Decorating a Baby's Nursery

Our wonderful little addition to the GR Flooring family has us engrossed in the world of all things baby! We thought this would make a perfect opportunity to share some pictures of nurseries decorated with hardwood flooring. 

There are a number of advantages of decorating a child's room with hardwood floors. First is the mess factor. Babies, infants, and toddlers are messy little humans! Everything from biological matter to play doh will eventually wind up on the floor. Hardwood floors will make clean up easier. Also, hardwood floors make it easier and less expensive to change the look of the room as the child grows up. It is easy to go from Winnie the Pooh to Star Wars without worrying about the matching the color of the carpet. Just change or add a throw rug to make the look complete. Here are some cute rooms we found!

Decorating Rooms with Dark Hardwood Floors

Your hardwood flooring has been installed and looks amazing! Enhance the beauty by coordinating the decor with the shade of the flooring. Light shades are relatively simple and many people find it easy to decorate a room with light flooring.  The darker shades are the ones that sometimes result in a challenge.  GR Flooring has some tips to decorating a room with sark hardwood flooring.

• Use color to make the room appear brighter. Choose a paint that has just a slight hue to it for the walls and paint the ceiling with a semi-gloss white.
• Light will also help the room appear larger and brighter. Use window treatments that allow light to filter through. Wall sconces, chandeliers, or high hats are good choices for adding light to the room as well.
• Accent pieces help add depth to the room. Reflective surfaces are a good choice. Hang mirrors and place metallic picture frames around the room. Choose rugs, pillows, throws, etc. in bright colors and add accent pieces with texture such as bamboo.

The accent pieces can easily be changed along with the seasons. Mix it up and enjoy a new look every few months!

Hardwood Flooring is Environmentally Friendly

Did you know that hardwood flooring is not only beautiful, but is also environmentally friendly? With a multitude of choices available, installing hardwood flooring in your home allows you to be creative and care for our environment at the same time!

Sustainable forest management allows wood to be harvested without causing serious harm to the environment due to the fact that trees are a renewable resource. Here are some facts taken from the National Wood Flooring Association's website:

• Average annual net growth for hardwoods is greater than average annual removals (Source: US Department of Agriculture Forest Service)
• Indoor air quality is better with wood floors (Source: US Environmental Protection Agency)
• Wood is a carbon neutral product that produces oxygen during its growth cycle and stores carbon during its service life (Source: University of Wisconsin Wood Products Program Solid Wood Flooring Life Cycle Analysis)
• Wood floors use less water and energy to produce than other flooring options (Source: University of Wisconsin Wood Products Program Solid Wood Flooring Life Cycle Analysis)
• At the end of its service life, wood flooring can be burned as fuel or recycled (Source: University of Wisconsin Wood Products Program Solid Wood Flooring Life Cycle Analysis)
• Wood floors last hundreds of years, so won’t need to be replaced as often as other flooring options (Source: National Association of Home Builders)
• While it takes most hardwood trees 40-60 years to mature, the inventory planted today won’t be needed for 100-plus years (Source: National Wood Flooring Association)
  Learn about installing hardwood flooring in YOUR home by calling GR Flooring and speaking with one of our professionals!

What is the Difference Between Solid and Engineered Hardwood Floors?

One frequent question we get at GR Flooring is, "what is the difference between solid hardwood floors and engineered hardwood floors?" Here is a quick explanation:

 Solid Hardwood Floors: Real wood from a hardwood species is the only material used in solid hardwood flooring. This flooring may be affected by environmental conditions such as extreme heat or rainy seasons which may cause the floor expand and contract. The thickness of the wood allows it to be sanded and refinished many times.




Engineered Hardwood Floors: This flooring is comprised of three or or more layers of HDF or MDF, with a real hardwood veneer, which are bonded together under heat and pressure. This means the wood is less likely to expand and contract in response to the climate.

Call GR Flooring to discuss the best option for your home!

Things to Do Before the Flooring Crew Arrives

Congratulations! You've decided to install new hardwood flooring or sand and refinish the existing flooring in your home. Here are some things to consider before the GR Flooring crew arrives:

• Will you live in your home while the work is being done? Consider how much of your living space will be affected. Is it just one room being done or the whole house? Will you be able to access and use the kitchen or should you plan on eating out? Will you have enough space for your family members to sleep? Will you have access to a t.v. and/or a computer for entertainment?
• Will you work out of your home while the work is being done? Can you work well with noise and activity going on around you?  Will the noise affect your ability to make and receive phone calls or participate in phone conferences?
• Do you have pets? If so, they will need to be restricted or confined so that they do not enter the work area.  We do not want them getting hurt or damaging the flooring as we work.
• All furniture will need to be removed from the work area. Be sure to get any items you may need during the process. Clothing, books, laptops, cell phones, chargers, wallets, keys, and any other items you may need. 
• Have you made arrangements for the crew to be let into the home?

The GR Flooring crews will hang plastic and take every measure to limit the amount of dust and debris in your home. Still, be prepared to do some follow up cleaning. With some forethought and planning, you can limit the inconveniences and enjoy your new flooring!

Water Conditioning Produces Rich, Dense Color on Hardwood Floors

One of the many benefits of hardwood flooring is the ability to sand and refinish it after years of use scratches and dulls it.  If you want a rich, dense color after staining, consider using water conditioning.

Sanding hardwood floors entails going over the surface many times using different grits of paper. This will make the floor smooth, but will close up the grain and make it tight. This matters because it will not allow the stain to soak into the wood. The result is that the stain will sit on top of the wood and much of it will be wiped away.

However, if you use the water conditioning process before staining, it will open up the grain.  Once open, the grain will accept the stain properly and evenly.  The final color will be much richer than if the wood had not been water conditioned and the finish will be stronger.

Ensure that you know exactly what the final color of your floor will be.  Ask to see samples of the stain on water conditioned flooring!

For more information, please call GR Flooring.