Photo: dexknows.com

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Listen to BOB VILA ON REPLACING GROUT or read the text below:

The first step is to remove the old grout. You can scrape it out by hand with a grout removal tool, but the work goes faster if you use a grout saw, or a grout attachment for your reciprocating or rotary saw. Just take care not to scratch the tile.

Once the old grout is out, wash the surface with a grout-and-tile cleaner. Mix your new grout to the consistency of toothpaste, then use a grout float to apply it. Spread the grout diagonally across the tile, holding the float at a 45-degree angle. When the joints are firmly packed, wipe off any excess. Let it set for a few minutes, then wipe again using a damp sponge. The grout should be slightly lower than the level of the tile.

Once the grout is dry, wipe down the entire surface the way you’d buff a car. After three days, use a grout sealant to protect it against future stains.

Bob Vila Radio is a newly launched daily radio spot carried on more than 75 stations around the country (and growing). You can get your daily dose here, by listening to—or reading—Bob’s 60-second home improvement radio tip of the day.

For more on flooring and stairs, consider:

5 Reasons to Love Subway Tile
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Bob Vila Radio: Laying Tile

Bob Vila Radio: Replacing Grout Home Improvement, Home Remodeling & Home Repair - BobVila.com

Photo: frommoontomoon.blogspot.com/

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Listen to BOB VILA ON CLEANING GROUT or read the text below:

First of all, the best cure is prevention—a spritz of a 50-50 mix of vinegar and water once a week will keep those grout lines from getting mildewed in the first place. But if the damage is done, arm yourself with a stiff-bristled brush and get to work.

Start with a 50-50 solution of vinegar and water in a spray bottle. Let it stand for five minutes before scrubbing. For tough stains, cover the grout with a paste of baking soda and water, then spray on the vinegar solution and watch it foam. Scrub with your brush and rinse it off with plain water. If the mildew seems hopeless, try a product that includes oxygen bleach, and be sure to follow label instructions carefully. Use chlorine bleach only sparingly, as a last resort, as it can break down the grout over time.

Bob Vila Radio is a newly launched daily radio spot carried on more than 75 stations around the country (and growing). You can get your daily dose here, by listening to—or reading—Bob’s 60-second home improvement radio tip of the day.

For more on cleaning, consider:

Top Tips for Cleaning Grout Lines
Bob Vila Radio: Cleaning Your Dryer Vents
7 Surprising Pantry Items Naturally Clean and Freshen Your Home

Bob Vila Radio: Cleaning Grout Home Improvement, Home Remodeling & Home Repair - BobVila.com

Acacia Natural Prefinished Floor. Photo: fantastic-floor.com

I’ve looked at flooring from both sides now… and it’s the horrors of applying polyurethane I recall.

Apologies to Joni Mitchell for that, but when it comes to installing solid or engineered wood flooring, prefinished is my choice. Some pros disagree, but these are my reasons:

You can walk on your new floor immediately. With flooring that is finished on-site using oil-based polyurethane, the homeowner must wait days, sometimes even weeks, before moving furniture back into the room. Even though the floor may be dry to the touch, it will be vulnerable to scraping until the waiting time has elapsed and the finish has fully cured. I once had to shuffle around in socks and remain furniture-less for four weeks after applying three coats of poly to a floor. (Waterborne polyurethane finishes dry to touch quickly but can have varying cure times—some quite long.)

No issues with VOCs and your family’s health. For days after applying an oil-based polyurethane, you will smell and breathe in vapors from polyurethane resins and solvents. VOCs have been shown to be carcinogenic, and some waterborne polyurethanes produce them too. Why not buy prefinished so that the curing takes place in a factory, not in your living room?

No worries about dust. Dust and errant hairs are the enemy of on-site floor finishing, but these annoyances won’t have any effect on your new prefinished flooring. You will, however, need to take measures to protect prefinished floors if you have contractors tromping around with tools and equipment en route to other jobs around the house.

Installation in one session. There’s no necessity of staying home to complete the various stages of  an on-site finishing job—sanding, sealing, staining, applying polyurethane and so on. A crew of two had our 300-square-foot solid wood floor installed, with underlayment, in only about two hours.

