Floor Polishing 101

Hardwood floors are one of the most desirable and attractive features a home can have. While they’re not necessarily the right stylistic or aesthetic fit for every house, they look great in the vast majority of spaces, adding a touch of warmth, interest and comfort to any home. Keeping them clean and polished after installation is a key part of any contractor’s job, which is why floor polishing in South Amboy, NJ is usually the finishing touch that gives your floors that last bit of extra appeal and durability.

Our team at Lov ‘N Kare Carpet Center are experts in installing and caring for all types of flooring, and hardwood is no different. Below, we’re happy to provide some insight into what polishing usually entails.

Use a pole sander

Once a floor has been sanded and edged, it will look wonderfully smooth and uniform, but there are actually some secret scratches that might be immediately apparent to the naked eye. Scratches in the main field of the floor and invisible “pig-tailed” curved scratches can run all around the perimeter of the room and can really compromise the quality of the job. Using a pole sander is a great way to finish off floor polishing in South Amboy, NJ, but you need to be thorough. Use it on every inch of the surface and be sure you’re not missing anything, because the finish will ultimately reveal any lingering scratches.

Clean it thoroughly

After you’ve completed that pole sanding task, there’s still quite a bit to do. Next, you need to clean the entire floor—vacuum every inch of it and anywhere else sawdust might have settled. This includes baseboards and windowsills, since sawdust here can easily be knocked back onto the floor later and contribute to ruined finishes. Next, you’re going to want to tack the floor, which basically involves using a “tack cloth” to run along the entire surface and pick up any and all lingering dust or other residue. This will prepare the floor for the final finish, which you’re going to apply next.

Apply the finish

Finally, you can apply the finish of your choice. Wrapping up floor polishing in South Amboy, NJ means that you now have some options—you can decide whether or not you want to use a stain, or just keep a natural look and let the color of the wood speak for itself. You can also decide on the sheen of the final coating that you’re going to put on. This is entirely a matter of personal preference, but our team would be happy to offer some advice on this front.

When customers wonder how to polish floors in South Amboy, NJ, we assure them that there is indeed a recommended process they can follow that will likely lead to good results. Once your floor is installed and looking great, remember that Lov ‘N Kare Carpet Center offers waxing and buffing services that can help keep all hard flooring surfaces looking like new for years to come. Reach out to us today to learn more.