FloorGem Maryland Flooring Resource Center
Flooring Tips
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Articles
- Choosing A Hardwood Floor
- Flooring Options
- Preparing For Ceramic Tile Flooring
- Add Flair to Your Floors with Decorative Tiling
- How to Keep Your Hardwood Floors Looking New
- What to Do About Squeaks and Gaps in Your Hardwood Floors
- What to Do If Your Hardwood Floor Gets Flooded
- Marble Flooring Adds an Elegant Touch to Floors
- Insulating Noisy Floors
- Healthy Flooring Can Make a Difference for Allergy and Asthma Sufferers
- Glazed vs. Unglazed Ceramic Tile: Which is Ideal for Your Home?
- Keep Your Marble Floor Looking New in between Professional Cleanings
- Keep Your Tile Grout Spotless in Between Professional Cleanings
- Hardwood Bamboo Flooring: Beautiful in Your Home, Beneficial to the Environment
- Engineered Hardwood Flooring Offers Durability and Low Maintenance
- How to Remove Pet Stains from Your Hardwood Floors
- Best Flooring Options for Your Maryland Bathroom
- Best Types of Flooring Materials for Your Maryland Kitchen
- The Benefits of Prefinished Hardwood Flooring
- Benefits of Vinyl Flooring for Your Northern Virginia Home
- Oil- vs. Water-Based Hardwood Finish: Which is Better for Your Floors?
- Add a Personal Touch with Marble Mosaic Flooring
- Using Vinyl Flooring in Your Northern Virginia Home's Basement
- Common Hardwood Species for Your Maryland Home Flooring Needs
- Felt vs. Fiberglass Vinyl Sheet Backing
- Vinyl Composition Tile vs. Sheet Vinyl: What's the Difference?
- Floor Tile Patterns Limited Only by Your Imagination
- Durable, Beautiful Strand Woven Bamboo Flooring an Environmentally Responsible Choice
- The Many Benefits of Commercial Carpet Cleaning
- Brazilian Cherry Flooring a Beautiful, Rich Option for Your Maryland Home
- Red Oak Flooring Features for Your Maryland Home
- Maple Flooring a Stylish, Durable Choice for Your Maryland Home
- Walnut Flooring Features Legendary Durability and Distinctive Richness
Photo Galleries
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Videos
Installing Ceramic Tiles Video
Ceramic Floor Cleaning Video
Wood Floor Cleaning and
Restoration Video
Carpet Cleaning Video
Hard Surface Tile and
Grout Cleaning Video
Viny Floor Cleaning Video
Marble Restoration Part 1 Video
Marble Restoration Part 2 Video
Marble Restoration Part 3 Video
Marble Restoration Part 4 Video
Links
coming soon
Oil- vs. Water-Based Hardwood Finish: Which is Better for Your Floors?
Any hardwood floor finish should enhance the beauty of the hardwood and protect it from outside elements. But when deciding between oil- and water-based hardwood finish, keep in mind that each offers differences in appearance, durability, drying time, and cost.
The biggest difference between oil and water finishes is the floor's resulting appearance. Oil-based finishes give hardwood an amber tint, as this material fills in and flows over the open grain of many hardwoods. Water-based finishes give the wood a more natural look, as the floor will not darken with time, as it will with oil-based finishes. Water-based finishes dry very quickly, usually in about one hour, while oil-based finishes can take about eight to 12 hours. Therefore, oil-based finishing prevents people from walking on the finished floor for a long period of time, and typically emits a strong odor.
Oil-based finishes are applied in two to three coats, while water-based finishes need about four coats. Both offer about the same level of durability and protection, but water-based finishes can cost two or three times as much as oil-based finishes.
When choosing between oil- and water-based hardwood finishes, look no further than Floorgem. Specializing in floor installation, refinishing, and maintenance, Floorgem services Howard County, Montgomery County, Anne Arundel County, and Prince Georges County, as well as the surrounding Washington DC area.