The first step before Oakland Wood Floors can begin working on your new floor is to remove all furniture, wall and floor decor, curtains, and any other items from the room. Since flooring experts do not usually carry insurance to protect potential damage to surrounding items, you are responsible for removing your valuables from the areas being worked on. Our new materials are your new wood floors. When installing new hardwood floors in Castro Valley, the wood needs to acclimate to its new climate.  The length of this process varies according to each different environment, and may take anywhere from two days to two weeks. Oakland Wood Floors will bring the wood to you so that it can adapt to its new conditions.

Once the finish has dried you can return the furniture to the room.  We recommend that you put felt pads on the legs or bottoms of all furniture pieces in order to prevent scratches and dents in your new hardwood floor. It is also a good idea to put throw rugs at any entrance.  Oakland Wood Floors suggests you avoid the rugs that have rubber bottoms since they can discolor your new floor.  Also, to further protect your floor’s surface, try not to wear high heels, cleats, or other shoes with damaging soles while walking about.

Since our wood materials are organic, no two floor boards will be the same. Variation in the appearance of each is normal and brings warmth and character to the look of your floor. Like people, and all other organic substances, your wood floor will age, and changes such as in color may occur. This is also normal.  However, you can help to minimize this process by limiting exposure to direct sunlight (as with people again!), and by occasionally shifting the location of your furniture and rugs.  Additionally, a flux in humidity, increasing and decreasing, will slightly tighten or loosen/contract your wood floors. Given this natural occurrence, cracks will appear and disappear with the changing seasons.  The general consensus is that anything less than the width of a dime constitutes normal change, and will correct itself as the seasons shift. At Oakland Wood Floors, our professional inspectors suggest examining the floor from a position that allows a path of normal lighting to better identify irregularities.