If you’ve decided to install sand-on-site hardwood floors in your home, or if you’re preparing to re-sand existing hardwood floors, you’re undoubtedly excited about how great your new floor is going to look.
But as you select a hardwood flooring expert to sand your floors, be sure not to overlook an aspect of sanding that’s far less exciting, but nonetheless important—the sander’s dust containment system.
Dust Can Be Avoided
A top-quality hardwood flooring sander will sand your hardwood floors and leave very little dust in your home, and that’s what you should demand. Always ask prospective sanders what dust-containment method they use.
The answer you want to hear is that they evacuate the dust out of the home into a trailer. In this system, hoses are attached directly to the sanding machines, and the dust is sucked by an extremely powerful vacuum engine straight into the trailer, eliminating nearly all dust created from sanding your floors.
Other methods also have hoses attached to the sanding equipment, but the vacuum machine is small enough to be brought inside, which means it has a less-powerful, less-efficient motor. And sanding without any dust control at all...don't even think about it!
If you’re having floors installed before they’re finished, the installation equipment can also be hooked directly to the dust evacuation system. This technology isn’t perfected yet, but its use can substantially reduce dust caused by old floor removal and installation of new hardwood floors.
Insist on Experience
Don’t hesitate to inquire about a company’s history of dust evacuation. Ask to see pictures or videos of jobs they’ve done, and talk with them to gauge their commitment and ability to keep your home as free of dust as possible.
Keeping dust from becoming a problem may seem like a minor consideration in the overall process of adding or re-sanding hardwood floors, but it won’t seem minor if you end up struggling to clean up persistent dust. Selecting the right hardwood flooring company for the job will allow you to enjoy your new floors as soon as they’re completed, without having to worry about the mess left behind.
