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FAQ
We will try to answer all your questions here about our flooring services , methods used by us , dust free sanding machines or other tools and equipment used by professionals. Don not hesitate to contact us with any queries we will do a lot to help you.​
How to sand wooden pine floorboards?
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Pine flooring which normally is fitted over a joists making the structure and subfloor for other floor coverings. Usually people are deciding for exposing such an floor, removing carpet, laminate etc. The boards can be restored than to bare wood and finished with varnish, oil typically.
Once the old wood floor is sanded it can bring warm and naturall finish to your home.
The sanding is not complicated and it self relatively not expensive where for a price of about 20£/sqm you can have originall - even antique style fooring in your house.
Any type of wooden flooring older than 40 years is considered as an old and probably will require different method of sanding for better result. Old pine floorboards are normally defformed - "u" or "n" shaped and that will require sanding not as usually within a lenght of a grain but across to get floor leveled, clean and flat. This type of floor sanding is heavy duty sanding with really coarse abrasive 16 or 24 grit with final cut within the lenght of grain.
Once the floor is coarse sanded than any imperfections and signs of previous sanding can be removed by 40 grit abrasive. After that 80 grit and finally 120 grit sanding for fine finish. Remember about cleaning the bigger granules from the floor to avoid bad - round shaped marks after edger.
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01
When to hire ?
Plan your project well dividing it on stages it will help you to save a lot of money as machines hire will charge you for each day of hiring. 1. floor repair , gap filling , nails tapping down it will take you one day for average size room ; 2. floor sanding about 20 square meter per day; 3. applying of stain , varnish ,oil it will be another day
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02
Flooring Acclimatisation - good to know.
It is good to know that every wooden floor need to be acclimatised prior to installation therefore well planing is the key for optimal result.
Period of acclimatisation is depended of the type of floor where:
- Solid hardwood floor is the most demanding and it have to be stored in the place of floor fitting for at least 2 weeks and the crucial aspect allowing the installation is moisture content which measurement is taken by every flooring professional.
- Engineered hardwood floor is "more universal" and acclimatisation period is usually much shorter and it is depended of the manufacturer recommendation however it normally takes up to 5 days.
- Laminte flooring acclimatisation takes time similarly to acclimatisation of engineered wood floor but mostly 48h is completely enough.
Where new floors were not stored in the properties for acclimatisation period than further problems will occur for sure and the symptoms are as follow: floor deformation, gaps appearing between planks - wood is drying, floor is swelling especially on floorboards edges - floor absorbing a moisture from the room.
All the symptoms are difficult to repair - sometimes even not possible therefore it can be really advisable to seek advice from professionalls.
03
Parquet installation.
Parquet installation as all other types of wooden floors require preparation prior fitting.
The subfloor must to be level , free of dust and solid and with proper moisture content if it is a concrete floor.
Please allow a week of drying time for newely screeded - concrete floors for each 10 milimiters of sreed.
Choice of style which parquet is installed is crucial for amount calculation as well for wastage of materials which useally not exceeding of 10%.
There are many patterns for hardwood parquet fitting and some most popular are : herringbone , double and triple herringbone, basket , double and triple basket, strips, and many more , as well custom made parquet flooring
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05
How to do Lime wash floor
Lime washing floor effect is taken from old village houses where lime been used as an treatment against woodworm, bacterias, and other insects and also to protect interior wood - true.
The results after lime washing were so amazing that many of our clients wants to bring the old style white interiors
in modern and not only properties.
Our lime washing in result is the same original as an old lime washed houses however is made with environment and user friendly materials - water based.
Old wooden flooring needs sanding, water based lime wash component is applied with cloth along the grain of floorboards and any exces wiped off, water based varnish applied on top of that - that is it.
There are several options of finish for lime washed floor available : one coat of lime wash and matt or extra matt finish , two coats of lime wash and matt or extra matt finish , there is also silk matt finish available but for best result extra matt or matt is recommended.
We are able to provide samples.
How to install solid hardwood on a stairs?
Covering your stairs with beautifull hardwood oak can be pleasant and easy task.
Existing covering, nails, staples needs to be removed with pliers and crowbar. All bullnoses - round edges needs cutting off with circular or jig saw in the way that the steps forms a straight angle with risers (box shape) which will allow you to form new steps from solid hardwood oak. It would be recommended at this stage to measure all steps and to prepare new round shape wood with router.
