Monthly Archives: September 2013

Can Recycled Wood Flooring Be Refinished?

Can recycled wood flooring be refinished? The answer: Yes!  Consider how Staybull™ recycled wood flooring is manufactured.  It is basically narrow strips of solid wood flooring.  This means it has all the benefits of solid flooring, including a thick wear layer that can be sanded down and refinished multiple times.  Additionally, because Staybull™ uses 100% eco-friendly glues during the production process, you do not have to worry about toxic fumes being released into the air you breathe while sanding.

Here’s the simplest way to refinish the Staybull™ brand of recycled wood flooring:

  1. Use 80 grit sandpaper to remove the original finish.

  2. To achieve an even and smooth surface

    1. Use 100 grit sandpaper to remove any marks,

    2. Then use 120 grit sandpaper to make the surface nice and smooth.

  3. Remove all dust and debris from the surface.

  4. Apply new, water-based eco-friendly flooring finish per the manufacturer’s instructions.

  5. Let the new finish dry.

  6. Enjoy your new eco-friendly floor.

What’s a good finish to use?  We recommend using Loba Wakol products as they have some great finish products whether you are just recoating the factory finish or sanding and doing a new finish. Their 2k series will even stick to UV cured finishes.  They also have finish for starting from scratch

The truth is that no floor is impervious to damage.  When you compare flooring options, you need to know that every product will start to show scratches and dents.  Because our recycled wood flooring can be refinished, you give yourself the opportunity to extend the life of your floor, thereby increasing your return on investment.  Ultimately, with its rejuvenated look you can enjoy Staybull Flooring™ for years without spending an arm and a leg to replace it.

The Beauty of Iroko Flooring

recycled-iroko-flooring

For a fun, exotic look, there is nothing quite like the sturdy African charm of Iroko flooring. Also known as African Teak for its initial coloring, Iroko flooring displays a fascinating pattern of soft pale gold marked with frolicking flecks of rusty brown.  Over time, this playful design will mature towards a beautiful brick red.  When combined with the unique Staybull™ process, the result is spectacular, and will give you a captivating living space that you’ll love to savor.  And with a strength to match red oak, you’ll be able to savor the beauty of Iroko flooring for many years.

Staybull Flooring’s™ eco-friendly manufacturing process means that not only will you get a brand new exotic high-end floor, but you’ll also reduce waste that would normally be thrown out, and in doing so contribute towards protecting Africa’s natural beauty.

Here are some more reasons to love Iroko flooring:

  • It’s easy to install
  • It makes a very stable floor
  • It finishes beautifully

Learn more about Recycled Iroko Flooring.

Staybull Flooring® is The Best Choice for Concrete Subfloors

Staybull Flooring® is the best choice for concrete subfloors. How can we claim that our brand of recycled hardwood flooring can be installed over concrete?

The answer lies in the way Staybull® is made and how it naturally resists the stress moisture can place on wood flooring.   Most of the problems that arise with wood floors have to do with moisture, and this remains especially true when installing flooring over concrete.  The problem with concrete subfloors is that they tend to retain moisture, and when they exist on or below grade, changing moisture levels can aggravate the problem even more.

Traditional solid hardwood flooring, already prone to warping, twisting, and cupping, will perform poorly when installed over concrete.  In the past, this led people to settle for engineered wood flooring.  However, while it is more dimensionally stable than solid planks, engineered flooring has such a thin wear layer that it cannot be refinished, so it does not have as long a lifespan.  Unfortunately, many people find this out when they first attempt to refinish their engineered floor.  Needless to say, they end up replacing it after a few hears.  As you might expect, replacing any floor after such a short time will significantly lower their return on investment.

Staybull Flooring®, however, combines the best of both worlds.  Because of its unique manufacturing process, it is more stable than solid flooring, and can be refinished more often than engineered flooring.  The result is an eco-friendly flooring option that can be installed directly over an aged concrete subfloor.  You do not even have to worry about spending time and money on a substrate when dealing with Staybull Flooring®.

Learn how to install Staybull Flooring® over concrete.

Health Makes Flooring Eco-Friendly?

We talked about what makes a product sustainable, and therefore environmentally friendly.  The second main feature that defines a “green” product is health.  This refers to the health of the ecosystem, the manufacturers, and the end user. Health Makes Flooring Eco-Friendly.

The questions you must ask when evaluating how healthy a flooring option is are these:

  • Were any toxic chemicals released into the air, water, or soil during the manufacturing process?
  • After installation, were any toxic chemicals released into the home or business space?

Obviously, the fewer toxic emissions, the better.  Staybull Flooring™ is recycled wood flooring that is VOC free. That means that each plank uses no formaldehyde or other harmful adhesives in the manufacturing process. In addition, we only use the Eco-Shield™ finish which gives off zero harmful emissions after installation.  Staybull Flooring™ is safe for both you and the environment.

Learn more about why recycled  Staybull Flooring™ is eco-friendly flooring.

How to Replace Carpet in your Home or Office

Many homes come with carpets already installed.  While carpeting offers many benefits such as warmth, softness, and sound dampening, it also comes with a host of problems including dirt retention and off-gasing of potentially harmful chemicals.  Here are some tips on how to replace carpet in your home or office, so you can avoid these problems.

There are several options for hardwood flooring, but we recommend Staybull’s eco-friendly flooring brand the most, since it combines the beauty and strength of solid wood with the stability of engineered flooring.  Here is how you replace carpet with Staybull recycled wood flooring:

  1. Using a flatbar and hammer, take out the base trim.  If you intend on keeping the original trim, then be careful not to break it, and mark each piece somehow so you know where it came from.

  2. Slide the flatbar under the old carpet using a hammer, and pull up on it until you can grab it with your hands.  Proceed to pull up the carpet, rolling it up as you go.   If there is foam padding underneath the carpet, pull it up as well.

  3. Underneath the carpet you will find tack strips, thin pieces of wood with tiny spikes to hold the carpet down.  Again, using your flatbar and hammer, remove and dispose of these.

  4. Now just clean up the bare surface.  This may involve pulling out or nailing down old nails, and sweeping up any debris.  You also may have to sand down bumps or fill depressions.

  5. Now it is time to install your new hardwood floor.  There are a few ways to go about this.  The recommended methods are detailed here:  Install Hardwood Flooring.

When you are done, you will have a healthier, longer-lasting floor that will never go out of style.