Prefinished flooring usually has bevels on board edges, but that's a small price to pay for its fast, easy, VOC-free installation and durable finish. Photo: Joe Provey

A better finish than what homeowners or contractors can apply on-site. Factory-applied finishes are incredibly durable and often come with a lifetime warranty. The Mullican red oak flooring, shown above, will stay new-looking for longer. It came with a PPG UV-cured resin and nanoparticle coating that is highly scratch- and abrasion-resistant. I can’t even scratch it with my fingernails.

Lower cost. Prefinished solid wood floors initially cost more than unfinished wood flooring—about $2 per square foot for a good grade of red oak. But once you factor in finishing costs, prefinished ends up being less expensive.

Related: Solid vs. Engineered: Selecting Wood Flooring

Unfinished Ash Select Hardwood Flooring. Photo: qualityfloorsdirect.com

Okay, you’ve heard my arguments. But some homeowners and many contractors disagree with me and prefer site-finishing wood floors. Here’s why:

New construction or large renovations. Many contractors prefer to wait until the end of the job to finish the floor. That way, a dropped tool or a mortar pebble under a work boot can’t mar the finished floor—and ruin customer relations.

Greater choice of finishes. There is no question that the site-finished route opens up a greater variety of choices with respect to color and shade. Prefinished products, however, come in more species and stains than ever before.

No bevels. Prefinished floorboards usually have micro-bevels on all edges. These bevels hide slight discrepancies between board depths and widths. Inevitably, some homeowners will prefer the flush look of site-sanded floors, as they feature no such grooves and can be finished to a mirror-like surface.

What’s your preference? Perhaps the hassles of site-finishing will be worth it to you—for one or all of the reasons above. But for homeowners like me, prefinished floors are the future.

For more on flooring, consider:

Rx for Hardwood Floors
How To: Make Your Own Wood Finish
Old Wood Flooring: Replace or Refinish?

Prefinished vs. Unfinished Wood Flooring Home Improvement, Home Remodeling & Home Repair - BobVila.com

Photo: JProvey

My son recently asked for help installing vinyl flooring in his bathroom. So we took a trip to the local home center to pick up materials and supplies. What I found surprised me.

I knew that vinyl flooring had come a long way since the days when I was a young father, but even within the past few years, there have been eye-popping advancements. No more boring patterns or unconvincing imitations of wood, tile, and stone. The products we saw were virtually indistinguishable from ‘the real thing.’ Even better, all we needed to do the job was a carpenter square and a utility knife.

My son chose a rustic pine plank-style flooring, ideal for areas that get wet. (Did I mention my grandson’s penchant for splashing at bath time?) In addition to being waterproof, the vinyl planks had the texture of real wood grain, were heavy enough to feel solid underfoot, and had a convincing look complete with knots and splits.

Related: Bathroom Flooring: A Wealth of Options

The planks were designed to join together at half-lap joints with contact adhesive pre-applied to the mating surfaces. Pressed together and rolled, the planks would form a tight bond.

One thing that hasn’t changed about installing vinyl flooring—or any type of flooring, for the matter—is the need for a perfectly smooth and level underlayment. In this bathroom, the existing underlayment, which was covered with adhesive from floors past, also had some water damage due to a toilet-seal leak. So, with little hesitation, we decided to rip it out and replace it with 1/4″ luan plywood.

Prying Up Damaged Floor Underlayment. Photo: JProvey

Sometimes old underlayment can be reused. This was not one of those times. We tore up the old underlayment using a hefty prybar and banged home the nails left behind.

Plywood Patch Subflooring Installed Near Toilet. Photo: JProvey

We also removed the damaged top-layer subflooring near the toilet and replaced it with a plywood patch of identical thickness.

Underlayment Installed with Toilet Drain Cutout. Photo: JProvey

Careful measuring was necessary to make sure floor penetrations would align with cutouts in the underlayment. The hole for the toilet drain, and notches for for valves and piping, were cut with a saber saw.

Screwing Underlayment to Subfloor. Photo: JProvey

The underlayment was fastened to the subfloor with screws 8″ apart in each direction, and all joints and fastener holes were filled with patching compound. Ring shank nails or staples work well, too. Just be sure that fastener heads are set below the underlayment surface; otherwise they will telegraph through to the finished floor.

Installing vinyl plank flooring. Photo: JProvey

Perhaps the only tricky part of the job was ensuring that, upon reaching the other side of the room, we didn’t end up with a too-narrow final plank (less than 2″ wide). Upon dividing the width of the room by the plank width of 6″, we found that the remainder—2-1/2″—would indeed be wide enough. If the remainder had been less than 2″, we would have had to ‘rip’ an inch or two off the first plank we put down.

