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NWFA Member |
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Family owned with years of experience |
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Personal attention to client |
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Competitive hardwood flooring offer |
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Free estimate with no obligation
Call now: 773.757.5005 ( Lester )
Monday - Friday: 8AM - 8PM
Saturday: 9AM - 3PM
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| Quality Hardwood Services in Des Plaines |
Kind of Finishes Used for Hardwood Installation in Des Plaines
As professional hardwood floor installers in Des Plaines, we receive a lot of queries from our clients seeking advice on which surface finish to use for raw hardwood or site finished hardwood floor installations. While we do not advocate any one particular finish, for all hardwood installation in Des Plaines, we decide which finish to use based on our client’s needs, budget and timelines.
Most professionals use urethanes for hardwood refinishing in Des Plaines that are oil based for some surface finishes. These finishes are available from satin sheens to semi-gloss and gloss. Oil based finishes have a longer dry time and cure time. These finishes have to be applied twice or thrice and each coat takes up at least eight hours to dry. Oil based finished also emit a lot of fumes in the process of drying. Oil based finishes amber over a period of time.
Water based finishes are another popular alternative for hardwood floor installers in Des Plaines. What makes them better than oil based finishes is their ability to dry quickly. They also have a comparatively less cure time. These also do not have the amber effect as found in oil based finishes. They also do not produce as much odor as oil based finishes do – a factor due to which most sensitive people opt for this finish than oil based finishes. Some brands of water based finishes have a few chemicals added in them during the manufacturing process to make them more durable. These chemicals are known as cross-linkers. For good hardwood refinishing in Des Plaines, the professional will have to apply at least four coats of these finishes when compared to two or three coats of oil based finishes. This is because water based finishes are made up of only 35% of solids while the percentage of solids in oil based finishes go up to 50%. The percentage of solids in the finishes determines the protection that the finish can provide.
Other factors for deciding against water based finishes include its cost and the lack of sheen provided by the finish. In terms of price, oil based finishes cost only half of what water based finishes cost. Also, oil based finishes impart a rich sheen that water based finishes cannot. Floors finished using water based urethanes may also require recoating once every two or three years.
The third alternative is to opt for urethanes that are moisture cured. These use the moisture in the air for curing. They are more long lasting and resistant to high humidity in the environment. Most professional hardwood resanding or hardwood recounting in Des Plaines most people would recommend using this for households or business that see a lot of traffic. They are available in gloss or satin and some of them even provide the amber effect similar to oil based finishes. Again, residents who are sensitive to odors must avoid being in the house or business where this finish is being used.
Another surface finish alternative that is doing the rounds in business is the Swedish finish. These finishes are based on resins. They are durable and yet are so thin that one can feel the grain of the hardwood.
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