Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What does the Vivid Finish™ crew do to my floors? TOP
The first thing your Certified Renewal Specialist (CRS) will always do is provide a free, no obligation evaluation of your floors. During this process your CRS will point out distress or damaged areas and explain your options, the results that can be expected from each, and the associated costs if any. Our goal here is to help you become well informed so you can make an educated decision. Our experience is that an educated customer is the best customer, and our customers are the best!

Subsequent to your free evaluation, you may select any of our three levels of service, and sometimes we tell our customers they don’t need to have our service performed, yet…..

Q: What can I expect during a Vivid Cleanse™ professional deep cleaning? TOP
Your Vivid Finish™ team will deep clean your floors using our specialized three step cleaning process which includes using our Deep Cleaning Pre-Treatment (DCPT), rinsing the floor with our specialized equipment, and a final mop with our Professional Wood Floor Cleaner Concentrate to remove any residual. The level of aggressiveness used on your floors will be determined by your CRS once they have evaluated the condition of your floors. Regardless of the equipment used, you will be amazed (and embarrassed) by the amount of ground in dirt, oils and grime that will be removed from your floors. Most times, our rinse is black when it comes out of the machine.

Q: What can I expect during a Vivid Revitalization™ no sanding renewal of my hardwood floors? TOP
A Vivid Revitalization™ is the SAME DAY – NO SANDING Solution to beautiful wood floors. The process begins with our Vivid Cleanse™ three step cleaning process to remove any dirt, oil or contaminants from your floor, and is followed by our two coat refinishing process including our Proprietary Bonding Agent (PBAX07Z) that chemically prepares the existing finish and “glues” the new finish to it and a coat of industry leading Vivid Finish™ XL in the sheen of your choice.

Q: What is a Vivid Restoration™ and how do I know if my floors need this? TOP
A Vivid Restoration™ is a custom designed restoration process consisting of varying degrees and levels of sanding. Ranging from a light sanding utilizing screens to a complete sanding with our cutting edge random orbital sanding equipment, a Vivid Restoration™ may be the best solution for you, depending on your objectives. Regardless of the level of service selected, we always utilize our Total Dust Management System, eliminating more than 98% of the airborne dust created by sanding. Beware of anyone who tells you they can eliminate 100% of the dust when sanding…..it just isn’t possible.

Your Vivid Finish™ CRS will provide you with all the information you need to identify the best solution for you and your hardwood floors.

Q: Is there any way I can get an idea of how my floors will look after a Vivid Revitalization™? TOP
Yes. Take a damp towel and rub it on your floor in various areas. The time from right after you rub the floor with the damp towel to just before the water begins to evaporate and dry is pretty representative of how your floors will look after a Vivid Revitalization™. Of course our deep cleaning process will remove more ground in dirt than you are capable of, and as a result your floors may look a little better than after the “wipe test.”

Q: Will a Vivid Revitalization™ work on any floor? TOP
Yes. With very few limitations we can improve the look and increase the durability of any wood floor. Our process is compatible with all species of wood and all types, including solid wood, engineered, site finished and pre-finished.

The only floors that cause us grief are floors where waxes or oils have been used, and our cleaning process is specifically designed to remove these. However, due to the porous nature of wood, it is very difficult to remove 100% of the wax and oil (even by sanding), and any residue remaining in the grain or on the floor has the potential to cause bonding issues, which could result in the new finish flaking or peeling at some point in the future. There are additional steps that can be taken prior to beginning the Vivid Revitalization™ process to increase removal efficiencies and success, but we cannot guarantee adhesion on previously waxed floors, and if any other service provider does…..get it in writing.

Q: Will a Vivid Revitalization™ fill holes and gouges? TOP
Yes, but not all. The Vivid Revitalization™ process will fill small holes such as staple holes from carpet pads. It will not fill larger nail holes or gouges. In some many cases we can make repairs to these before application of the finish, and while they may not disappear 100%, the can be camouflaged and significantly less apparent.

Your CRS will be able to identify and explain the extent to which holes and gouges will be repaired and present you with some other repair options.

Q: Will a Vivid Revitalization™ fix scratches? TOP
Yes, but not all. Surface scratches in the existing finish will melt away and disappear with the application of a new coat of Vivid Finish™. Scratches extending into the stain and wood will not be eliminated. The only way to eliminate these is to sand the floor, which is a service we provide, but we have alternative repair options to camouflage and hide scratches extending below the finish as well.

