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Be careful carrying out wood flooring maintenance work (Part 2)

For wood flooring engineers who carry out floor installations and maintenance work on a regular basis, they will understand all about the need to take care with this type of work.

This is not just because of the unknown dangers involved with working at different types of premises and getting used to a range of situations. This trade requires engineers to protect themselves before attempting any maintenance tasks.

Face masks are very important when sanding floors due the dust also when using some finishes, vapour filters can be used to minimise the inhalation of any potentially harmful fumes. We also recommend the use of ear defenders when using the hardwood floor sanding equipment.

There are also knee shields you can buy to help protect your knees when working on wood floors. These are recommended for those who have to kneel down a lot as part of their work.

When you are about to apply a particular finish to hardwood flooring, be sure to check that the product does not contain anything that would be harmful to the skin. Rubber gloves can be used to look after the hands in these situations.

Be careful carrying out wood flooring maintenance work (Part 1)

Those involved with the wood flooring industry will know all about the necessity to take care when performing any kind of maintenance task on a floor. For those attempting to install a new wood floor or sand an old one, the points detailed in this article and the following one are very important.

Health and safety is a topic often discussed these days, but many times people skim over the details when taking on any manual work. If you don’t want to learn a lesson the hard way, it is always worth spending time considering the many issues involved.

For those who are specialists in hardwood flooring, their many years of experience can come in handy when assessing a situation and knowing how to handle different scenarios, but for those thinking about carrying out maintenance on their own floors it is not worth taking any risks.

For example, it is always advisable to read the MSDS sheets on using various flooring finishes as some include toxic components and should be avoided.

However, it is not just with your general health where reading up on what you are about to do is a precautionary measure. In the next article we will look at wearing protective clothing and making use of the right equipment.

Remember how good your floor used to look? (Part 3)

These articles have been looking closely at the decisions people will have to make about their old wooden floor and whether they can ever be restored to past glories.

We have established that this is quite possible, especially when you leave this in the hands of the specialists as their many years of experience can be put to good use as they advise you on the most viable options open to you.

For those that have just moved home into an older property, there is always the inclination to simply pull up the old floors and start again (budget permitting). However, restoring these hardwood floors may be more cost effective, not to mention being a worthwhile solution.

Even if the floor has been covered by a carpet for a long time, the old hardwood floors can be restored and exposed once more. Any quality wooden floor is worth holding onto, but the final decision is up to the homeowner.

A well-maintained wooden floor can last for centuries, although this depends on various factors such as the kind of wood used, its treatment and the type of floor fitted.

So, if you do have a genuine, old wooden floor, restoration is certainly something to think very carefully about.

Remember how good your floor used to look? (Part 2)

Restoring your old wood flooring can be quite a challenge when you try and do this work all on your own, which is why it is recommended that you speak to the hardwood flooring experts on this first.

For those living in an older property, there may be something you find very individual and special about your wooden flooring, but as we’ve mentioned previously, even the most unique of floors can still be maintained.

If this is your situation and your wood floor is made from a tree species now protected and not used for flooring manufacture any longer, speak to the specialists about how they can get it looking at its optimum again.

You may have an old growth pine or wide plank pine floor, for instance. For classic floors like these, you would always want to protect their value which increases the worth of your home and so restoration is certainly worth the cost.

The rareness and beauty of the floor can be honed and brought out by maintenance work performed by the hardwood flooring professionals, so it is definitely something you should consider.

In the last post on the subject we will be looking at the decision to restore or replace your old wooden floor.

Remember how good your floor used to look? (Part 1)

We have spoken many times about how great a new hardwood floor looks when it has first been installed. However, what some people forget is that despite the rigours of usage and general wear, these floors can be restored to nearly as new condition many years down the line.

In these articles we will be considering the best ways to go about having the natural beauty and shine restored to your aging wood floor. This can really bring some freshness to the room and have your floors back to their best in no time.

Even if you quite like the classic wood floor look and do not want them to be too shiny within your traditional styled home, you can still provide them with the maintenance they require for long-lasting durability.

By having this work done to wood flooring in a more modern setting, your room can be changed dramatically, bringing it right up to date. Most worn-out and dark-looking stains can be removed. Then the use of lighter stains can brighten up and make a room feel more airy and really change the look. If you want to go the full distance, you can even redecorate your walls at the same time for a total interior redesign.

