Blog Archive | February 2010

Hardwood floor renovation in Sussex

Renovating a wooden floor can be a time consuming task. However, when the floor is finished it can really make a difference to the entire home. The finish that can be attained by just sanding and refinishing the floor can look superb. So, don’t think the floor is beyond repair or needs to be replaced, get in touch with a wooden flooring specialist who can restore the floor to its former beauty.

Hardwood Flooring Sussex

If you live in the South of England, it can be really easy to find a specialist at refurbishing wooden floors. Sussex, Hampshire and Surrey are all excellent places to live if you need to contact a local specialist.

Whether your floor is oak, cherry, maple or pine it can be refinished beautifully by re-sanding and applying a suitable finish to the surface. Wooden flooring specialists have many years of experience in this field and can restore floors that on first view look completely beyond repair. They can also advise clients on the best methods to use in the refurbishment process and advise where pieces of the floor may need to be replaced or re-laid.

Refurbishing a hardwood floor

Refurbishing a wooden floor can be a long and arduous job. If you don’t know what you are doing the job is of course left up to the professionals, but we thought we would give a few pointers with regards to how the job should be done.

• Before starting, the room need to be completely clear of all furniture and soft furnishings. It can be a good idea to hang dust sheets over doors so dust does not enter the other rooms in your home

• Check there are no protruding nails from the floor surface. This will help when we get to the next step

• A sander needs to be used to remove the old finish from the floor. Sand the floor completely until a smooth finish is attained

• All the dust created needs to be removed from the room completely. You can use a vacuum cleaner to remove the dust and then wipe clean the floor so no dust or dirt particles remain

• You can now apply a fresh coat of wax, oil, or lacquer to the floor. Remember to start at the furthest point from the entrance and work back to the door

• Apply a sealant to the floor using the same method as above

• Don’t try to use the floor until you are confident the floor is completely dry and the sealant has hardened off

Always follow the instructions on the product you use. But, if you are in any doubt, consult your wood flooring specialist.

Cleaning your hardwood floor

Hardwood floors can really uplift a room and give a feeling of warmth and elegance to your home. If you have just renovated your wooden floor you may need some advice on how to care for it in the future.

Hardwood floors can take a lot of footfall and generally require little maintenance to keep them looking as good as new. One thing that should be done on a regular basis however is vacuuming.

Dust and dirt can be a real nuisance on your wooden floor, so if you have a regular maintenance regime you can avoid any unsightly dust bunnies. Removing these can also remove the grains of dirt that can cause surface scratches. When you vacuum the floor use a soft brush attachment fitted to the vacuum and make sure you vacuum under furniture and in the corners of the room.

If you spill any liquid on your hardwood floor it should be removed quickly. Even if the floor is sealed the floor can be stained if the spill is not wiped up. Always use a minimal amount of water when you mop the floor and dry mop whenever possible to avoid floor/water contact.

Types of wood suitable for hardwood flooring

When you are looking to install hardwood flooring in your home, you might need a push in the right direction regarding the type of wood to choose. The type of wood you choose is always a personal choice, but if you have enough information to hand you can make the right decision.

• Oak – Probably the most traditional type of flooring you could choose. Oak is durable in nature and can last for many years. Oak is relatively light in colour and has a reddish hue that can bring an element of warmth into your living room.

• Walnut – Walnut is an elegant, luxurious choice. It has dark almost chocolaty tones and is a perfect choice for dining rooms or studies.

• Cherry – This is perhaps somewhere in between oak and walnut in colour but has more tones of red in the grain. A beautiful choice for any room in the home.

• Maple – This is more white/cream in colour than oak and can make a perfect choice if you want your room to feel light and airy. It sometimes has a wavy grain and can turn to a more golden colour after a few years.

There are of course many more type of wood to choose from. Just have a look online to see the different options available.

Oak hardwood floor and oak floor sanding

There is a vast choice of hardwood flooring currently available. And, with so many choices regarding the type of wood that you can choose, it can be difficult to make a decision. If you are still having difficulty making your decision after viewing all the available options online, why not choose oak?