Another type of “scratch” we hear about frequently is not really a scratch at all, but an indentation in the veneer layer of an engineered floor (similar to running your fingernail across a piece of paper). These layers are generally very thin and cannot be sanded, therefore this type of “scratch” cannot be corrected except by replacement of boards or the entire floor.

Once again, your CRS will be able to identify and explain the extent to which scratches will be repaired and present you with alternative repair options.

Q: Can you repair damaged areas? TOP
Yes. Your CRS can identify and repair specific damaged or distressed areas prior to performing the Vivid Revitalization™ on the entire floor. We frequently perform board replacement, hand scrape boards, hand sand specific boards or areas and blend and apply stains to match colors. It should be noted that despite anyone’s best efforts, it is virtually impossible to completely match and blend the repairs into the existing floors, and sometimes the repair becomes more apparent than the original damage.

If you have specific damage you would like addressed, you should discuss the areas with your CRS prior to starting the project.

Q: My stairs need to be refinished as well, can you do a Vivid Revitalization™ on them? TOP
Yes. We frequently perform our Vivid Revitalization™ on stairs. As you can imagine, all work must be completed by hand.

Q: Will a Vivid Revitalization™ get rid of pet stains, water stains or other dark spots? TOP
Probably not. If the stains are limited to the surface, and have not penetrated the wood, then yes, it will. However, most pet stains and many water or other dark stains are in the wood itself, and will not be eliminated by a Vivid Revitalization™. In fact, often times these stains penetrate the wood so far, they cannot even be sanded out.

Point these areas out to your CRS. While the Vivid Revitalization™ may not eliminate them, we may be able to take measures to help make them less noticeable.

Q: Does the Vivid Revitalization™ process change the color of my floors? TOP
No. The Vivid Revitalization™ process itself does not change the color of your floors. Your floors may appear a bit lighter or darker, depending on your floors when we start, due to the removal of ground in dirt and the application of the new coat of finish, but this is not a “color change.” Our Vivid Finish™ XL dries crystal clear. Once again, if you wipe the floors with a damp rag, it will give you a pretty good idea of how your floors will respond to a Vivid Revitalization™ and you can determine if the results are acceptable.

Q: Can you perform a Vivid Revitalization™ and change the color of my floor? TOP
Yes – to a certain extent. Be advised, that the only way to change the color of the wood is to stain it, and to stain the wood, all finish would have to be removed by sanding. The Vivid Revitalization™ process does not remove the finish, and therefore we do not have the opportunity to stain the floor.

It is possible and common practice even, to add color to the polyurethane, thereby darkening a floor. You cannot lighten a floor with this process. The degree to which you can darken or change the floor is limited by the amount of stain that can be added to the polyurethane. At a certain point, adding stain can jeopardize the integrity of the finish, thereby reducing its lifespan and increasing the potential for failure, so to go much darker, you have to apply multiple coats of “tinted” finish. With each additional coat, you have added labor and expense, so you eventually reach a point of diminishing returns where you are better allowing us to properly sand and stain the floor to the color of your choice.

It should also be noted that when “tinting” or adding color to the finish to darken a floor, the color is in the finish, and therefore, as the finish wears away over time, so does the color. Anytime we apply a “color” coat to a floor for a customer, we always recommend a clear coat be applied over the top to protect the color.

Q: I have gray areas in various high traffic areas, will the Vivid Revitalization™ eliminate these areas™ TOP
Possibly. Most likely, the graying areas in your floor are caused by the wearing away of the finish, which allows dirt and water to get into the grain of the wood, causing damage and the gray appearance. Our cleaning process will remove the dirt, but the areas will still be gray, though possibly not as dark as before. It may be possible to hand scrape or hand sand select boards and stain them to match the surrounding floor before performing the Vivid Revitalization™. This process is an extra charge, and if there are several boards impacted you do reach a point of diminishing returns where it becomes more cost effective and efficient to sand the floor.

Your CRS will be able to address these specific areas with you and evaluate options.

Q: The grain in some of my boards is very dark, black even in some areas. Will a Vivid Revitalization™ fix this? TOP
Possibly, to a certain extent. It really depends on what has caused the grain to be black. If it is something trapped under existing finish, then there is nothing that can be done to remedy the situation aside from a complete sand and finish or spot sanding, which may make the impacted boards “stand out” more noticeably. If however the dark grain is caused by ground in dirt on top of the surface, then our cleaning process will remove the dirt resulting in a significant improvement to the discolored grain.