Steps to get the best wooden floor – Part 2

In the last article we started our synopsis on how to go about choosing the right type of hardwood floor for your home.

Take a look at the total cost

Wooden flooring is usually sold in packs and the quantity of wood in these packs can vary. For this reason you’ll often find that wooden flooring is priced per square metre of wood. If you have the square metre price for the flooring, it then becomes quite easy to work out how much it will cost to buy the flooring for a specific space. It’s worth mentioning that you won’t just have to pay for the flooring, you’ll also have to account for any underlay, thresholds, trims etc…. and the fitting cost. Hardwood flooring is always best fitted by professional hardwood floor fitters if you want to get the best finish.

Decide on the wooden flooring fitter (one of the most important things)

Your wooden floor is an expensive investment, so it needs to be fitted professionally to look its best. A new wooden floor can be totally spoilt if it is not fitted correctly or if it is fitted in haste. If you speak to a wooden floor fitter about expected costs you might be surprised just how cheap it can be to have a floor professionally installed a professional hardwood flooring contractor should also be able to show you examples of previous work and have many refrences from their many satisfied customers.

Steps to get the best wooden floor – Part 1

If you’ve decided to use wooden flooring in your home, it can be a little daunting deciding how to take your project forward. New wooden flooring can cost a great deal of money, so it pays to get it right at the design and installation phase.

Here are some simple steps to follow to get the most from your wooden floor:

Do some research

It’s worth walking around your home and taking a look at each room in turn before making any final decisions about the wooden flooring you might use in the space. If you are only thinking of installing hardwood flooring in your main room, such as a lounge or living room, take a look at your current furniture and the style of the room before making your choice. You need to get the colour scheme right and make sure the flooring does not clash with any furnishings you want to keep.

Take a look online

One of the best places to look at colours and styles of wooden flooring is online. Here you’ll be able to get a visual representation of what a room looks like when a particular style of flooring is fitted on our website you can have a look at the virtual showroom. Some sites even have wooden flooring calculators to help you work out how much flooring would cost and how many packs of flooring would be needed for a certain sized room.

Continued in the next article

Even Phil Spencer loves wooden flooring

The popular Location, Location, Location presenter Phil Spencer might have made his name via the medium of TV, but his book ‘Adding Value to your Home’ is also worth a read. In it the journalist and businessman extols the virtues of wooden flooring and actually says that having a wooden floor installed can increase the value of your home.

With the housing market still stagnant, many homeowners have turned to improving their living space rather than climbing the next rung of the property ladder, a trend which Phil thinks is “probably a good thing”. Many people are no longer looking at making a quick buck on a home and are instead trying to make the most from their current home to add value in the long term.

Some of the ideas on home improvement that Phil quotes in his book include adding an extension or converting the loft. Also removing walls to give the property the feeling of more space and bring in more light can also help increase a property’s value increase.

Phil also loves the longevity of solid hardwood flooring. He says wooden floors work especially well for families and can be cleaned easily if drinks are spilt or muddy footprints ‘magically’ appear on the floor. Phil even suggests that you lift up your carpet before spending money on new flooring, he says, that some people will be lucky enough to find decent wood flooring hiding beneath, which might not need a lot of sanding and renovation work to make your room look spectacular.

More on removing tough stains from hardwood floors (Part 3)

Let’s consider a couple of other tactics you can use to try and ensure that stain on your wood flooring does not spoil your enjoyment of your home environment.

Some people advise that lacquer thinner can obliterate nail polish marks on a wooden floor, but a word of caution: the floor finish may be taken away too, so be very careful if you go ahead with this form of cleaning. Only apply small amounts of the thinner using a white rag.

Deep stains can be removed using fine 120 grit sandpaper, but as we have been warning, this type of floor maintenance can take away some of the finish. Therefore, the floor will need a bit of touching up to get it looking great again.

Whatever you do, just make sure you assess the situation first before you jump ahead and tackle the stain. The type of finish is a big determinant in how you should respond to this challenge.

And for the most sensitive of floors there is another form of action you can take, which is not as costly as you might initially think. If the worst comes to the worst, you can always rely on the professionals to sand and refinish the floor, which will take care of this problem once and for all.