Port Chester NY Hardwood flooring and refinishing 10573

Are you looking for hardwood flooring for your home in Port Chester NY?

Or, if you already have hardwood flooring, we can stain and refinish it for you. We know it can be challenging the find the right type of hardwood and the right contractor to trust, so we try to make it easy. We do this by "bringing the store to your door." That way, you can see the different types of hardwood, the different species and the different colors in your own lighting. It does look different in your own home than the store lighting.  

So whether you're looking for oak hardwood flooring, or brazilian cherry or bamboo or maple or you're just not sure, let's us help you. We'll show you the different types of hardwoods and we'll find the right one for you and your budget. Or, if you already have hardwood flooring and just want to refinish it or change the color, we can help you with that, too.  



We are very reasonably priced. Our estimates are always FREE. And, because we are part of nationwide buying group (there are about 90 of us across the country), so our pricing is very reasonable. We'll work with you to find a hardwood that works for your budget.  

We also refinish hardwood floors and offer a dustless sanding system to our customers. This costs a bit extra, but many customers feel it's worth it, especially if they have someone with allergies in their household. So, if your floors are a bit beat up, or if you just want to change the color and fix them up, refinishing them is a great and affordable option. Or, if you have hardwood underneath those carpets, we can restore the beauty of the hardwood underneath. It's amazing what a big difference this can make in your home.

Hardwood Flooring Video - Port Chester NY 10573

We will provide you with over 30 references and we show you our Angies List Reviews - we are A rated by our customers.

Port Chester Hardwood Flooring 10573 - We make it simple.

So, if you're looking hardwood flooring in Port Chester NY, give us a call at Floor Coverings International 914-937-2950 and let us "bring the store to your door."

Cortlandt Manor NY Hardwood flooring and refinishing 10567

Are you looking for hardwood flooring for your home in Cortlandt Manor NY?

Or, if you already have hardwood flooring, we can stain and refinish it for you. We know it can be challenging the find the right type of hardwood and the right contractor to trust, so we try to make it easy. We do this by "bringing the store to your door." That way, you can see the different types of hardwood, the different species and the different colors in your own lighting. It does look different in your own home than the store lighting.  

So whether you're looking for oak hardwood flooring, or brazilian cherry or bamboo or maple or you're just not sure, let's us help you. We'll show you the different types of hardwoods and we'll find the right one for you and your budget. Or, if you already have hardwood flooring and just want to refinish it or change the color, we can help you with that, too.  



We are very reasonably priced. Our estimates are always FREE. And, because we are part of nationwide buying group (there are about 90 of us across the country), so our pricing is very reasonable. We'll work with you to find a hardwood that works for your budget.  

We also refinish hardwood floors and offer a dustless sanding system to our customers. This costs a bit extra, but many customers feel it's worth it, especially if they have someone with allergies in their household. So, if your floors are a bit beat up, or if you just want to change the color and fix them up, refinishing them is a great and affordable option. Or, if you have hardwood underneath those carpets, we can restore the beauty of the hardwood underneath. It's amazing what a big difference this can make in your home.

Hardwood Flooring Video - Cortlandt Manor NY 10567

We will provide you with over 30 references and we show you our Angies List Reviews - we are A rated by our customers.

Cortlandt Manor Hardwood Flooring 10567 - We make it simple.

So, if you're looking hardwood flooring in Cortlandt Manor NY, give us a call at Floor Coverings International 914-937-2950 and let us "bring the store to your door."

Mt Kisco NY Hardwood flooring and refinishing 10549

Are you looking for hardwood flooring for your home in Mt Kisco NY?

Or, if you already have hardwood flooring, we can stain and refinish it for you. We know it can be challenging the find the right type of hardwood and the right contractor to trust, so we try to make it easy. We do this by "bringing the store to your door." That way, you can see the different types of hardwood, the different species and the different colors in your own lighting. It does look different in your own home than the store lighting.  

So whether you're looking for oak hardwood flooring, or brazilian cherry or bamboo or maple or you're just not sure, let's us help you. We'll show you the different types of hardwoods and we'll find the right one for you and your budget. Or, if you already have hardwood flooring and just want to refinish it or change the color, we can help you with that, too.  



We are very reasonably priced. Our estimates are always FREE. And, because we are part of nationwide buying group (there are about 90 of us across the country), so our pricing is very reasonable. We'll work with you to find a hardwood that works for your budget.  

