Old hardwood floor finishes were often varnish and possibly shellac. But in the mid-1960's, new urethane products were introduced. Lead was sometimes added to old varnishes, so sanding old hardwood floors can be dangerous.

Hardwood floors' enemy is water. Follow these tips on hardwood floor installation and maintenance. Cleaning hardwood floors the proper way will prevent flooring damage.

Hardwood floor inlays can dramatically change the look of a room. Inlaid borders and medallions are available in very striking patterns. These illustrations provide just a small sampling of the hardwood inlays available.

Repairing hardwood floors can be very frustrating. Each hardwood floor piece has a shape that interlocks with the others in the hardwood flooring. Restoring hardwood floors ranks as one of the hardest repair jobs. Once the hardwood pieces have been repaired, there is still the hardwood floor refinishing.

Before installing hardwood floors over radiant heated floors make sure the subfloor has released as much moisture as possible. Use a high quality vapor retarder sandwiched between the floor and subfloor to prevent moisture from leaking through and warping the hardwood floor. Wood that has greatest stability and small wood width is ideal for the job.

To refinish wood floors, you don't always have to sand them. Professionals use screening, or use a buffing machine, to scuff away the scratch. Then they reapply the clear urethane coat. DIY kits now have liquid sanders that chemically sand the finish. You can walk on your refinished hardwood floors in just a day or less.