Point these areas out to your CRS for more information about options and a way to determine how your floors and these areas will respond to a Vivid Revitalization™.

Q: How long will it take to complete my project? TOP
Most projects are completed in a day. When performing a Vivid Revitalization™ most projects are completed in a day. To be honest, the single largest determining factor in how long it will take to complete a job is the amount of furniture present that we have to move, and where you have to store it. Sometimes jobs extend longer because of the need to shift furniture back and forth between areas of the home, allowing sufficient time in between to complete each step and allow the finish to cure.

A Vivid Restoration™ generally requires much longer because of the nature of the project. There are several steps that require dry time, and you should never apply more than 2 coats of any combination of sealer and/or polyurethane to a floor within a 24 hour period. With most Vivid Restoration™ restoration projects, we apply 5-6 coats of stain, sealers and finish, so by default the project extends several days.

Your CRS will be able to give you an accurate estimate on the time required for your project.

Q: There are gaps between some of my boards. Will a Vivid Revitalization™ fix this? TOP
No. Some gaps between boards are caused by changes in the environment resulting in natural expansion and contraction of the boards. These should not be filled. Some gaps are created by beveled edges on pre-finished floors. These are present by design from the manufacturer and cannot be filled or sanded out. Other gaps, caused by the natural settling of your home or even a poor installation, may be addressed on a case by case basis. While the Vivid Revitalization™ process does not fill these gaps, there are repair measures that can be taken in some circumstances prior to performing our process to reduce their appearance.

Your CRS will be able to discuss possible causes and remedies for various gaps present in your floors.

Q: How durable is the Vivid Finish™ coating that will be applied to my floors? TOP
Extremely durable. Vivid Finish™ XL is an industry leading polyurethane floor finish featuring a 97% cure rate in 24 hours and UV inhibitors. The basis from which Vivid Finish™ XL is derived has its roots as a coating for bowling alleys. If it can stand up to that kind of pounding, imagine how well it will wear on your wood floors.

How well a finish will wear is subject to the traffic, wear and abuse it is subject to. We have seen floors 20 or more years old properly maintained and subject to very little traffic that look as good as the day they were originally finished. We have also seen floors in residential applications that are less than a year old, not properly maintained and subject to pets and high traffic look much older than their age.

Generally speaking, in a residential environment under normal wear and tear and with proper maintenance, we expect you to have us back every 5-7 years to perform a follow-up Vivid Revitalization™ on your floors. This could be more frequent under harsh conditions (children, pets, build-up of grit/grime, use of improper cleaners, etc).

Commercial applications are similar, in that it depends on traffic, maintenance and wear and tear. Generally, depending on those factors, we could perform a Vivid Revitalization™ anywhere from every 6 months to every 6 years.

Sports floors are generally addressed every year by traditional screen and recoat. In most cases, we recommend a Vivid Revitalization™ on sports floors every 2 years. This provides significant savings to the owner.

Q: How long does it take the finish to dry? TOP
It varies. The drier the air the faster it dries. The higher the humidity the slower it dries. Under normal conditions, our finish is dry enough to walk on in stocking feet 2-3 hours after being applied. It generally can withstand normal foot traffic with shoes within 8 hours, and although our preference would be for furniture to remain off the floor for 24 hours, we have seen it reset in much less. Although it is dry and 97% cured in 24 hours, we prefer for area rugs, runners and carpets to stay off the floor for a period of 2-3 weeks.

Moisture readings taken by your CRS utilizing specialized equipment will ultimately determine when things can happen.

Q: What should I do with my dog? TOP
Take him on a vacation. The products we utilize are pet safe, dry within a few hours and 97% cured in 24 hours. At the time the finish reaches 97% cured, it exhibits virtually all of its scratch and mar resistance, but it is still considered “fresh.” We would like to see indoor pets off the newly refinished floors for at least 24 hours after the final coat is dry enough to walk on. Our real preference is for you to take or send Fido to a friend’s house or on vacation for 3 days.

Q: What finishes are available? TOP
Numerous. We pride ourselves on having a wider selection of finishes than anyone else. Our Vivid Finish™ XL is available ranging in Super Matte, Low Luster Satin, Satin, High Luster Satin, Semi-Gloss and Gloss. Most residential applications are done in High Luster Satin, this is a beautiful, warm finish with just enough allow a bit of reflection but not so much it is overpowering or too revealing. Our experience has been that the higher the gloss level, the more apparent flaws, scratches and imperfections in the floor become. For pet owners, we recommend a Low Luster Satin, or even a Super Matte.

