Month: December 2015

As usual, Smith Bros is eager to shed some light on the businesses that we’ve established great working relationships with. We’re proud to work with a variety of dedicated and highly knowledgeable flooring specialists who share our values and Kentwood Floors is no exception. They’re a Canadian flooring supplier with an eye for beauty, quality, and variety.

Floors for the Contemporary Home

Kentwood has supplied flooring for a wide variety of home types around the world. Their approach to flooring seeks to meet the highest standards and latest trends in home interiors. Adapting to the look and feel desired by the homeowner is one of their top priorities, focusing on pre-finished solid and engineered hardwood types with vibrant colours and authentic textures. Whether you’re seeking a rustic look suitable for a cottage or the organic and sophisticated feel of a modern home, Kentwood can provide the floor that is best for you. They’ve even strived to meet the demands of the modern world by seeking out environmentally responsible business practices!

Sustainability and Responsibility

A wide selection of products certified by the Forest Stewardship Council, not to mention a full-time Environmental Compliance Officer, can attest to Kentwood’s sense of integrity as a hardwood supplier. They not only maintain responsible forestry practices themselves, but advocate for wider adoption of responsible forestry practices throughout the industry. Examples of this include funding for Sustainable Harvest International and the Tropical Forest Foundation as well as nation-wide promotion of green building initiatives and certification programs.

Variety, Practicality, and the West Coast Spirit

With three major hardwood selections, Kentwood can offer its clients and vendors the variety they need for a diverse range of home applications. Looking for an unforgettable modern look? The bold and distinctive Couture range has it. Hoping to find affordable yet high-quality solid planks? The Elements selection is where you’ll find your match. Last but not least, Kentwood’s flagship Originals selection can offer you the spirit of their local scenery, inspired by the colours and textures of the west coast landscape. The installation methods are as diverse as their species and finishes, as everything from nail-down to click and floating planks are available.

With such a dedicated focus on quality and responsible forestry, Smith Bros is proud to be a certified vendor of Kentwood’s many flooring products. If you’d like to give your home the Kentwood treatment, give us a call at (403) 917-0847 today!

If your hardwood flooring has been there long enough, you may have begun to notice some wear and tear. The big question is whether you need a full replacement or just a professional refinish. Here are a few ways you can tell the difference.

Age

Longevity will vary widely between floor types and environmental factors. If a floor is cared for properly, it can go decades without a refinish and quite some time without replacement, but in reality the floor of a family environment can take quite the beating. In most cases, basic cosmetic degradation can be dealt with by arranging for a refinish. If, however, your home is on the old side and its floors have already gone through a few refinish cycles, they may have been sanded down too far. Things like poor linkage of the grooves and tongues or exposed blind nails are telltale signs that a replacement may be in order.

Structural Health

Determining the need for a refinish or replacement is sometimes a matter of both your hardwood and your subfloor. Issues like creaking may actually be due to a subfloor that is aged or poorly secured to the joists. If there are advanced subfloor problems that require a removal of your flooring altogether, consider the health of the hardwood to determine if you should replace it in the process of addressing your structural issues. If the planks have experienced a significant amount of moisture or insect-related damage, replacement may be necessary. This, of course, can be prevented with the right choice in species, proper installation, and good care!

A Dustless Refinish

One major disadvantage of a refinish is the dust. Furniture often needs to be covered and areas of your home closed off. Our solution is to use Bona’s dustless sanding system, which spares the homeowner the trouble of an intrusive sanding through effective and carefully-engineered dust containment. A refinish is almost always cheaper than a replacement, so as long as there aren’t any serious structural or age-related problems at hand, you can extend the life of the floor you have without investing in a complete overhaul!

Is your hardwood due for a refinish? Give Smith Bros a call at (403) 917-0847 today and ask about our Bona dustless sanding system. We’ll be happy to make your refinish as clean and effective as possible!