We also refinish hardwood floors and offer a dustless sanding system to our customers. This costs a bit extra, but many customers feel it's worth it, especially if they have someone with allergies in their household. So, if your floors are a bit beat up, or if you just want to change the color and fix them up, refinishing them is a great and affordable option. Or, if you have hardwood underneath those carpets, we can restore the beauty of the hardwood underneath. It's amazing what a big difference this can make in your home.

Hardwood Flooring Video - Mt Kisco NY 10549

We will provide you with over 30 references and we show you our Angies List Reviews - we are A rated by our customers.

Mt Kisco Hardwood Flooring 10549 - We make it simple.

So, if you're looking hardwood flooring in Mt Kisco NY, give us a call at Floor Coverings International 914-937-2950 and let us "bring the store to your door."

White Plains NY Hardwood flooring and refhinishing 10601

Are you looking for hardwood flooring for your home in White Plains NY?

Or, if you already have hardwood flooring, we can stain and refinish it for you. We know it can be challenging the find the right type of hardwood and the right contractor to trust, so we try to make it easy. We do this by "bringing the store to your door." That way, you can see the different types of hardwood, the different species and the different colors in your own lighting. It does look different in your own home than the store lighting.  

So whether you're looking for oak hardwood flooring, or brazilian cherry or bamboo or maple or you're just not sure, let's us help you. We'll show you the different types of hardwoods and we'll find the right one for you and your budget. Or, if you already have hardwood flooring and just want to refinish it or change the color, we can help you with that, too.  



We are very reasonably priced. Our estimates are always FREE. And, because we are part of nationwide buying group (there are about 90 of us across the country), so our pricing is very reasonable. We'll work with you to find a hardwood that works for your budget.  

We also refinish hardwood floors and offer a dustless sanding system to our customers. This costs a bit extra, but many customers feel it's worth it, especially if they have someone with allergies in their household. So, if your floors are a bit beat up, or if you just want to change the color and fix them up, refinishing them is a great and affordable option. Or, if you have hardwood underneath those carpets, we can restore the beauty of the hardwood underneath. It's amazing what a big difference this can make in your home.

Hardwood Flooring Video - White Plains NY 10601

We will provide you with over 30 references and we show you our Angies List Reviews - we are A rated by our customers.

White Plains Hardwood Flooring 10601 - We make it simple.

So, if you're looking hardwood flooring in White Plains NY, give us a call at Floor Coverings International 914-937-2950 and let us "bring the store to your door."

My new webstie - The Flooring Girl

Introducing my new website called The Flooring Girl.  This is a website and blog all in one and discusses all types of flooring - hardwood floors, carpet, tile, cork & bamboo, refinishing hardwood floors and more.

Check it out.  There are pages for each type of flooring surface (including videos) and a blog which goes into more depth on some of the products.

Prefinished vs. Unfinished hardwood flooring. Which is better? Which costs less?

I'm often asked whether prefinished hardwood or unfinished hardwood is better.  We install both and the truth is it depends on which of below factors is most important to you.  The next question I get is, which is less expensive???
Just to make sure we are on the same page for definitions, prefinished means that it's all finished in the factory and then you just install it.  Unfinished means you have raw hardwood that needs to be nailed into the floor and then sanded & refinished on-site.


More scratch resistant/lasts longer.  Usually prefinished hardwood is 7-10x more scratch resistant than unfinished hardwood.  That's because when it's finished on site, you generally get 2-3 coats of poly while when it's factory made, you usually get at least 6-7 coats which are oven baked along w/ aluminum oxide, the worlds' 2^nd hardest substance.

 Less messy - Anyone who has lived through sanding & refinishing knows what I'm talking about.  It's a mess with all the sawdust.  Oh, and did I forget to mention the smell?

 Faster - Of course this depends on the space, but usually most of our prefinished jobs can be done in 1-2 days.  When  it's unfinished, it often takes 4-5 days + drying time, and you can't walk on the area at all during this time.

 For do-it-yourselfers, prefinished is certainly easier.  Some that are handy can just install it themselves vs. most do-it-yourselfers can't sand & refinish nor do they have easy access to these machines.  I would definitely leave this up to the pros - I've seen way too many botched up jobs when homeowners attempt this on their own.

Advantages of Unfinished hardwood flooring

Smooth edges - Most prefinished hardwood has a slight bevel at the edges.  Some customers prefer this because they think it looks more real; other customers like the smoothed out look when you sand the floors.  No right or wrong answer here; just a preference.

Matching color of existing - If you have hardwood in other parts of the home, using unfinished hardwood will be the easiest way to match it.  You can have your installer select and/or test the stain colors as well as make sure they get the matching wood (e.g. is it red oak or white oak and which grade).

