FAQ


Do you have a showroom?


Friends and Family Flooring brings the showroom to the your home, office or property. We find it is best to see samples in the lighting of your own home. Plus, we can measure your rooms that need new floors while you are looking at samples. We know your time is valuable so you can get everything you need done for your new floors in one visit; whereas, when you go to the a showroom you make multiple trips looking at samples and setting times up for the estimator to come to your home.
 

How do we schedule our flooring job?


Friends and Family Flooring requires a signed estimate and a 50 % deposit which can be paid via Master Card, Visa or Check.  If using a credit card, we are happy to send an email with a secure deposit link for you to enter your credit card information. Your job will be scheduled once we receive a 50% deposit. Dates will not be held until a deposit is paid.
 

Carpet


What do we need to do to get ready for the installers to arrive?


To insure a smooth carpet installation at your residence, please make sure the following steps are taken prior to the arrival of your new carpet:
 

  1. Clear all rooms of breakables, including china, lamps, vases, glassware, etc.
  2. Clear tops of all end tables, coffee tables, etc.
  3. Drain fish tanks.
  4. Disconnect wiring of any electrical equipment such as computers, TVs, VCRs, video games, etc.
  5. Box up any books from your bookshelves.
  6. Clear floor of any clothes, debris, etc.
  7. Remove all valuables.
We will move your furniture, install your carpet and then move your furniture back into place. We will not hook-up VCRs, computers, cables, etc.
Installers running late? Call 301 758-8675 for scheduling updates.
 

Is my carpet shedding?


The balls of fluff, or loose fibers, found on carpet or in the vacuum cleaner bag are the normal result of fiber left in the carpet from the manufacturing process. Removing these loose fibers does not affect carpet life or appearance. These fibers are too big to become airborne or to be breathed in. With proper vacuuming and using a quality vacuum cleaner, most shedding gradually disappears within the first year after installation.
 

Why are some tufts longer than others?


Just snip the end to even the carpet surface. Never pull out long or loose ends as this can permanently damage your carpet. If a tuft becomes snagged or works loose, simply cut it off and let the surrounding yarn fill in the space.
 

Hardwood


How long do hardwood floors need too acclimate?


Most manufacturers recommend that any hardwood product be acclimated in the space that it will be installed for no less than 72 hours. It is also important to arrange the hardwood boxes for acclimation in a way that would give equal airflow to all of the boxes, ensuring each box of wood gets the same level of acclimation.
 

Can i steam clean hardwood floors?


No, you should not steam clean hardwood floors. Cleaning your hardwood floors with a steam cleaner or with excess moisture will damage your floors and cause them to warp. In many cases using a steam cleaner on your floors will void their warranty. Always consult the warranty guide for your floor before using any cleaning products. Some steam cleaner manufacturers may boast that their products are safe to use on hardwood floors (with the disclaimer that the floors must be properly sealed) but both the Wood Floor Covering Association and the National Wood Floor Covering Association do not recommend using steam cleaning products on hardwood. There are also no major hardwood floor manufacturers that recommend using steam cleaners on hardwood floors.  We suggest using a Bona Mop.
 

Is engineered hardwood waterproof?


No. The natural enemy of wood floors is water and other forms of moisture. Prolonged exposure to water or fluctuations in humidity can cause hardwood floors to swell or warp, often causing irreversible damage to the floor. In some cases engineered hardwood may resist damage due to moisture better than solid wood floors, but good maintenance of engineered hardwood still requires diligent cleaning up of any spills on the floor and only dry-mopping. It is also important that moisture testing be done on the subfloor before installing any hardwood floors to ensure the conditions of the floor will not damage the wood over time.
 

Refinishing


What do you do to prevent dust in my home?


Friends and Family Flooring refinishes your home with state-of-the-art equipment . When sanding floors we will be as careful as we can, however, some dust may circulate throughout the house. Friends and Family Flooring will tape and hang plastic in areas to contain dust as much as possible, but assume no responsibility for paint peel or furniture peel from tape.  We will not be responsible for the cost of dust cleaning or regular cleaning.
 

Will you move my furniture to sand and finish rooms?


All areas to be sanded must be completely empty of any furniture or equipment. Friends and Family Flooring is not in the moving business; however, (for a fee) we will move furniture but will not be responsible for any breakage of anything. We will do our best to protect your assets and move the furniture back to their original location.
 

What about my electronics and any wires?


Moving electronics is your responsiblity. Friends and Family Flooring will not disconnect or move any electronics. Friends and Family Flooring will not be responsible for the cutting or severing of any wires i.e. telephones, electric, doorbells, alarm systems, stereos, etc.… Please make sure these wires are out of our way.
 

When can i expect your crew? How long will it take to do my floors? Should i make arrangements to stay somewhere while the work is being completed?


All work is to be done during regular working hours. We arrive between 8-10am. An oil-based polyurethane takes approximately 12 hours per coat to dry. A water-based polyurethane takes approximately 1 hour per coat to dry. These areas must be closed to everyone during the finishing process. Polyurethane does have a pungent smell that can be objectionable to some. Please make arrangements to be absent prior to our start.
 

Do I need to schedule painting or touch up before or after my wood floor are done?


When sanding floors we take every precaution to be as careful as we can. There may be a need to touch up baseboards because of nicks by the sanding machines. Also, stain may get on baseboards, walls, pickets, etc. Customers should consider  scheduling painting and touch up after wood install and sanding.
 

What type of electricity will be needed to refinish the floors?


We need access to 220 electricity, 60-amp single-phase power within 50 ft. of the work areas. Our sanders carry pigtails to hookup. If you do not have this electricity access, please let us know so we can make further electrical arrangements to complete your job.
 

Will my existing wood floors match the color of my newly refinish wood floors?


When trying to match existing stain, we will try our best to match, however, we cannot guarantee an exact match due to unforeseen circumstances such as age of wood, color matches, bleeding through, finishes, and color differences can be extreme.
 

When can we walk on our floors and put our rugs back down on the floor?


Finished wood needs 30 days to cure properly. Keep all area rugs off floors for 10 days; wearing socks instead of shoes for the first thirty days will help the wood cure properly. DO NOT SLIDE ANYTHING ACROSS FLOOR!! Lift and place. Only use  recommended products on floor.
 

I love my newly refinished floors. How do I clean them?


For cleaning your floors, we recommend only Bona Hardwood Flooring products or just a damp mop. Please do not clean your floors with cleaning products like Pledge, Murphy’s oil soap, mopping glow or any other oil based flooring cleaning products. You will be receiving Hardwood Flooring Care and Maintenance information.
 

Luxury vinyl tile


How to clean luxury vinyl tile?


The first step before using any cleaning floor product is to always to refer to the manufacturer warranty guide that can be found online or ask your Friends and Family Flooring Sales Manager . Thanks to the overall stain resistance capabilities of luxury vinyl, most spills and stains will wipe up quickly with a clean white cloth. When wiping up stains, turn the cloth frequently to prevent spreading the stain. Make sure to rinse with clean water and allow the area to dry. To prevent your floors from fading or discoloring, make sure you sweep regularly and always keep doormats at each entrance.
 

Proper maintenance will keep your floors shiny. For heavier cleaning, a manufacturer recommended cleaning solution can be used when mopping.