Of course, there is no sawing involved in vinyl plank flooring. To cut the planks, we only had to measure and then score the flooring the back side with a utility knife. Each break was quite clean.

For more on flooring, consider:

How To: Clean Vinyl Flooring
5 Eco-Friendly Flooring Solutions
Bathroom Floor Tile: 9 Top Options

Quick and Easy Vinyl Flooring Home Improvement, Home Remodeling & Home Repair - BobVila.com

Photo: Armstrong

Vinyl tile and laminate flooring is attractive, durable, and long-lasting, even under a home’s highest-traffic conditions, but the product is certainly not indestructible. Fortunately, cleaning vinyl flooring is a fairly straightforward and inexpensive process, and with proper care, it’s easy to maintain the material’s eye-catching appearance.

The first step is to try minimizing dirt, stains, and abrasions before they occur. Over time, dirt and dust can wear down and degrade the finish on any type of flooring, including vinyl tile or laminate; therefore it is always a good idea to situate a good-quality doormat or area rug in front of doorways so that grit and grime don’t migrate into the house.

Another helpful hint is to use a sheet of plywood or paneling any time you need to move furniture across the floor; this will help prevent scuff marks or tears in the vinyl. You also may want to use vinyl coasters under the feet and legs of your furniture to safeguard against permanent indentations.

Related: Green Clean: Eco-Friendly Cleaning Products for Your Home

Photo: agentleplacetoland.com

When it comes to cleaning vinyl flooring, you can’t go wrong with plain water and a sponge mop! Always wipe up spills as soon as possible, and mop frequently with plain water. For more intensive cleaning, here are a few tips and techniques:

• Always vacuum or dry mop the floor to remove surface dirt, dust, and hair before moving on to wet cleaning; make sure you get under furniture, in corners, and along baseboards.

• One of the best cleansers for vinyl flooring is apple cider vinegar. The acidity in the vinegar helps remove dirt and grime without leaving a buildup of soap or wax. Simply mix one cup of cider vinegar with a gallon of hot water and use a damp mop to clean, rinsing the mop frequently with hot water. Substitute white vinegar for cider vinegar if you want to disinfect as you clean. If your floor is especially dirty, try adding a few drops of liquid dishwashing soap to the mixture before mopping once with the soap mixture, a second time with vinegar and water. To add shine to your vinyl floor, add a few drops of baby oil to the vinegar and water solution.

• For stubborn scuffs, try putting some WD-40 lubricant or jojoba oil on a towel and rub the area until the scuffs disappear. Clean thoroughly with the vinegar and water solution to remove any traces of lubrication.

• For food stains from grape juice, mustard, ketchup, tomato sauce and the like, make a paste of baking soda and water and gently rub the stain until it disappears. Clean thoroughly to remove any traces of baking soda.

• A soft, nylon-bristle brush can help remove many types of stains, especially when used with common household solvents. Rubbing alcohol can be used to remove lipstick, hair dye, and ink stains. Use mineral spirits to remove crayon, paint, and marker stains. Use a nail polish remover that contains acetone to remove nail polish stains.

There are a few areas of caution and products to avoid when it comes to cleaning vinyl flooring:

• When vacuuming vinyl, do not use a “beater bar” attachment; this can damage the flooring surface.
• Never use highly-abrasive scrubbers or steel wool.
• Do not use detergents, abrasive cleaners, or “mop and shine” products, because these can leave a dull film on the floor.
• Do not use paste wax or solvent-based polishes.
• Do not use ammonia or ammonia-based cleaning solutions on vinyl flooring; these can break down the material and cause cracks in the flooring.

Some commercial cleaners are specially designed for vinyl floors. These include Pine-Sol Multi-Surface Cleaner; Pledge Tile & Vinyl Floor Cleaner and Pledge Tile & Vinyl Floor Finish with Future Shine; and Armstrong’s Once ‘n Done Resilient and Ceramic No-Rinse Floor Cleaner and Armstrong Shinekeeper Polish.

With just a little time and elbow grease, vinyl flooring will take years of use and abuse and still look lovely.

For more on cleaning, consider:

How To: Clean Slate
How To: Clean Concrete
How To: Clean Painted Walls

How To: Clean Vinyl Flooring Home Improvement, Home Remodeling & Home Repair - BobVila.com

Photo: trueshinememphis.com

When it comes time to clean concrete, you don’t need to be delicate; after all, it’s a very hard material.

