If you are looking around at hardwood flooring in Long Island, NY, you know that there are lots of different varieties of wood to choose from, as well as many types of finishes. Homeowners and business owners that want to get a certain look have the daunting task of figuring out whether they want a light wood with a darker finish, a medium wood with a finish to bring out its red hues, and many other combination questions that can provide way more choices that anyone would be comfortable with. In order to make the most of the options, you'll want to understand some of the more uncommon finishes and what kind of effect they can provide you. Here are some of the top unusual finishes you can use to design your dream interiors. What Is a Ceruse Finish? This is a French technique that gives wood a charmingly weathered, light look. The steps you take to do this finish is to select a wood, preferably with above-average texture (which will accentuate the finish). You can use a clear base or a light-colored tint. Start by thoroughly sanding down the wood. This means that it will be flat and uniformly sanded. Next, use a soft-wire brush and an air compressor to get the bits of sawdust out from the texture of the wood grain. Your floors will need to be perfectly clean before starting the ceruse finish. Next, seal the wood with a good, single coat. Get a white pigment mixed with a clear or light oil base. Build up these coats to the desired effect. The white will go into the wood's texture and accentuate it to make it look weathered and more rustic. You can do this technique yourself or hire an experienced professional to treat your wood floors for you. How Ammonia Fuming Improves Hardwood If you have a hardwood that you want to use for your flooring, but would rather darken it and bring out the intricate patterns in the grain, ammonia fuming may be for you. Sometimes called simply "fuming" this is a process wherein the wood is exposed to ammonium hydroxide. White oak is one of the most responsive woods to this whole process. The wood is sealed in a room with the solution over a period of time. Unlike staining, this technique has no potential to spot or run. Stains go over the grain to make the whole piece of wood darker, but this technique brings out the grain without significantly darkening the wood around it. The French Bleed Technique A French bleed is another technique invented by European artisans. The practice is designed to make wood look darker and older than it actually is. It's great if you can't afford an expensive exotic hardwood but want to get a rich, deep look in your flooring or cabinets. You will want to apply this technique to wider boards, but they can be almost any wood variety. Bamboo, oak, or pine are some of the candidates that are light-colored and take the dark finish well. Unlike distressing the wood with tools, this technique keeps the floor level so it stays easy to clean. The Hand-Scraped Finish This technique started when people had to hand scrape wooden boards to make them the same size and level before the advent of sanding machines. The technique gives wood a unique look that hides the typical damage that floors sustain over time. The most common type of wood to use is red oak. Most hand-scraped floors will be custom, but they can be sent straight from a manufacturer that deals in hardwood flooring in Long Island, NY. West Flooring excels in professional flooring services. Hardwood flooring Long Island NY. Visit our page on http://westflooring.com/professional-flooring-services/ for more info!
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