Blog Archive | April 2012

Hardwood flooring questions and answers

Choosing to install a new hardwood floor in one of the rooms in your home can be a great decision. However, you need to make sure that you have all the facts to hand before you decide on which type of flooring to choose. Over the next few articles we will dispel some of the frequent misconceptions concerning hardwood flooring.

Is it possible to lay the flooring myself?

If you are handy at DIY you can install hardwood flooring yourself, although some amount of experience will really help. If you are unsure about any part of the installation process you should always speak to a hardwood flooring expert or leave it to the professionals.

I’ve heard that I need to leave an expansion gap. How true is this?

This will depend on the type of floor installation to how big the gap. If you are having a new hardwood floor which is installed as a floating floor, it’s imperative that an expansion gap is left around the room so the planks can expand and contract. If solid planks are nailed into place using a secret nailing method, the size of the expansion gap is very imperative and normally 2mm to 3mm  per running meter.

Why do the hardwood planks need to acclimatise?

The solid hardwood flooring which will be delivered to your home may have been stored at a temperature and at a humidity which is totally different to the conditions in your house. It’s important that the planks are allowed to acclimatise to the conditions in your house before they are fitted to avoid contraction and expansion problems. This is not such a problem with engineered hardwood floors.

Wooden flooring and moisture don’t mix

If you are thinking of having a new wooden floor installed at home you’ll be making an excellent decision. However there are a few things you might need to be aware of to get the best from your new hardwood floor.

Hardwood flooring and moisture

Wooden flooring and moisture really don’t mix. This means that the flooring can be damaged in areas that are subjected to a constant source of water. For this reason alone it is thus never wise to install a wooden floor in a room such as the bathroom.

If wooden flooring is used in kitchens it’s also a good idea to make sure that any spills are wiped clean straight away. The wood will withstand any surface moisture as long as it is not allowed to settle and remain in situ for a period of time. This can cause staining and in the worst cases expansion of the wood and subsequent damage.

Most wooden floors that have been subjected to surface water damage can be repaired quite successfully by a professional hardwood floor refinisher.

They will be able to sand the floor down to remove the damage before applying a new top coat of sealant or hardwax oil to bring your floor back to life.

Repairing water damage on hardwood flooring

If you have a beautifully restored hardwood floor in one of the rooms in your home the last thing you’ll want to happen is for anything to be spilt on the floor. However, it is inevitable that accidents will happen. It’s how you prepare for the accident, and what you do straight after the accident that can make all the difference to a hardwood floor.

We all know that wood and moisture don’t mix, and if a wet or damp patch is left on a hardwood floor for any length of time the wood finish and even the wood itself can be damaged. This is why it is so important that any spills are wiped up as soon as possible. Most wood floors can take a lot of abuse before they show signs of damage and the occasional spill on a hardwood floor shouldn’t cause it a problem, as long as it is removed straight away.

If a spill has occurred on the floor and the surface finish layer has been damaged, it is often a good idea to let a professional wood finisher take a look at the floor. They have the tools and the experience necessary to make the appropriate repairs to the floor without the floor having to be totally refinished.

Removing paint splashes from wooden flooring

Decorating is one of those jobs that you either love or hate and with everyone trying to save their hard-earned cash as the moment, more and more people in the UK are turning to DIY as a way to make their homes look beautiful.

If you have a hardwood floor in a room which is going to be decorated you’ll have to do everything possible to make sure the floor is protected. Step ladders and paint splashes can damage a wooden floor, but no matter how hard you try to stop damage it can sometimes occur.

If you are using step ladders to reach the ceiling in the room it’s important you check that the step ladder’s feet are well protected with rubber. There should be no bare metal or rough edges on the feet which can scratch or dent the floor when the ladders are being used.

When you are painting the room it’s also important that you use large dust sheets to cover the floor surface. This will stops drips touching the floor surface and will also give the floor a degree of protection from the ladders you are using.

If you do drip paint on a hardwood floor there are a few things you can do:
• Always try to remove the paint whilst it is still wet. Warm soapy water should be good enough to wipe those drips away for emulsion paint.
• If the paint has dried it will occasionally flake away quite easily when wiped with a wet soapy cloth, although it is important not to use a scouring pad or other abrasive wipe.
• If the paint has been spilt over a large area and is oil based you might have a bigger problem removing it from the floor. In the worst cases a professional hardwood flooring refinishing company will be able to refinish the floor for you, after you have done your best to remove as much paint as possible.

