What To Expect

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What to Expect from Your Hardwood Flooring Project

Hardwood floors are your home’s centerpiece, and work on them can disrupt your routine. We’re committed to making the process seamless and stress-free across Central PA.

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1. Consultation and Booking

  • Start with a phone call to discuss your project—new installation, refinishing worn floors, or cleaning/coating intact finishes—and get a rough cost and timeline estimate.
  • We’ll schedule an in-home consultation to assess your floors and discuss scope: repairs, seamless floor additions, refinishing, or maintenance options, with a clear detailed proposal.
  • Secure your spot on our schedule when you accept your quote and pay the deposit amount.

2. Preparing Your Home

  • Clear the Area: Move all furniture, wall-hanging decorations (which can fall due to machine vibrations), low-hanging drapes or curtains, and valuables from work and access areas, including floor space inside closets. We can recommend trusted local furniture movers.
  • Access Needs: Ensure clear entry and parking for our work truck (stays onsite). Provide a 240/208V outlet (e.g., behind oven or dryer) and keep the power panel unblocked for our equipment.
  • Water Access: Provide a hose spigot or slop sink for cleaning tools. Let us know if access is limited.
  • Safety Note: Keep pets, children, and others out of the work area during work hours (8:00–9:00 AM start) due to machinery or mild odors. Our ventilation equipment manages air quality. We work with you to plan around your home’s layout and serviced areas so you can stay home if needed; however, if you have oil allergies or sensitivities, we strongly recommend scheduling work when you can be away. Working from home during these processes would be difficult due to constant noise.

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3. The Flooring Work

  • Installation: With a few details, we can give you timelines and ballpark pricing by phone. Most projects under 1,000 sq ft take about a week. A deposit is required, and materials arrive early to acclimate. We blend new and existing floors, offering site-finished wood for a custom look or prefinished for no sanding, with advanced dust control.
  • Refinishing: We give timelines and pricing by phone with room photos. Most projects under 1,000 sq ft take about a week. We use eco-friendly, low-VOC coatings. Afterward, wait 5 hours for light use, 24 for general use, and 7 days before rugs or cleaners. Choose up to 4 stain colors (Natural if none specified).
  • Clean/Recoat: Faster than sanding, taking a few days for 1,000 sq ft, with the same cleared-area requirements. We refresh intact finishes with eco-friendly cleaning and coatings, needing 5 hours to dry before light use.
  • Quality Control: Our team uses site inspection checklists and regular moisture readings to prevent gaps or finish issues, saving all data to your project file forever for future add-ons and repairs. We maintain 70–75°F room temperature and 30–50% humidity for best results.

4. After the Project

  • Walk on floors after 5 hours, set furniture (be sure to LIFT, NOT DRAG) after 24 hours, and place breathable rugs after 7 days to let the CeramicStar finish harden. Final payment is due upon project completion.
  • Use our free maintenance guide to prevent scratches and wear. Inspect floors regularly, especially high-traffic areas, and use our clean/recoat service every 3–5 years to extend floor life and save money.
  • Report any minor finish defects within 3 days, following NWFA guidelines for proper inspection of refinished flooring (available at nwfa.org). Saved project data makes future repairs or add-ons quick and easy.

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