In order to clean concrete outdoors, you can rent a pressure washer for use in combination with a biodegradable detergent. Indoors, your supplies are likely to be a bucket, detergent, and scrub brush, with or without a wet/dry vac at job’s end.

These approaches will enable you to get a long way toward removing ground-in dirt, mildew, spilled paint and most food stains. But the bad news for the fastidious homeowner is that concrete is a porous material with innumerable tiny voids that can harbor dirt, mold, and all kinds of deep, stubborn stains.

I once tried cleaning a concrete floor that had been exposed to leaky oil pans and transmissions for years and years. Power washing did very little. What helped a little, though ultimately not enough, was scrubbing the area with TSP, then hitting it with the hose. As a last resort, I used an application of muriatic acid, which successfully vanquished all of the remaining oil spots.

Muriatic acid is also useful in cleaning excess smears of dried mortar and grout, or when attempting to alleviate tough rust stains. But please be advised that you must be extremely cautious with this powerful acid. Don’t even use muriatic acid unless you really need to. If you must, then be sure to wear protective gear (including protective clothing) and always follow the manufacturer’s directions for dilution. Allow for plenty of ventilation.

My preference is to begin with the least toxic cleanser and up the ante as needed. Try applying common detergents directly to the tough spots and scrubbing with a bristle (not wire) brush. Hydrogen peroxide or ammonia also work well.

For indoor jobs, you might try scrubbing with TSP before rolling on a masonry primer and a masonry topcoat. Such a coating would hide the old stains and seal the concrete to prevent further staining.

Photo: concretesealerreview.com

Concrete sealer is a reliable option for avoiding stains in the first place. Choose a clear silane- or siloxane-based water-repellent sealer and apply the product with a paint sprayer or roller. Sealing will not affect the appearance or traction of the concrete surface.

For more on cleaning, consider:

How To: Clean Slate
Top Tips for Cleaning Grout Lines
How To: Spring Clean Your Power Tools

How To: Clean Concrete Home Improvement, Home Remodeling & Home Repair - BobVila.com

Photo: whatishomeimprovement.com

Tile is beautiful, durable, and generally easy to clean, but cleaning grout? That’s a different story.

Because of its (typically) light coloring and porous composition, grout is prone to staining. In a tiled entry or mudroom, dirt and grime are the usual culprits, while in the kitchen, spills are more likely to blame. Soap, mold, and mildew meanwhile make it difficult to maintain clean grout in bathrooms. Fortunately, cleaning grout effectively is possible using only common household products and a bit of elbow grease.

With any cleaning project, it’s always best to start off with the mildest cleaning solution. When in doubt about a cleanser, test it in a hidden spot—behind or under an appliance, for example.

The following suggestions for cleaning grout are ranked from the mildest to the strongest:

• The best way to begin is with plain water and a stiff-bristled brush; most home centers and hardware stores carry an assortment of brushes specifically designed for this purpose. Simply spray warm water on the grout lines and scrub in a circular motion, then let dry.

• For heavier dirt and mild stains, turn to that trusty old standby, vinegar. Fill a spray bottle with a half-and-half solution of vinegar and warm water. Spray on the grout, let it stand for five minutes, then scrub with a stiff brush.

Photo: Buddy Allen Carpet One

• To bring even more cleaning power to the party, make a paste of baking soda and water, cover the grout lines with the paste, then spray on the vinegar solution. Once the mixture stops foaming, scrub with a brush and rinse with plain water.

• For moderate stains, you may want to use hydrogen peroxide, which is available in most drug stores. You can use the product straight or make a paste with baking soda and hydrogen peroxide.

• For tougher stains and really grimy grout, try using oxygen bleach (most often sold in powdered form). Some common brands include OxiClean, Clorex OxiMagic, and Biokleen Oxygen Bleach Plus. Read and follow the manufacturer’s directions, and make sure the area is well-ventilated. Generally, you will want to let the oxygen bleach solution work for 10 or 15 minutes before rinsing. Always rinse with clean water so that the dirt doesn’t resettle into the grout lines.

Clorox Clean-Up

• Chlorine bleach and commercial cleansers can be used sparingly in extreme cases. One of my go-to products when all else fails is Clorox Clean-Up spray. Long-term use of caustic cleaners will erode grout, so these products should be used on a limited basis.

