Restoring your Wooden Flooring
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The epitome of beauty allied to practical durability - the traditional wooden floor still reigns supreme in properties great and humble. Whether of wooden boards or parquet blocks, they are an asset worthy of care and attention. A natural product is subject to natural wear from the pressure of feet.. So when new becomes worn; shiny becomes tired; as scratches turn into more serous damage... A transformation is at hand when you call upon an experienced floor repair and restoration company Restoring Wooden Flooring who give the best advice and a superb job in restoring your wooden flooring. Your wooden floor is precious and says a lot about your property and lifestyle. Whether solid or engineered boards; parquet boards; herringbone or even cork - we’ll provide the restoration advice most suited to your needs. In the home: a hard-wearing surface for kitchens, playrooms and bathrooms. Or as a showpiece in hallway or lounge.. In the public arena or commercial world: To welcome and withstand the pressure from staff, customers and visitors.. in the office or shop; bar or restaurant; gallery or museum; sports hall or school room; civic building or library... Expertise Make use of our experience: twenty years plus in the floor restoration business. A friendly family firm who have restored hundreds of floors of all types. And from age and level of condition. Don’t worry that your floors are too far gone for restoration: we’ve brought far worse back to life! Our skilled team members are all fully trained and members of the national trade body - the National Wood Flooring Association (NWFA). Their workmanship is second to none – all complemented with top quality materials. You’ll want your floor to last and prove a great investment so we refuse to give you anything but the best. Minimal mess and fuss: Sanding was once a very dusty process - but we ensure every job is 99% dustfree. Our machines have a unique collection system, with dust collected from outside each room, along with the sealing off of doors and windows. As for disruption, we can work flexibly - at weekends or oven overnight. Any loss of business and domestic upheaval will be kept to a minimum. Enjoy the complete service After a detailed assessment of your floor, we’ll set out the options. What kind of floor do you want? Something to impress? A hard-wearing surface requiring minimal maintenance - or something in both camps? Stains and sealants come in a huge variety nowadays. We’ll take you through the different types, with their advantages and suitability for your particular floors and circumstances. And give a practical demonstration of what they can offer in terms of looks and protection. Every stage in restoration will be fully costed: you can decide on the most appropriate restoration package to meet your needs and budget. On arrival: We need a clear room in which to work. Save your back by asking us to shift heavy items of furniture and floor coverings. Old rugs and carpets? We can dispose of these in a responsible fashion.
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Stage by stage Repairs come first: Wobbly blocks? Secured and glued. Uneven floor surface. Levelled off. Missing timber or damaged areas? We will fill in with unwanted material from adjacent rooms
This can be a challenge... Parquet blocks come in many sizes and shapes - particularly from 1930-70 when it became popular in a great diversity of properties. Fortunately, we have access to reclaimed sources, so will be able to find the right match. And if they don’t fit, we’ll cut them down to size! Any small gaps can be filled with a mixture of wood dust and resin. We can also remove old hearths, fireplaces or other unwanted features
Time to get sanding The repaired floor is now ready for sanding: varying grades of paper strip away all traces of old paint, varnish and lacquer – along with all the lumps, bumps and dirt. Rooms can have awkward corners and areas. Handheld machines and even hand-sanding will make sure every nook and cranny is left smooth and perfect. A new look? Choose the colour surface for the effect you want: a bright modern ‘eco’ look - or the more traditional, darker wooden floor. Clear stain enhances the wood grain: a coloured one gives depth and a floor to match your décor. We don’t recommend using coloured waxes and lacquers: they lose the colour once the surface is scratched or damaged. We prefer to stain and seal in two distinct stages. The colour is much easier to control during application - and remains fast even as the sealant wears away. Protection And now for the final part of the process: sealing the floor for good looks and resisting the pressure of feet. Sealants come in three main types - Natural oil: the traditional wooden floor covering - beautiful and glowing. Hard wax oil; a mix of wax and oil for harder wear. It penetrates the wood for a non-glossy look. Lacquer - a synthetic sealant: versatile, hard-wearing and long-lasting. The ideal choice for the busiest areas in the workplace or home. Modern lacquers have a natural silky look and - being water-based - are completely safe around pets and children. After-care Once restored, modest after care will keep your floor in great condition. Regular sweeping will suffice rather than vacuum cleaners with revolving brushes, which can harbour grit. Avoid excess moisture at all costs - a damp mop will do the job. Oiled or waxed floors will benefit from a light ‘refresh’ coat as the surface dries out. As lacquers fade or wear - give them a light sanding down and a thinned down fresh coat. And enjoy years of delight from your new wooden floors. So don’t delay a day longer. For the restored wooden floors you deserve Call us today for your FREE assessment Restoring Wooden Flooring
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How long will it take to sand a wooden floor?
After you've decided that it's time to sand your wooden floor or carry out some wooden floor repairs, finding the time to crack on and make your floor look as good as new can be difficult, especially with a difficult life or work schedule. Knowing how long you will need is difficult to judge, especially if you are sanding multiple wooden floors. We've put together a few tips to make sure you leave plenty of time for your wooden floor renovation project.
Getting prepared - time needed 2-3 hours for an average room
Before floor sanding can begin, remember you'll need to move any furniture or lift carpets out of the way, which can eat up time. You'll probably need to clean the wood too, especially in corners and between boards. If the wooden floor is damp or the wood is rotten, you may even need to replace boards, which will involve a trip to the builder's merchant. Once you have a clean floor space, you'll need to get hold of a sander, sandpaper, stain, varnish and paintbrushes if necessary, as well as protective sheets, a hard brush and personal protective equipment. Buying or borrowing all of this kit can take time and there isn't much point in starting the project before you're all set to go.
Sanding - 3-6 hours depending on wood and finish
Be aware that different types of wood take longer to sand than others. If you're sanding a softwood such as spruce, cedar, or fir then the topmost layer of wood will wear down quite easily, taking less time overall. A parquet floor, which can often be made of hardwood with a lacquer or varnish finish, will take much longer to get to a fresh layer of wood. The problem is made worse if sections of parquet are loose and need to be nailed or glued back into place. Always leave a few extra hours if you're dealing with a hardwood or well oiled or varnished surface. Getting into corners or smoothing out a particularly rough patch can take a bit longer with a finer grit of sandpaper, so leave yourself a good half an hour to go over the surface and check for imperfections that the sander might miss.
Applying a finish - 2 hours + up to 24 hours drying time
Varnishing or painting your freshly sanded wooden floor isn't as time consuming as sanding, but you'll need to leave time to ensure an even finish as well as drying time between coats. You'll also have to avoid walking on your new floor afterwards and be patient when it comes to moving furniture back into the room. Some finishes can take up to a day to fully dry, so make sure high-traffic areas are sanded at a quiet time.
easily be sanded in a weekend with the right preparation and sanding technique. If you're looking for some help, reviews of professional sanding equipment or more information on getting your floor sanding project perfect, then The Floor Restoration Company is an excellent resource, with plenty of tips to help you get a great finish. Just remember to leave yourself plenty of time to avoid rushing and don't be tempted to skip important steps like cleaning or using a finer sandpaper to remove rough patches or notches. The final result will be infinitely better if you take your time with each stage.