Hardwood flooring anti-slip matting

Hardwood flooring looks spectacular in any home. Many people in the UK now realise the benefits of having their flooring professionally sanded to restore and revive the natural beauty of wood. Even those homes whose floors have been covered with carpet for decades can have a beautiful wooden floor.

It’s quite common for people to use areas rugs and mats on a hardwood floor. These items are a great way to make the room feel warm and cosy, and also a great way to get some colour and style into a room. However, people who use mats or rugs on a wooden floor will need to be cautious as often the smooth nature of the floor can make a slippery mat or rug a potential tripping hazard.

Mats and rugs can slip on a hardwood floor when they are walked across, so it’s important for homeowners to find some way of stopping this from happening. And a great way to do this is to use anti-slip matting under the rug. The anti-slip gripper matting is made of a type of rubber which grips the mat and the floor and so stops the rug moving. 

Hardwood floor anti-slip matting is usually available in rolls and can be cut to size depending on the size of rug you have.

Regular care can prolong the lifespan of your wooden floor

When it comes to wooden flooring Hampshire, it is always advisable to have the floor fitted by the specialists. This is because not only will they fit the floor in the correct manner so that you will not experience issues later on, but they can also advise on looking after your floor.

After a certain length of time you may feel the need to call in the experts to carry out the re-oiling, re-coating and refinishing of the hardwood flooring in your home. However, these kinds of renovations are only necessary when the floor requires a great deal of maintenance work doing to it.

If you ensure that you take the right preventative maintenance measures, you can increase the gaps between the need for renovation work. All you have to do is care for the floor in the correct manner. The floor will then remain beautiful for even longer.

It just requires a bit of common sense and steps to be taken in order to get the most out of the floor. Be sure to sweep, dust mop or vacuum the floor regularly to get rid of everyday dirt and dust. By getting into the routine of cleaning the floor as and when it requires it, you can make sure the floor is always at its best.

Acclimatising new hardwood flooring

If you are having a new solid hardwood floor fitted, one of the most important things your fitter will do before installing the floor is to allow it to ‘acclimatise’ in the room where it will be fitted. The average time needed for this acclimatisation process to take place is around 1 to 2 weeks, (although can be longer with certain woods) and during this time the planks will be able to adjust to the relative humidity and temperature in the room.

It’s really important that a solid wooden floor is allowed to acclimatise before it is fitted, as a floor which is fitted straight after delivery from the manufacturer may show problems quite quickly. But why is this?

The planks which arrive from your hardwood flooring manufacturer will have been stored in different conditions to the conditions in your home, and because of this may have expanded or contracted in size and differ in moisture levels.

If the planks are stored in the room where they are going to be fitted for a number of days they will be able to stabilize to match the conditions within the room.

Wood is a natural product and your hardwood floor needs to be treated with love and affection if you are to get the best from it.

Hardwood flooring’s eco-credentials

We are now all becoming more and more environmentally aware and we often spend time choosing the products we buy carefully taking into account what the product is made from and where the product was produced. Just looking at the amount of organic fruit and vegetables now sold on a daily basis is proof that we care about what we buy.

Sustainability is the new buzz word uttered by all product suppliers and manufactures and this is equally as pertinent regarding hardwood flooring. Before you install a new hardwood floor you might not just want to know what type of wood it is; you might also want to know where the wood came from and if it is from a sustainable source.

If you have decided on new hardwood flooring, you’ll be glad to know you’ve made an environmentally conscious choice. Wood is a naturally occurring product and is replaceable, unlike some the stone used in some types of floor tiles. Wood is also very durable and can be sanded down numerous times so won’t need to be replaced as often as carpet.

All European sourced wood has to be replaced with new by law but if you are buying wood from further afield, checking it is stamped with the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) logo can give you assurances that the wood is from carefully managed forests.

The best type of finish for a hard surface floor

When it comes to providing a finish for hard surface floors, such as hardwood flooring, it is necessary to choose the right type for each application. This is so that you can give it the optimum care it needs and not damage it in any way during the process.

With so many types of floor finish available to homeowners today, this often seems easier said than done. Unless you specifically know what you are looking for, this task can seem quite daunting.

If you have had a wood floor fitted in your home it is recommended you speak to those who know all about wooden flooring in Sussex. Making the best choice is essential if you want it to look as good as new again. They may even be able to recommend a product for future usage so you can be sure you are maintaining it in the correct manner.

The best finish for a floor can depend on a number of factors, including the room where the flooring is installed. If you do know how your floor was finished in the first place, this should lead you towards the most suitable floor care solution.

You are advised to try and find out the manufacturer of your hardwood flooring and work out whether it has been given a wax, oil or water-based lacquer finish before going ahead with any refinishing work.