Oak – the professional’s choice

Everybody is familiar with the characteristics of oak. Oak has been used for hundreds of years as a material for building homes, furniture and as a method of flooring. Oak is known for being extremely strong and durable, oak flooring can withstand many years of use and can be sanded down in the future so it can be returned to its former glory.

Oak Floor Sanding

Cleaning oak flooring couldn’t be simpler, just a gentle sweep or a dry mop will remove the dust and dirt and so give a beautiful finish. Oak flooring is so durable it can also withstand scrapes and scratches so is virtually maintenance free. Even after many years of use, the floor can be sanded and refinished beautifully, restoring its shine and elegance. If you take care of your floor and use pads on the bottom of furniture items, you can look forward to many years of service from your beautiful oak hardwood floor.

What type of wooden floor should I use in my living room or kitchen?

If you are thinking about installing new wooden flooring in your home, you might have taken inspiration from home magazines or you might have seen wooden flooring installed at one of your friend’s homes. When making your wooden flooring decision, it is perhaps a good idea to keep in mind the use of the room where the floor will be installed before finalising your choice.

Wooden floor in living areas

The living room will be one room in the home where there is greater footfall than other rooms. It is also the place where you can rest and relax so the room needs to feel welcoming and restful. Hardwood flooring is a perfect option in a living room; it can create a beautiful warm homely feel in the room and finish the room off beautifully.

Areas that may get wet like kitchens and bathrooms

Because both these areas are prone to moisture, a good option to choose is a floor that is resistant to water. Some types of hardwood floor are specially manufactured with this point in mind, so are perfect for use in these areas.

Why choose hardwood flooring?

While many homeowners might have heard of laminate flooring and may have had a go at installing it themselves, they may not realise how many different types of wooden flooring materials there actually are. One such material that is longer lasting than laminate and provides a more aesthetic feel is hardwood flooring.

You might think that new hardwood flooring would look ‘too new’ and would not fit into the theme of an older house. However, with many hardwood flooring styles now coming in distressed finishes you can create a rustic feel without have to wait for a couple of decades.

Distressed wooden flooring has been delicately aged by the manufacturers of the wooden floor. This means the floor is just as good as wooden floor that doesn’t have imperfections but has a beautiful aged look.

Hardwood doesn’t have to be expensive either, if you use a reputable dealer they will be able to discuss all the available options and give you a plan of how much your floor will cost and the installation procedure that you will have to follow when the hardwood flooring is installed.

Traditional or exotic - Which hardwood is right for you?

Many people who own homes that are over a century old may have hardwood flooring already installed. This was usually installed when the house was constructed or perhaps during a period of renovation. Over the years most of these floors were covered up with carpet and the beauty of the floor was lost with the passage of time.

If your home already has hardwood floors they might just need some tender loving care to bring them back to their former glory.

If you live in the South of England you have a good deal of choice when it comes to a wooden floor specialist. In fact when it comes to wooden floor Sussex has some of the best available options to choose from. And, this doesn’t just pertain to refurbishment of hardwood floor. It also refers to the selection and installation of new hardwood floor.

Whether you are choosing a traditional type of hardwood such as oak or maple, or are looking to install something more exotic such as Merbau or Jarrah, a hardwood floor will not just make your house look beautiful, it will also last for many years to come.

Wooden flooring and Junckers

Beautiful flooring doesn’t have to break the bank. And, if you have wooden flooring already installed in your home, why not renovate the floor instead of replacing the wooden floor completely.

Junckers wooden floor systems

Junckers have been producing wooden floors for over a century and have a huge amount of experience producing floors that don’t just look excellent, they are also long lasting and easy to fit. Junckers use a metal clip system that fixes the boards firmly together. This means that they come with a warrantee that covers faults if they are installed over an underfloor heating system – the only solid wood floor that comes with such a warrantee.

Junckers flooring systems come in a few different types:

• The original solid 2 strip board system

• The original solid wide board system

• The soul collection – an amazing array of colours and finishes

• The engineered 3 strip system

• The engineered 1 strip system

Junckers also have a wide range of cleaning and maintenance products available so you can maintain your hardwood floors correctly and can treat them with the correct solutions before the finish is applied.