EXPERT ADVICE
Wood floor doesn't need to be replaced
October 31, 2009
Steve Maxwell
SPECIAL TO THE STAR
Q: Does the badly worn wood floor in my bedroom need to be replaced? I've been rolling around on a chair in front of my desk in this room since I was born (same with my brother in his room) and my parents say both floors need to be replaced.
A: From the photo you sent, I see you're dealing with a good oak floor and it has stood up to the traffic of a rolling desk chair surprisingly well. This wood doesn't need to be replaced, just refinished. And depending on how finicky your parents are about how the floor looks, refinishing doesn't necessarily mean sanding everything back to bare wood in preparation for new stain and new urethane.
It's sometimes possible to re-establish a pretty good finish on a traditional stained-and-sealed wood floor the easy way. Start by giving the entire area a light sanding with a hand-held electric sander and 120-grit paper to slightly roughen the surface of the existing urethane. Next, apply stain only to worn areas, giving the whole floor an even colour. Although it's not made specifically for this purpose, my favourite floor-fixing stain is Minwax's Polyshades. It's a combination urethane and stain, though I'm only using it for colour in this application. If you can't find an exact match for the colour of your existing floor, choose one shade darker.
Let the Polyshades dry, then brush on a couple of coats of oil-based satin urethane over the entire floor, sanding lightly with 240-grit sandpaper after the first coat has dried. This remedial option doesn't always fix things up to everyone's satisfaction, but not much is lost by trying. And if the results do please your parents, it'll save them a lot of money and make you look pretty good.
Q: Will a heat recovery ventilator (HRV) get rid of wintertime window condensation, even behind window shades that are pulled down at night in our kids' rooms?
I've seen your articles about the value of HRVs, and we're thinking of installing one to stop the water that runs down our windows on cold days.
A: The short answer is yes, an HRV will reduce wintertime window condensation. And now is a very good time of the year to have one installed.
That said, lowering window shades does encourage condensation by holding air next to the glass without circulation, causing this air to cool and water to condense much more readily than if the windows were left bare. Even with an HRV at work, you'll still get condensation on windows when blinds cover them. It's just there will be less of it.
Indoor air quality is another reason to think about getting an HRV. Very wet windows always indicate insufficient ventilation, and this means that the air is less healthy than it should be. Even if an HRV doesn't completely solve your wet window problems it's still worth it from a health point of view, especially since you've got kids.
Q: How do I find a reliable home inspector? I've got a problem with my basement and I want to get an unbiased opinion before I hire anyone to fix it.
A: Call the Canadian Association of Home and Property Inspectors (www.cahpi.ca; 888-748-2244). They offer contact information for Registered Home Inspectors (RHI) and this is the kind of person you want.
There are other competing home inspector organizations on the scene, but none that I've seen offer the all-important independent skills verification of their members. Some of these seemingly legitimate organizations are actually quite laughable when you dig deeper and realize that anyone can become a "professional" inspector simply by paying a membership fee.
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Steve Maxwell, technical editor of Canadian Home Workshop, runs Saturdays in New in Homes & Condos.
Toronto Star