the boards align perfectly and that the design is flawless. These two seasoned floorsman did an incredible job with this installation and we always love to see our generations working and learning together.
Colorful Finishes
Learn about the new color finishing trends in hardwood flooring.
The classic hardwood floors that most are familiar with have a natural finish, or a darker stain that still highlights the natural beauty of the wood. However, new trends are always emerging in home styles, and we have seen a recent surge in requests for unique color finishes.
Here is an example of a grey finish. This lighter finish still allows the natural beauty of the wood to show through while bringing a modern feel to the room.
Here is an example of a black stain. This is an intense look that really transforms the wood and the home it is installed in with a warm, elegance.
Interested in trying out a colored finish in your home? Contact us today by submitting a form or call Neva at 763-428-8601
Managing Moisture
Water damage does not mean you need to replace your entire floor. Learn about your options when flooding hits your floors.
This Spring has been historically wet for Minnesota, and an unfortunately high number of people are experiencing flooding and moisture problems in their homes. Hardwood floors do tend to change with the seasons. In the dry seasons of Fall and Winter, the floors contract and cracks can appear between boards, but these cracks typically disappear when the warm, humid months return. We try to counteract this by allowing the wood time to acclimate before it is installed. However, in states like Minnesota where the temperatures vary so greatly from Summer to Winter, some seasonal variance is hard to avoid.
When Spring arrives, so can unexpected leaks and water in your home. Hardwood floors can soak up water through their cells, which means it is crucial to remove the water as soon as possible. Get out your shop vac and call in help to get the water off your floors, and then it’s time to let them dry. It’s best to bring in fans and natural airflow to get the floors dry, and once dried, you can inspect the damage.
Some water damaged floors can be repaired with a sand and refinish, but others will require replacement. Here is an example of a leaking fridge that caused excessive damage. These floors had to be torn out and patched to repair.
If you experienced flooding this spring and need help rescuing your hardwood floors, give us a call! 763-428-8601
Job Spotlight: Minneapolis Makeover
This job spotlight features recovered birch floors with a custom stain.
In late 2018, we had the pleasure of refinishing the birch floors in an old Minneapolis home. Like many aged homes, these wood floors were hidden under carpet. This is a trend that started in the mid-twentieth century – covering your hardwood with carpet - and now many homeowners are pleasantly surprised when they pull back their old carpet and discover beautiful wood floors!
The birch floors in this home had seen better days, but the beauty of hardwood floors is that they are very rarely beyond repair. We sanded the floors and refinished them with a custom stain. The end product… incredible! Schedule your sand and refinish today.
All Hardwood Is Not Created Equal
All wood species have a unique level of hardness that is measured using the Janka scale.
A common misconception when it comes to hardwood floors is that they all have the same level of “hardness”, when in fact, the level of hardness varies greatly by the specie of tree. There is a scientific scale used to measure the hardness of different woods call the Janka Scale. It basically tells us how resilient a certain species of wood will be to dents, scrapes, and wear by measuring the amount of pounds-force required to imbed a steel into the lumber (Wood Database). The higher the Janka rating, the harder the wood.
Hardness
“Janka”
Scale
Curious about where your lumber falls on the scale? Check out the list below:
Walnut, Brazilian 3680
Teak, Brazilian 3540
Cherry, Brazilian 2820
Gum, Spotted 2473
Mesquite 2345
Mahogany, Santos 2200
Hickory/Pecan 1820
Maple, Brazilian 1500
Maple, Hard 1450
Cypress, Australian 1375
Oak, White 1360
Ash, White 1320
Beech 1300
Oak, Northern Red 1290
Birch 1260
Teak 1078
Walnut, American Black 1010
Cherry, Black 950
Pine, Southern Yellow 870
Douglas Fir 660
Source: “Hardwood [Janka] Scale”. Pg. 11. Real Wood Real Life. The National Hardwood Flooring Association.
Jobsite Plastic Hanging
Construction work is a dirty job, but we go above and beyond to leave your home clean so you have nothing to worry about except enjoying your new floors.
Any type of home construction is a dirty job, and hardwood floors are no exception. Especially during the sanding and buffing stages of your project, the dust that is created can be overwhelming. It is important to our team to keep your home as clean as possible during our time working there, so we have perfected the art of plastic hanging to make that possible!
Here are some examples of the intricate attention we pay to keeping dust out of your cabinets, off your light fixtures, and as concealed to the construction zone as we can keep it.
Hardwood Flooring Care Guide
Learn the proper way to care for your hardwood floors, from cleaning solutions and floors pads, to when you should get a buff & coat vs. a total refinish.
Cleaning
One of the best things about hardwood floors is that we can wash them. This makes for a cleaner, healthier home that we can all feel good about living in. However, the cleaning agent you use on your hardwood floors actually harm them. Many of the hardwood cleaning products on the market are oil based – these are a big no-no! The solution you should use to clean your floors should be very simple and always highly diluted with water. We recommend using a 25/1 water to vinegar ratio, or an all-purpose cleaning solution that is not oil based (we use Mr.Clean), mixed with water to the same ratio. For a great mop kit that includes a washable cover, contact us to order today!
Scratch Prevention
Furniture and hardwood floors unfortunately don’t mix well. Items like chairs, couches, and ottomans can really scratch a floor. To prevent these scratches from occurring, we highly recommend putting floors pads on all of the furniture that you put on your hardwood floors. We sell the following floor pad size options:
· 1" round - 12 per pack - $3.99 + tax
· 1 1/2" round - 6 per pack - $3.99 + tax
· 3 1/2" x 5/8" strips - 6 per pack - $3.99 + tax
· 1/2" x 36" roll - 1 per pack - $3.99 + tax
· 3 1/2" x 4 3/4 pad - 1 per pack - $3.99 + tax
And remember, you should change your floor pads whenever they start to look really worn down.
Buff & Coat
After a few years of wear and tear, your floor will start to show scratches, light spots from the sun, and many other little “beauty marks” that come from a busy home. Instead of letting your floors go too long, which would require a complete refinishing, we recommend getting a buff and coat once every three to five years. The buff and coat process adds an extra layer of poly to your floors to hide imperfections and add an additional layer of protection. This process not only brings new life to your floors, but it will also save you hundreds of dollars in the long run!
Refinishing
Refinishing your floors is much more in-depth process, but the results are incredible! The refinishing process involves sanding your floors which will completely remove the original finish, and also take out almost all scratches. You then add a new finish, which gives you the opportunity to completely change the look of your floors if you want to! Most solid hardwood floors can be refinished around ten times in their lifetime.
We hope this guide to caring for your hardwood floors helps you care for and extend the beauty of your floors for decades to come!
Want to schedule a buff and coat or refinishing? Call Neva today to set up an estimate! 763-428-8601