• Steam cleaners can be an effective and environmentally-friendly method of cleaning grout—or for that matter, many other surfaces around the house. Bissell, Oreck, Ladybug and Hoover all make steam cleaners for residential use.

To keep your grout clean and stain-free, it’s a good idea to spray it with vinegar and wipe it down once a week. You can also wipe grout with alcohol to keep mold and mildew at bay. In any case, just a few spritzes and wipes a week can save you a lot of time and effort cleaning, preserving the attractive appearance of your home in the process.

For more on cleaning, consider:

How To: Clean Stainless Steel
Bob Vila Radio: Pressure Washing
Cleaning Green: Eco-Friendly Cleaning Products for Your Home

Top Tips for Cleaning Grout Lines Home Improvement, Home Remodeling & Home Repair - BobVila.com

Brazilian Black Slate Fireplace Surround. Photo: Mistones

I have a slate fireplace surround that makes my living room feel really warm and earthy, even if the fire is not lit.

Slate is a popular material in homebuilding, used not only in fireplace surrounds, but also in flooring, countertops, and backsplashes, not to mention exterior walkways and walls.

It is popular for its natural beauty and durability. But it only stays beautiful if it is properly cared for.

I grew up with a brick hearth and really had no experience with slate prior to this, so I’ve had to do some research on how to clean slate in my home. Here’s what I have learned….

Photo: luxuryhousingtrends.com

For Regular Cleaning:
- First make sure to sweep, dust, or dry mop the surface to remove any loose dirt.
- Mix a few drops of mild dish detergent in a couple of cups of warm water.
- Use a soft rag (or mop) soaked in the soap solution to rub off dirt and grime.
- Dry with a towel and let the surface air dry completely overnight.

For Deeper Cleaning:
- Follow the steps above for regular cleaning, but once the surface is dry, apply a thin layer of teak oil to the slate with a soft cloth. Teak oil is reasonably priced and available at most large hardware stores. Slate oil also works, but it’s much more expensive and harder to find.

Photo: theyummylife.com

For Stain Removal:
- Mix equal parts water and hydrogen peroxide in a spray bottle and spray onto any stains. Let it sit for five or ten minutes, then scrub with a soft scrub pad (not steel wool) or a soft-bristled brush. (Be careful if you have a slate floor with colored grout, as this bleach solution could damage the color of that grout.)
- For tougher stains, mix together peroxide and baking soda into a bubbly paste. After the bubbles die down, apply the paste to the stain and let it set. Then wipe the slate clean with a damp, warm towel.

Photo: madbeachcandykitchen.com

It’s best to clean your slate with water and mild detergent at least every two or three months, even if it doesn’t appear dirty, to help avoid grimy buildup and staining. And since slate is porous (very prone to absorbing moisture and stains), it is recommended that you seal it with a stone-and-tile sealer, a product that is available from big hardware stores or tile vendors.

With regular maintenance, your slate can remain beautiful, warm, and welcoming for years to come.

For more on cleaning, consider:

How To: Clean Stainless Steel
Quick Tip: Cleaning Your Gutters
Cleaning Green: Eco-Friendly Products for Your Home

How To: Clean Slate Home Improvement, Home Remodeling & Home Repair - BobVila.com

Photo: Armstrong Hardwood Flooring

Special problems need special solutions—and that’s particularly true of wood flooring. When accidents happen, first aid is essential. Here are some tips from the American Hardwood Information Center that will help you maintain hardwood floors.

Food Spills. If caked or dried, use a sharpened knife blade and, working from the outer edge toward the center, scrape up the spill (while taking care not to scratch the wood surface). Rub the damaged spot first with a slightly dampened cloth, then with a dry one. If your floor has a waxed surface, re-wax and buff the area you’ve repaired.

Wax and gum removal with ice. Photo: Martha Stewart

Other Flaws. Crayon marks usually come off when rubbed with a soft cloth dipped in a mild dishwashing detergent. Removing chewing gum and candle wax, on the other hand, is more challenging. Apply a wood-floor cleaning product and let it permeate the spill to loosen, then proceed to scrape off the blemish with a plastic spatula or sharpened knife edge. You can also apply ice until the spill gets brittle, then remove in the manner described above.

