Blog Archive | August 2012

Is it now time to have your wooden floor re-oiled?

Any wood flooring which has been finished with hardwax oil will eventually require a new coat of maintenance oil to be applied to its surface. The point at which you come to this decision will depend on how much wear the floor has had to withstand since the time it was fitted.

If more than a year has passed and you feel that it could do with re-oiling you have a number of options open to you.

Firstly, you could choose to purchase a recommended product yourself and carry this procedure out on your floor, taking care to follow the instructions provided by the specialists dedicated to wooden flooring in Hampshire.

This is certainly achievable, but it may be more cost effective to let the professionals take on this maintenance work on your behalf as they have many years of experience in these matters.

They have all the materials and equipment required to re-oil the floor with a minimum of fuss and get the finish looking great again, while extending the point at which it will need to be re-oiled again in the future.

Having a floor sanded down and re-finished is also a possibility for oiled surfaces which have had to endure a high amount of traffic over the years.

Hardwood flooring will bring your room to life

For those that are contemplating having wooden flooring fitted in their home, it is necessary to take into account that timber is a living material and so unlike the wood imitations you can buy on the market.

While the wood may not be part of the tree any longer, and has ceased to grow, it will still change according to the environment in which it is set. However, this needn’t be a problem for householders wishing to install hardwood flooring in their living room or bedroom.

It is just something that you will need to get used to over time. Despite noticing that the floor will take time to settle – usually requiring the full four seasons – the character and warmth that such a floor can give you will certainly outweigh any concerns you may have.

To have to put up with a floor that responds to humidity, temperature and light as it gets used to the room where it is installed is a small price to pay when you consider the many years of use it can give you, not to mention the fact the colour will mellow, deepen and grow even more beautiful over time.

Is wooden flooring suitable for commercial establishments like pubs?

When it comes to hardwood flooring, there are various types available. This means that there are options for all kinds of locations. In terms of the home, some wooden flooring choices can be suited to slightly wet areas such as the kitchen or basement, while others are perfect for areas with a higher footfall like the hallway.

Wooden flooring experts in Surrey are equally adept at fitting floors in commercial settings as they are in domestic situations. Therefore, they are in a position to recommend the ideal type of flooring for the location.

For those contemplating having a wooden floor installed in their pub, this could really add character to the place. Although this flooring traditionally requires a fair amount of upkeep and maintenance to ensure it is always at its best, this would not pose too much of a problem.

There are certain hardwoods which would go great in a restaurant, pub or club environment. The application can be selected according to the strength of wood required and the most suitable finish to ensure its longevity.

Speak to the specialists today about what products would be most recommended for your type of commercial establishment.

How to make the best use of wood flooring samples obtained

Any reliable wood flooring specialist will tell you that it is always advisable to actually see a sample of the type of floor you wish to have fitted before you contemplate ordering it. This is because there is nothing to be gained by getting customers to buy something that they are not entirely happy with.

After speaking with the hardwood flooring professionals in Hampshire, you can be sure that you will have been given the right guidance on how to select the floor that you will be pleased with, one that will last for many years to come.

In order to ensure this is the case, it is encouraged that customers obtain samples of the products that most catch their eye and get more clued up on the individual qualities of each flooring choice.

By taking a look at the sample and checking that this matches the décor and setting of the room where it is to be fitted, the perfect floor can be chosen first time, and without much hassle.

Samples are usually free and so you can order a few different types to get a good idea of how it will look once fitted. Although they are only representative of the product, these samples can really aid the selection process.

How to go about buying real wood flooring

Before you go ahead with the decision to have hardwood flooring fitted in your home by the specialists, it is necessary to consider what this involves and be certain you are making the right choice.

The experts can advise on such things as how much flooring you will need and whether tongue-and-groove or click-lock flooring is recommended for your situation, but you have other issues to contemplate when deciding on a real wood floor.

One thing to remember from the outset is that as wood is a natural material, you can expect that any planks you choose will not be exactly the same.

Therefore, you will have to make sure that you are happy with the lightly and heavily grained options of the wood you choose. This is important if you settle on a wood where you find the knots have a certain appeal and will go great in your home.

It is recommended that you check out how the planks will be fitted together before you buy the real wood floor. There are often display panels you can take a look at inside the store of the wooden flooring specialists in Hampshire.

Examine the finish quality and make comparisons on the types of hardwood flooring offered by various manufacturers as you come to a final decision.

More about using solid oak floor boards and fitting them

When it comes to the use of hardwood for making furniture as well as floors it is no surprise that oak, and American white oak in particular, is one of the most popular species of all.

This is partially down to its long life and strength, but also because it boasts a quite beautiful & timeless appearance. If you are considering solid oak flooring for your home then there are many things to think about.

There are many different finishes available in white oak as well as the red oak type and European oak. They can be selected to suit the room where you wish to have the flooring fitted.

The floorboards used for this type of flooring contain timber which has been kiln dried to the perfect moisture content, with each individual piece being unique in its own way. You can be sure that when deciding on solid oak hardwood flooring, you are going for something that retains the tree’s individual characteristics and is unique to you, as every bit of grain is different.

It is important to note that when this flooring is installed in your home you can expect the boards to react to changes in moisture and humidity levels – this is quite normal and nothing to be alarmed about.

By having the floor fitted by the professionals you can be sure the conditions will be right for it to acclimatise and you will be left with a great looking oak floor.

How to decide on the finish of your new hardwood flooring

For those householders asking the question about what type of finish they should opt for, the answer is very much in their own hands. This is certainly a frequently asked question of people looking to buy a wooden floor for their home, but there is no right or wrong choice.

This very much depends on the personal tastes of those choosing the hardwood floor, although there are things to think about with each different one.

It is always advisable to take home samples of the wood you are contemplating having installed in your property, or at least see a fitted floor for yourself before going ahead and having the work done.

At the end of the day, you need to be sure that it looks right in the light conditions, while taking into account the furniture and decorations you are thinking of having in the room where the hardwood flooring is due to go.

For a quick rundown on the finish types, a slight sheen is often to be expected with laminate, but where wood is concerned it can come lacquered, oiled or even left unfinished. With lacquer, a Gloss, Satin or Matt finish will be left by this hard varnish which is able to protect the wood. For a more natural finish you may wish to go for oil - also offering protection for the wood, but as it wears it manages to gather its lustre, oil is also very simple to patch repair, unlike lacquer.