Most sports floors are done in Gloss, and most commercial applications are done in the Super Matte to Satin range. Multiple coats do not change the sheen, and the topcoat is always the sheen you will see on your floor.

Q: I have heard that Oil based finishes are better than water based. Is this true? TOP
No. Oil based finishes have been in the industry much longer than water based, are much less expensive (less than ¼ of the cost) and much easier to work with. Therefore, they are often the preference of many contractors. Over the past several years, water based products have made significant improvements. Our research has proven time and time again that our Vivid Finish™ XL is much harder, longer lasting and clearer than oil based products.

For those that want some of the characteristics of oil based polyurethane with all the features of water based polyurethane, we do have a blended product called Vivid Finish™ Innovation.

Q: How do I know when I should perform a Vivid Restoration™ sand and refinish? TOP
It depends on your objective. When you sand a floor you remove all existing finish and the surface layer (approximately 1/32 to 1/16 of an inch). When you do this, it affords you the opportunity to remove scratches and other blemishes present in the wood, sand out stain to change the color of the floor, and make significant repairs and board replacements virtually without notice. If this is your objective, sanding is your only alternative.

However, there is no such thing as “dustless” sanding, and despite our best efforts to contain and minimize dust with our random orbital sanding technology and Total Dust Management, there will be dust generated during the process. You will also be displaced for a period of time. When sanding, we take the floors down to bare wood, and by the time you allow for stain, sealer and multiple coats of finish it the entire process takes days to complete. There are also inherent dangers involved with the sanding process. The dust generated is an extreme fire hazard and a spark from sandpaper crossing a hidden nail or buildup of heat from the paper itself can cause the dust to spontaneously combust.

Then there is the stain to contend with. In addition to odor and hazards associated with inhalation, rags and other items contaminated with stain are also a fire hazard, and if not properly handled can spontaneously combust or cause a flash fire.

So, when considering the expense, the mess, hazards and trouble associated with sanding, most customers are very happy to have a Vivid Revitalization™ performed and live with a few minor imperfections that have been camouflaged to the greatest degree possible.

However, sanding and refinishing is one of our specialties, and a necessity in the long term care of hardwood floors, particularly floors that have been neglected. We are happy to perform the service when the situation or customer needs warrant.

Q: I have hardwoods under carpet. Can a Vivid Revitalization™ restore my floors when the carpet is removed? TOP
Yes. A Vivid Revitalization™ is a great option for renewing and restoring hardwoods that have been covered by carpet for many years. We have found that after the carpet is removed, with some added TLC, we are able to make some repairs, fill nail holes and beautifully restore the hardwood floors.

Once the carpet is removed, we can provide a free, no obligation evaluation and let you know exactly what you can expect from the various levels of service we provide. Most of the time we can perform a Vivid Revitalization™ with great success, but in some cases, a Vivid Restoration™ complete sand and refinish would provide optimum results.

Q: Does your equipment have any special power requirements? TOP
No. All of the equipment utilized for Vivid Cleanse™ and Vivid Revitalization™ are 110v, and plug into standard wall outlets. We may ask you to provide us with 2 separate circuits if we are running multiple pieces of equipment concurrently.

When we do a Vivid Restoration™ complete sand and refinish, our random orbital sanders operate on 220v. We have special power cords called “power doublers” that take 110v from two separate circuits and double it to the required 220v, allowing us to plug into two standard wall jacks that are on separate circuits.

In either situation we will ask you to show us where your panel is. With all the appliances and electronics operating in homes today, we will trip breakers from time to time if we plug into a circuit that is already loaded. We will need to reset breakers when this happens. If your panel is labeled, it is very helpful.

Q: How do I protect my newly refinished floors? TOP
It’s easier than you think. The single largest enemies of wood floors are water and grit. Keep these up and off the floor and your floor will provide years of beauty and enjoyment. Don’t use any chemical cleaners for 2 weeks after the new finish is applied. Be sure to use felt furniture pads on all furniture bases and legs in contact with the floor. Clean-up spills promptly; dry mop with a micro fiber dust mop frequently; place door mats at all doors to collect and prevent grit; damp mop with Vivid Finish™ Professional Hardwood Floor cleaner periodically as needed.

Your CRS will provide you with more specific instructions on proper floor care and answer any questions you might have.