Response from IC Custom HardWood Flooring
We at IC Custom Hardwood Flooring regret to hear that you are dissatisfied with the look of your hardwood floor, though perhaps we can clear up some of the concerns as to why your floor doesn't look as you expected it to. The wood that had been previously installed in your kitchen was American Cherry, a beautiful yet softer wood. Although American Cherry is rich in color and is unique in its beauty, it is never recommended for use in high traffic areas such as hallways or kitchens--high heels as well as a pet's nails can dent and scratch American Cherry easier than, for example, denting and scratching White Oak. American Cherry scores a 950 on the Janka scale test (a test used to measure the resistance of a sample of wood to denting and wear) which makes it a softer wood compared to White Oak, since White Oak scores a 1360 on the Janka scale. Currently, there is no hardwood flooring finish on the market that would be able to change the natural tendency for American Cherry to scratch or dent more easily compared to other hardwood floor. In regards to the work we completed on your kitchen floor, we sanded out the existing scratches and dents as best we could and coated your floors with our finest finish available (loba 2k supra). After the finish was applied, it was recommended to avoid any foot traffic in that area (pet or otherwise) as well as to avoid moving any furniture across the wood until 48 hours have passed. The finish itself takes about 14 days to fully cure, though after the 48 hour period, it is alright to lift and place furniture onto the wood or to safely walk on the floor. However, it was recommended to proceed with caution, as heels or a pet's nails can easily scratch the finish during the 14 day curing period. Please understand that scratches and wear are ultimately inevitable with any hardwood floor, especially softer hardwood such as American Cherry, though any scratches caused during the 14 day period were most likely due to the continued traffic in that area during the cure time. We do appreciate you taking the time to review us, as customer feedback ultimately helps us to improve our service! If you have any further questions or concerns, please let us know, we're happy to help.