Ric Scovil
The Hardwood Flooring Expert
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My name is Ric Scovil and I am the second generation owner of Ability Wood Flooring, which has been a family owned and operated company for more than 60 years. I have 20 plus years of experience and take great pride in the craftsmanship and excellent quality that I provide to the industry and my customers. I am a native Floridian and have been married for 25 years with four sons.
As long as I have been in this business, it has been a goal of mine to educate people on hardwood flooring. When I give estimates to my customers, I am not only pricing their floor, but also listening and answering their questions. They have a lot of great questions that need to be answered correctly, and I find that many customers are given misguided information. So, I have created a list of questions that I am asked quite frequently. Please read them and do not hesitate to ask your own in the box below. Look forward to hearing from you!
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. What is the best way to clean my hardwood floors?
A. Never ever leave puddles of water on your hardwood floors. Always use a DAMP cloth when mopping. After damp mopping your floor, immediately wipe up any water with a dry cloth. As far as the cleaners that you can buy in the store, I do not recommend them. The reason for this is that they have extra chemicals mixed in that can ruin the finish. I provide a cleaner that will keep your hardwood floors beautiful for years to come.
Q. How do we (the customer) know that the wood flooring company giving me an estimate is a reputable company?
A. It is important to do your research not only for the type of floor you want to put in your house, but also for the company you will use. Hardwood floors are meant to last a life time and something that you will see and use every day. In this sense, cheaper does not always mean better. Throughout my 20 plus years, I have had numerous times where I have had to fix floors because of other flooring companies doing a bad and unethical job. Always check/ask for references, testimonials and past SATISFIED customers as we always provide during our estimates.
Q. Which is a better floor, Solid hardwood floors or Engineered hardwood floors over a concrete slab?
A. Engineered hardwood floors. Engineered hardwood floors are dimensionally more stable than solid hardwood floors, which means that it does NOT expand and contract at a rate at which solid does. Solid floors tend to do this as the climate changes at a much faster rate.
Q. Can I use a steamer to clean my hardwood floors?
A. NO! The steamer is shooting water vapor down into the floors where the water can get trapped between boards or anywhere there is a void in the finish. I have witnessed numerous floors ruined from steam cleaning the floor.
Q. What is “the grade of wood?”
A.Grading is a system created by The Wood Flooring Manufacturers Association (NOFMA) to describe the appearance of hardwood floors. The grades take into account things like color, grain and markings. The best grades of wood are clear and select. These woods have fewer markings and are more consistent in appearance than the common grades, which may have a variety of markings.
Q. Will my dogs scratch my hardwood floors?
A.Yes. Your hardwood floors can and will get scratched. Even wearing your shoes on the floors can cause damage as well. The sand and dirt on the bottom of your feet act like sand paper and can cause damage to the finish. I recommend placing a rug on the floor where the highest foot traffic is, such as the door entrances, and keeping sand off the floor.