Did you know that sassafras sandy loam is the official state soil of Maryland? It has a sandy loam upper layer with a clay/sandy loam mix just underneath. This is a highly desirable soil mix with a good nutrient profile and excellent drainage. But when it’s tracked into your home, you probably just think of it as dirt or mud. In fact, the different components of this particular soil can do different things to your residential flooring – none of them good.

• Grains of sand and silt can easily scratch laminates, wood and linoleum. They also cut through carpet like tiny knives. If you’ve ever wondered why your vacuum cleaner bag or canister fills up with carpet fuzz, it’s because sand is shredding the fibers.
• Clay is notorious for containing high levels of iron – a metal that oxidizes readily and can easily stain your floors. Carpets, poorly sealed grout, and porous tile floors are especially vulnerable.

These are very good reasons to institute a “leave your shoes at the door” policy. So, break out the socks, slippers, and house shoes until the chilly weather in Maryland, Virginia and Washington DC gives way to warm spring days!

February is the month of romance, so perhaps it’s time to get down on one knee and propose to your hardwood floors. What should you say to show your undying affection to the flooring you’ve trampled underfoot for so many years? We’ve written some sample “vows” just for this occasion:

• I promise never to use ammonia based cleaners that would strip you of your lovely finish
• No urethane wax will ever touch you
• I will sweep you lightly and keep the wet mop far away from your boards
• I make it my sacred mission to protect you from scratches, stains and UV rays
• I vow to love you even when you expand and contract with the seasons
• When you are old and worn, I will refurbish you with care

Not up to the task of caring for your hardwood floors all by yourself? That’s no problem at all. Consider signing up for our maintenance program to keep your floors looking smooth and shiny year round. Especially in Maryland, DC and Virginia where our climate can be so unpredictable.  We’ll even give your wood floors a good hard-buffing on a regular basis…just the way they like it.

You know that February is a cold month in the Washington DC Metropolitan area. Temps hover between freezing and fifty most of the month. But you might not be aware that it’s also the driest month of the year in this part of the country. That’s before you turn on the heat and dry the air inside your home even more. Have you ever wondered how this drop in moisture coupled with indoor heating affects your hardwood floors?

It shrinks! If it’s high quality wood and installed correctly (the way we do things at Residential Floors), you’re likely to just see small gaps between the boards. But that’s still enough space for dust and dirt to get trapped, making your floors look grungy. If you want to ensure your hardwood flooring stays tightly aligned even in dry weather, you may wish to use a humidifier. Keeping the indoor humidity above 45% should keep your floorboards in good shape – and your sinuses will feel better too!

The kids are back in school. Soccer and football practices fill the weekday afternoons while the weekends are jammed with attending the competitions of youth. Yes, autumn is here–with all its color, charm, chill, and preparations for the holida

y season and spending more time indoors, rather than outdoors. Folks seem to notice the little bits of wear-and-tear that the years’ activities had on their home; and, not surprisingly, floor covering seems to get scrutinized the most. Whether it’s the continual sweeping of mud-clods left behind by the soccer cleats or planning the holiday décor, people start thinking about changing their flooring.

Fall is actually a very smart time to address a flooring project. Most manufacturers don’t want to carry a whole lot of inventory into the winter months, and also need the space (and capital) to produce and introduce the new products in the latter part of January. So, in short, there are some incentives and margin-dropping that occurs during these few months in order to spur the market a little bit. Economically speaking, this is the time of year when real buys can happen for a homeowner.

Along the Eastern part of the country the choking humidity has finally subsided as cooling temperatures stabilize the atmosphere. Temperatures are still warm, or moderate, but the humidity is dramatically receding (save any hurricane activity, of course). Given this environmental balance, those who are considering the integration of wood flooring in their home or want to have their wood floors sanded and finished–this is really the ideal time to get it done. New floors tend to acclimate more evenly–providing a better installation (without running the air conditioning); and fresh finish cures without the threat of a humidity haze or drying too fast.

So if your sprucing-up-for-the-holidays plans include the integration of a new finish floor, or dressing-up an older one, know that you couldn’t have picked a better time to do it…’tis the season!

 The inclusion of an area rug to your hardwood flooring space has the benefit of both function and design. Some styles lend themselves toward enhancing the hardwood flooring while others demand most of the attention away from the hardwood. In either scenario, the rug will also add a level of comfort under foot and also serve to keep your hardwood flooring from being victimized by any sand or soil that gets tracked in, abrading these culprits from your shoes before any damage is realized to the pristine urethane finish of the hardwood.