Sanding & Finishing • Carpet • Vinyl • Laminate • Ceramic

HARDWOOD FLOORING

Q. Can prefinished hardwood flooring be sanded and refinished?
A. Yes,  solid  prefinished  hardwood  can  be  sanded  and  finished  the  same  as unfinished hardwood  flooring.

Q. Can hardwood flooring be installed in my basement?
A. Yes, there  are  specific  types  of hardwood  flooring  typically  referred  to as "engineered"  hardwood  flooring  that  is specifically  designed  to be  glued  down  to concrete  in a below  grade  situation.

Q. Can engineered hardwood flooring be sanded and refinished?
A. Some types of engineered hardwood flooring can be refinished.  The thickness of the wear layer will determine whether or not the product you choose can be refinished; our sales staff can advise you on which product would be best for your specific needs.

Q. What is the difference in unfinished and prefinished hardwood flooring?
A. Unfinished hardwood  flooring has  no stain  or finish on the boards;  it is installed in its unfinished  form and  must  be  sanded  and  finished  on site. Prefinished hardwood  flooring  is available  in both  natural  and   stained  species  and  has  already been  coated  with a Water  Based  Finish. With pre-finished there is no need for sanding and finishing.

Q. How quickly can I walk on my newly installed prefinished hardwood floor?
A. If your prefinished product is a solid ¾” product you can walk on your floors immediately.  If your prefinished product was glued down to your concrete slab or basement it is recommended you wait approximately twenty-four hours before walking on or moving furniture back into the areas.

Q. Can hardwood flooring be installed on my stairway?
A.  Yes, M & M specializes in the installation of solid custom treads and risers on stairways.  This is a very custom procedure and we strongly recommend a free onsite estimate to determine the procedure and products that would best suit your stairway.

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SANDING AND FINISHING

Q. How long does the refinishing process take?
A. Expect at least a three-day process in which all your furniture must remain off the flooring and you are advised not to walk in the areas being refinished.

Q. Are the fumes from sanding and finishing harmful?
A. Absolutely not in regards to the finishes M & M Floors, Inc. recommends.  The smell from the stain and finish being applied to your hardwood flooring is not described as a pleasant smell by any means; however, it is in no way toxic or harmful to pets or homeowners.  However, it is our policy to recommend to any customer with known allergies or asthma or if pregnant we suggest they contact their physician for a professional recommendation.

Q. Can all hardwood flooring be sanded and refinished?
A. There are several products on the market that cannot be sanded and refinished. We strongly recommend scheduling a free on site estimate done to determine the options for your specific floor.

Q. What type of electrical power is required in my home to run your large sanding equipment?
A. A 220 outlet is required for running our sanding equipment.  A220 outlet is usually found where your dryer or electrical stove is connected.  Our crews carry the necessary extensions to pull power from areas in the home that could be a great distance from where we will actually be working.

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CARPET

Q.  What types of carpeting are best for high traffic areas?
A. 100% Continuous Filament Nylon is recommended for high traffic areas.  The nylon fiber is a soft comfortable fiber that has the bounce and stain resistance families are in need of in their most enjoyable areas such as family rooms and bedrooms.  Nylon is also the most recommended for stairways due to its durability.

Q. I have found a piece of carpeting at another flooring store and I want to see if M & M Floors, Inc. carries the same product?
A.  Carpeting manufacturers put private labels on 90% of the products sold by dealers. Therefore, it is possible we may have the exact same product line and color line; however, the style names and numbers have been changed from one flooring store to another by the manufacturer to prevent customers from shopping at one location and purchasing from another.  We strongly suggest coming into our showroom in Manassas VA to find your perfect piece.

Q. I installed carpeting throughout my dining room last year and now I want to have my living room done with the exact same product and color is this possible?
A.  Yes and No. If the product is still available by the manufacturer yes we can still order and install the same style and color as installed in your dining room. However, carpet has dye lots and the dye lot used to make the carpeting installed in your dining room may not be the same as the carpeting you would like to have installed in your living room. Therefore the color can look quite different.

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VINYL

Q. Will I have to buff and wax my new sheet vinyl flooring?
A.  The new products on the market are wax free products so NO MORE BUFFING AND WAXING is needed. However, the older vinyl composition tiles are still available and yes, those will need to be buffed and waxed.

Q. Will water spots show on my sheet vinyl flooring?
A.  No – water spots will not show on the wax free sheet vinyl products. 

Q. How is sheet vinyl installed?
A.  Sheet vinyl is made in 12’ or 6’only; it is purchase by the necessary length needed and is installed full spread glued to your concrete or Lauan floor with the necessary seams.

Q. Are seams invisible?
A.   We do our best to disguise seams, however we will never guarantee seams will be invisible.

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LAMINATE

Q. Can laminate flooring be installed in my basement or concrete slab?
A.  Yes, laminate is a wonderful alternative to hardwood flooring in a basement or on a concrete slab, however, as with glue down hardwood, most concrete sub floors will need leveling before we can install the hardwood or laminate product. This is a requirement by the manufacturer for the warranties on your product to apply.  The cost of leveling varies from each job; we encourage you to have a free onsite estimate to determine the actual cost of leveling needed on your job.

Q. Is laminate real hardwood?
A. No, laminate is not real hardwood. It is a Formica material very similar to material used to make countertops. It cannot be sanded and finished.
 
Q. How is laminate installed?
A.  Laminate flooring is installed floating over a cushion where each individual plank is clicked and glued together. It is not glued or nailed to your sub floor

Q. How durable is laminate flooring?
A. The Wilsonart brand, which is the only brand we carry, is extremely durable.  It is much harder than real hardwood flooring and resists scratching much more than real hardwood flooring.  The downside to laminate is it does not absorb sound as well as hardwood. It can not be refinisher as hardwood can, and the investment in the product is not significantly less than real hardwood flooring where over time it will need to be replaced where hardwood could just be refinished.

CERAMIC

Q. What are the sub floor requirements for installing tile floors?
A. The sub floor must be even a structurally sound over OSB board or plywood with 16´on ceramic tile joist spacing.  The sub floor thickness is 5/8” tongue and groove with 1/8” gap between sheets and is properly fastened to joists, “I” joists or floor trusses.

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