Choosing  a very specific color - If you want to mix and match/blend stains and finishes you have this option vs. with prefinished, the color selections are sometimes a bit more limiting.

So which is less expensive????  Hard to say and it actually changes over time since the price of unfinished hardwood usually fluctuates.  The truth is, over time, if comparing apples to apples, they are prob. about equal in cost.  Last year and beginning of this year, it was less expensive to do unfinished; now, with all of the recent increases on oak, prefinished is currently a bit less expensive.

Essentially with prefinished hardwood, you are paying more for the wood and less for the labor; for unfinished hardwood, you are spending less on the wood and more on the labor.  Many general contractors prefer to do unfinished hardwood because  they make more money on this since there's more labor.  Cost is same to you, but more in their pocket.

I noted, before if you are "comparing apples to apples" and the issue is that often customers are not comparing apples to apples, esp if they are talking to a contractor they can't trust.  (Have you ever met one of these?).  It's very easy for a contractor to reduce the cost by giving you a lower grade of wood (e.g. No 1 common or worse No 2 common rather than select grade).  This means you'll have hardwood w/ more color variation and more knots and sometimes shorter lengths.  So be careful and hire someone you trust and check their references.

If you are in Westchester NY/Stamford CT area looking for flooring feel free to call us at 914-937-2950 or visit our website Floor Coverings International Westchester NY

Original post at Westchester Flooring - We bring the store to your door: Prefinished Hardwood vs. Unfinished Hardwood Flooring - Which is better? Which costs less?

Refinishing hardwood floors - Please use an expert even if it's not us

Sanding & refinishing hardwood floors is one of the easiest and cost effective ways to change the look of your (or you client's) home.

Sometimes it's done to repair all the scratches and just make it shiny and pretty.  Other times, it's to give your place a dramatic face lift (e.g. go from dark to light to brighten up the place or go from light to dark to give it a more formal appearance).  Either way, it really makes the place look like new.

If you're selling a home, it's usually a "must have."  If you are about to move into a new home, make the color your own (before you move the furniture in).  Most people find the cost is less expensive than they thought...and, it's certainly less than putting new flooring in, even less expensive than carpet.

What has baffled me these last few weeks is how many botched up sanding & refinishing jobs I've seen.  These have all been places where customers hired someone who doesn't do this professionally - a friend, or a handyman, or even in one case someone who claimed to be a "general contractor."
One of the places had pine floors.  Anyone who is in the flooring business knows that oak is different than pine, so if you're going to do repair work, please use the matching wood.  Pair pine w/ pine; red oak w/ red oak, white oak w/ white oak.  It makes a huge difference - the idea when you do repair work is not to notice the repair.  Pls also make sure the woods are the same width and please also weave in the hardwood rather than create a little box which was obviously a quick fix.  This will continue to show each time you sand & refinish.

Also, anyone who really understands hardwood knows that pine accepts the stain differently than oak.  So, if you're going to stain pine, you need to add a conditioner in first to open up the pore.  Otherwise, it will come out blotchy.

The worst one I saw was a few weeks ago in Ossining.  I couldn't help but laugh as to how many things were wrong with this floor.  It turns out the "general contractor" didn't even bother to sand the floors.  Instead, he just applied stain on top of the polyurethane that was already there.  You can't do that.  It doesn't work and it doesn't stick.  This poor woman had holes that had peeled away in under 2 months; blotches all over the floor, and 3 different gloss levels in one room.  It was pathetic.  In addition, of course, red oak was added to pine for repair work.  She asked me how long the job would take and I told her maybe 4-5 days including drying time, and she said, "Really?  Because this took him months to do."  I was dumbfounded.  I couldn't imagine it taking longer than a week to complete even when factoring in humidity conditions.

I've also had a few customers who said they needed to save money and so they decided to do the work themselves or to have friends do it and they rented the machines.  Besides that fact that it took them forever to do, these projects were a mess - both during (extremely dusty) and after - uneven floors from where the sander sanded a bit too much, and very blotchy work.  They don't buff in between coats, so the poly is not applied evenly nor does it last as long.  I know this, because I've seen these jobs afterwards.
As I mentioned before, sanding & refinishing is not that expensive.  It is not the place to try to save money.

It's fine to save money in moving the furniture and things like that, but please leave the sanding to the experts.  You may even be able to get away with painting yourselves.  But, unless you've done it before, please do not attempt to sand & refinish yourselves.  In the end, you may need to bring in a professional anyway to fix the work and/or need to sand & refinish much sooner than normal..

