OUR SPECIALIST FLOOR SANDING SERVICES…

Repairing Your Wooden Floors

Damaged boards

We check every board and if loose, fix them in position. We remove old tacks and nails - and hammer protruding nails flat.

If any boards or blocks are damaged beyond repair, we will replace them. We use reclaimed timber -

                                                  wherever possible, of the same age and quality.

Gap filling

A gap-filled floor has an even look - pleasing to the eye but not always necessary. Filling gaps stops draughts and prevents the build up of dust. As the floor is also tightened, timber movement is minimised.

Traditional methods of gap filling include:

 *  Resin - mostly used floors with lots of fine gaps, such as parquet and mosaic. Dust from the floor is mixed with a resin and applied to the gaps with a filling knife.

*  wooden strips - solid fillets of reclaimed pine and other timbers are glued and forced into the gaps, being chiseled back before sanding flat.

A new colour for your floor?

Clear natural stains enhance the wood grain. Coloured stains give colour and depth to the wood (eg a darker pine floor)

Although coloured lacquers and varnishes are available, we do not recommend their use. An even colour is difficult to maintain during application - and floors tend to lose their colour when the surface is damaged.

Staining and varnishing is far better performed in two distinct stages.The colour is easier to control and remains unaffected as the sealant wears away.

The floor can be painted – but a coloured wax is the quickest route to an affordable new look.They work well on floors with dull, washed colours. Lime wax, for example, with its soft tinting effect on the visible wood grain.

Traditional stains are based on oils and solvents. Modern water-based stains now match these for quality and durability - with the great advantage of being free from chemical odours.They are completely safe in all home and working environments.They come in all the traditional wood colours through to contemporary pigmenting: eg white, red, blue or even pink!

For a specific or unusual colour - or an ’aged’ look - just ask us. We can create the right colour - as when we were faced with a floor in an ancient castle. We found the colour to match - after mixing 75 different pigments!

WOOD FLOOR SEALING

Lacquers

More durable and easier to maintain than oil sealants, lacquers are typically used for areas of mid to heavy traffic.

Modern lacquers no longer have the old fashioned ‘plastic’ look of traditional varnish. They now have an attractive silky sheen that comes in a matt, satin or high gloss finish.

A polyurethane lacquer is highly resistant to wear - perfect for general use in mid to high traffic areas. The underlying floor may become discoloured.

For areas with lighter usage, use a part polyurethane/part acrylic floor varnish. This will not yellow or darken the wood in any way

As lacquer is an artificial material, it can restrict the breathability of your wooden floor. Lacquers require three applications – allowing 24 hours to dry for full strength sealing.

We will give you a practical comparison of recommended sealants during your free assessment.

Wood Floors - Waxing

Your floor will breathe under its soft and mellow finish. Wax is the traditional and natural choice - the safest floor finish for your family, home, business and the environment.

Wax finishes require two applications.

Hard Wax Oil

A popular natural product based on waxes and vegetable oils. It provides a good balance between natural oil and lacquer - the natural look combined with improved durability.

Like natural oil, it emphasises the natural grain of the wood - and brings out its inherent colour. Maintenance is easy: apply more coats or a thinned down ‘revive coat’.

It is micro-porous and does not crack, flake, peel or blister. It is good for use in areas of high humidity, as it is less prone to dry out than natural oil.
 

An example was the house in Twickenham over an underground river. The blocks on the parquet floor were damp, but still adhering well.

After sanding, the water-based finish we applied went white and began to peel off within two days.

So we used an oil based stain - finishing with three coats of Osmo hard wax. This had no trouble adhering to the surface - and blocked the rising moisture.

The happy owners therefore had a dry new floor – with no threat of having to replace the entire floor at enormous cost.

WOOD FLOOR OILING

Natural Oil

Oil has two virtues: the traditional natural look of a wooden floor with ease of maintenance. It is water-repellent as well as resistant to scuffs and abrasions.

Although natural oil does tend to dry out in humid conditions, it is easy to maintain the treated floor.  Simply apply extra coats of oil to top-up the finish and cover minor damage.

Oil coats come in matt or satin finishes - and can take up to 24 hrs to dry.

Allow us to demonstrate the comparative properties of natural oils - along with the various other sealants.

Contact us for your free assessment and quote.

WOODEN FLOOR MAINTENANCE

Lacquered floors

Simply give a regular sweeping and/or vacuuming to remove dirt and grit.  
Avoid using revolving vacuum cleaner brushes - and try to prevent excess moisture while cleaning. A damp mop is enough, along with a wooden floor cleaner, as recommended by the manufacturer. In some situations, the finish can be maintained with specialist products.

When the floor loses its lustre, apply new coats of lacquer, after a light sanding-down of the original surface.

Waxed floors

These require similar treatment: sweep, vacuum and /or mop them on a regular basis. Then buff to maintain their shine.  

For optimal condition, apply wax - or a combination wax and liquid cleaner - once or twice a year. Apply evenly, leave to dry for 20 minutes - and buff until you get the finish you want.