Oil and Grease. On a surface-finished (urethaned) floor, apply mineral spirits or TSP (tri-sodium phosphate) and wipe with a clean cloth. If your floor has a penetrating finish, applying TSP or a high-lye-content soap should do the trick.

Serious Stains. If your floor is marred by an ink spill or the remnants of a pet accident, clean the spot with No. 2 steel wool and mineral spirits or a cleaning product created for wood. Then cleanse with household vinegar and let stand a few minutes. Depending on your floor’s finish, either re-wax and buff or apply two coats of urethane.

Stubborn Stains. Mix an ounce of oxatic acid with a quart of water, apply the solution to the stain and let stand for one hour. (Be sure to wear rubber gloves; oxatic acid is toxic.) Finally, wipe the damaged area with a dampened sponge. When dry, the next step is to refinish.

For more on flooring, consider:

How To: Refinish Hardwood
Old Wood Floor: Refinish or Replace?
Expect the Unexpected: Wood Floors

Rx for Hardwood Floors Home Improvement, Home Remodeling & Home Repair - BobVila.com

Original flooring. Photo: Joe Provey

Recently my wife and I moved into a co-op. It’s kind of like a condo but with a few additional restrictions about what you can and can’t do without approval from the co-op board. One thing we didn’t need permission to do was replace the wood flooring in the living room/dining area.

The 280 square feet of narrow oak strips was 95 years old and pretty beat, with scratches, stains, and even a few missing boards. Nevertheless we thought long and hard about whether to install a new floor or simply refinish the old one. We’d seen worse floors look good upon being sanded, stained to a medium tone to hide blemishes, and finished with polyurethane.

Two years ago, we refinished wood floors in our previous home. It was backbreaking work, messy, and the drying time went on much longer than indicated on the container. When I added up the tool rental costs, I found that we hadn’t saved much.

The argument against refinishing, however, goes beyond having to live with the clouds of dust and noxious vapors. The problem was that refinishing would not quiet the symphony of squeaks and groans our co-op floor made when we walked on it.

If it were only us, the noise wouldn’t have been such a big deal. But the unit directly below us belongs to a lovely family, and we worried about disturbing them every time we stepped across our floor. Walking in socks and laying down area rugs didn’t help with the squeaking.

The floor apparently had a long history of being a nuisance. Dozens of screws had been driven between the boards by former owners in an attempt to silence it.

We began to wonder if installing a new floor, such as engineered wood or cork, over the old one would solve the noise problem. Our flooring contractor felt that the problem had more to do with a loose subfloor than loose floorboards.

Rather than chance spending money on a new floor only to find the problem unsolved, we decided to take his advice and remove the old floor altogether. Besides, doing so would mean there would be no change in the finished floor level, simplifying transitions to adjacent rooms.

Installing pre-finished hardwood flooring with Bellawood underlayment. Photo: Joe Provey

The decision turned out to be the right one. Once the subflooring was exposed, it was possible to screw it securely to the joists. The contractor itemized his proposal, offering to deduct the $280 from his fee if we removed the flooring ourselves and screwed in the subfloor. We had plenty of other tasks (like insulating the attic) on our plate, so we declined. Besides, our power tool-power couldn’t come close to matching the auto-feed screw gun his crew used to secure the subfloor to the joists in just under 20 minutes (a job that would have taken me most of the morning).

Bellawood Premium Underlayment

We did, however, take some time to research underlayments that might provide some additional sound reduction. We settled upon Bellawood Premium Floor Underlayment after reading glowing reviews from flooring contractors around the country. Made from recycled plastic and old tires, it added $250 to material costs, and the contractor didn’t charge us for the additional labor.

We also opted for pre-finished flooring. There is no way on earth you can get better than the aluminum-oxide, factory-applied finish that came on this Mullican product. It’s so tough that it comes with a 50-year warranty. I only wish I’d be around that much longer!

Once the new flooring was stapled in place, not a squeak could be heard. The surface is solid and firm. Total cost (including tear-out and subfloor screw-down) was $7 per square foot, and disruption was minimal. With a pre-finished floor, you can move the furniture in the same day.

I hope our neighbors are as happy as we are.

For more on flooring, consider:

Wood Floors Go Gray
Fixing Squeaky Floors (VIDEO)
Project Guide: Refinishing Hardwood Floors

Old Wood Flooring: Replace or Refinish? Home Improvement, Home Remodeling & Home Repair - BobVila.com