For more information about our company, please call us at 914-937-2950 or visit us at Floor Coverings International. And, here are some customer testimonials.

Originally posted at: Westchester Flooring - We bring the store to your door: Refinishing Hardwood Floors - Please use an expert, even if it's not us

Engineered Hardwood Flooring vs.. Solid Hardwood Flooring. Which is better for your home in Westchester NY?

Many of my customers ask me if solid hardwood or engineered hardwood flooring is better and of course the answer is "it depends." It depends on many factors including your subfloor, condition of your floor and what factors are important to you (e.g. ability to sand & refinish, height of floor (relative to other surfaces and/or cabinets and doors), cost, type of wood. There is no "one size fits all" answer.

Usually, I go to a customer's home where I can look at their home and advise them. I'll ask them questions to better understand their needs. And, often, I will give them prices for both options, so they can make a well informed decision.

Advantages of solid hardwood

. (3/4" thick)
- Solid hardwood can be sanded & refinished MANY times. So, if you get lots of scratches or if you want to change the color later, you can.
- If you have other hardwood in the house, chances are it's solid and this could be matched up to it from a height perspective and sometimes from a color perspective.
- Comes in both prefinished and unfinshed forms. So, if you have hardwood in other areas and want to match the color exactly (or almost exactly), this can be a great option for you.
- Sometimes, it's less expensive...this all depends on what you are comparing it to, but sometimes, solid is less expensive than a sandable engineered product. Sometimes, this is simply because the solids are more popular and sell more and hence are put on special more often.

Advantages of engineered hardwood

(thickness varies from 5/16" to 3/4" but usu 3/8" or 1/2")
- Engineered hardwood does not require a plywood subfloor. This means if you have cement, you can install right over it and you don't have to worry about installing plywood which can greatly increase your costs.
- Can be installed below grade (e.g. in a basement that is below the ground). Now, if there is a moisture problem hardwood may not be your best choice, but assuming moisture is not an issue, engineered hardwood is more flexible as to where it can be installed.
- Multiple ways to install - nail down (if plywood), glue or float.
- Engineered hardwood is often (but not always) more stable. Because of it's layers, it's often stonger than solid hardwood. And, because the layers are perpendicular to each other, there is usually less expansion and contraction so it allows for a tighter fit, esp during the winter when it's more arid. In addition, because it's more stable, you can often go wider in the planks (and can do so more cost effectively).
- Often, engineered hardwood products can be less expensive. This is not always the case, but often the 5/16" and 3/8" are less expensive. But, the thicker ones, esp if they can be sanded & refinished multiple times can sometimes be more expensive. Of course, everything depends on what you are comparing (e.g. type of wood, width of planks, grade of wood, etc.
- Some engineered hardwoods can be installed over radiant heat (but not all). Very few solid hardwood can - only quarter sawn or rifted - usually this only comes in an unfinished format.

I hope this info is helpful for you. If you do have an interest in setting up a free appointment, please  call us at 914-937-2950 or visit our website - Floor Coverings International - Westchester NY. There are many of us across the country so you can also try to find someone in your area. See what our customers are saying about us.

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White Plains Hardwood Flooring 10605 - 5 Stars*****

If you're looking for hardwood flooring for your home in White Plains NY then look no further. We know it can be challenging to find the right hardwood. How do you know which type of hardwood is right for yyour home? Which wood species and color will look best and last longest? Which ones work with your budget? Who can you trust to install the hardwood floors? Well here's where we can help.

We make finding hardwood flooring simple. We "bring the store to your door." That way, you can see the samples in your own lighting - the way it will look in real life. We'll help you color coordinate with your paint and furniture colors. We'll help you find hardwoods that stand up well to pets or work well in kitchens. Just let us know what your concerns are and we'll help you out.



We also refinish hardwood floors and offer a dustless sanding system to our customers. This costs a bit extra, but many customers feel it's worth it, especially if they have someone with allergies in their household. So, if your floors are a bit beat up, or if you just want to change the color and fix them up, refinishing them is a great and affordable option. Or, if you have hardwood underneath those carpets, we can restore the beauty of the hardwood underneath. It's amazing what a big difference this can make in your home.

We are very reasonably priced. Our estimates are always FREE. And, because we are part of nationwide buying group (there are nearly 100 of us across the US/Canada), so our pricing is very competitive. We'll work with you to find a hardwood that works for your budget.

Hardwood Flooring in White Plains NY 10605

So, if you're looking for hardwood flooring for your home in White Plains NY 10605 , give us a call at Floor Coverings International 914-937-2950 and let us "bring the store to your door."

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