When the planks are cut to measure it is time for fitting them on to previously prepared staircase, you can do it with floor adhesive, silicone etc... however it would be recommended to pin the boards to prevent any movement of new stairs. The tiny signs after nailing can be filled with a wood filler.
The total cost for fitting solid wood oak on stairs can be equall to newlly carpeted stairs or in some cases even cheaper.
06
Filling a gaps in wooden pine floorboards - flooring
Filling a gaps between sanded floorboards will not only bring better cosmetic result to your sanded floors but can also improve flooring insulation - drought proofing.
The most reliable method of filling is reclaimed pine slivers glued between planks. Only reclaimed wood will match the colour of old pine flooring in your home.
Normally gaps over 5mm wide are considered for filling with pine slivers however from my experience I know that whenever is possible to use the strips for filling it should be done. Reliability and awesome results are achieved with this method because during wood expansion and shrinkage within a seasons the pine slivers will stay on their position between a floorboards where traditional filling with wood dust and resin is under a tendency of falling out. Traditional filling is still used for narrow gaps - up to three millimetres.
The process itself is not complicated however takes more time for preparation of pine slivers - cutting on table saw, glueing down and sticking, sanding, filling with wood dust and resin, sanding and varnishing - optionally staining.
Some examples of filling with pine slivers are here.
07
What finish to choose for your wooden floors
Wooden floors can be finished on many ways, the most popular are :
- lacquering available in extra matt for really durable and natural finish , matt, silk matt (satin) , and bit less popular nowadays gloss.
Modern lacquers (varnishes) are usually water based single or two components, more reliable than the old oil based finishes which were causing wood yellowing under influence of sun UV. Varnishes are really crucial for final results and it is always recommended to spent a little bit extra for well known brands.
Whatever what type of finish - matt, silk, or gloss you choose there always will be thin film created over the surface of finished floor and it always cause little shine obviously extra matt finish will be the less shiny.
Application is simple by brush, roller, sponge with two or three coats at least and in some cases with light sanding between coating.
- oiling is bringing the most naturally finish to the wooden floors as it is soaking to a grain of wood instead creating a film however this type of finish is not so reliable as varnishing and a wooden floor needs more frequent maintenance.
Application require to use brush, trowel, sponge, cloth and floor require buffing between coats and after last coating, usually two or three coats.
08
How to stain wooden floors
Wooden floor can be finished in natural colour as well can be stained - changing the natural colour of the hardwood or softwood flooring.
There are very popular stains - colours of wood floors such an : dark oak, light oak , mahogany, antique pine, rosewood, black, white wash etc... and the whole pallet is only limited by our imagination, it can be grey wash, lime wash, and many more.
The process require to sand a wooden floors to fine finish with 120 grit or 150 grit sanding paper, apply the stains within the grain of floorboards with brush, roller , cloth or sponge wiping out the excess of stain and to avoid overlapping - staining will highlight any imperfections on previously sanded floors and if you want the floor to be finish in good quality I would always recommend to leave it for professionals or to take an advice.
The stains are usually solvent based which allows professionals for less waiting time until stain is dried (solvent based product are drying very quickly) before finish application therefore always use protective mask with respirators as the stains can be harmfull.
09
Why to choose reclaimed wood flooring
If you are looking for wooden floors with plenty of character than reclaimed wooden floors will be your best option.
For sure the age of wood is matter and the rule is one, if older wood flooring than more character, more "scares of age", deeper colour, wood naturally deformed etc...
If the wood is originally made and used as an flooring and there were some oils and other finishes applied than the result can be even more interesting.
Naturally old reclaimed flooring can be sanded to the bare wood with removing of old look or the character can be left applying only light sanding , oils, buffing, optionally staining which will highlight the wood grain.
Here is typical reclaimed wood flooring - stained as a dark oak, and finished with ultra matt.
10
Weather affected wood floors
The best weather affected oak wood flooring is usally achieved by active stains which are reacting with wood soaking deeply in to the grain. These can be applied in white and grey wash forms on to sanded or brushed floors with top varnishing coats. Here are some examples of white and grey washed floors