Blog | Advice

Wood flooring and making the most of a small room

When space really is at a premium and you wish to go with a hardwood floor solution, you need to think carefully about the room’s decoration and how it can be used to add to its character.

In these situations it is advisable to select wood flooring in a lighter shade. This is because this will reflect the light entering the room, thus creating an illusion that there is more space than there actually is.

To achieve this effect, it is necessary to use your interior design skills wisely. By this we mean that the less furniture, belongings and clutter in the room, the better. The amount of usable floor space should be as high as possible.

Building storage shelves are one way of keeping things off the new solid wood floor as this still gives you somewhere to place the things you own, while letting your solid wood floor settle in, while giving you maximum space in which to move round the room.

By simply taking your things off the hardwood floor and having them accessible at a convenient height using a shelving product, you can ensure the space seems less crowded than it would otherwise look.

What to remember when dealing with minor scratches

As we have been discussing, some scratching to the surface of the hardwood floor is to be expected, but more noticeable damage can be avoided by taking care whenever using the floor. If the scratches are deeper and more widespread, then it is advisable to speak to the professionals about having the floor repaired.

Some minor scratches may be able to be fixed on your own. The following tips should help you to know what should and not be considered when it comes to repairing a wooden floor.

With most types of hardwood flooring, you need to be careful not to make the issue worse. Understanding the basics is necessary before going ahead with any repair work.

To start with, it is worth noting that very small scratches can often be concealed without too much trouble. There are various techniques that can be employed in this regard. But you should certainly leave any gouges to the wood flooring specialists to sort out. In extreme cases, an entire board may require replacement.

Depending on the type of finish to your wooden floor, this can affect the most suitable way to go about scratch repair. So make sure you know whether a wax finish, hardwax oil or if it had a urethane finish has been applied to the floor.

Hardwood floors and issues with scratches

Those that have had a hardwood floor fitted in their home might be forgiven for fretting about scratches to the surface of this cherished investment.

However, there is no need to worry as it is true to say that they are nearly always unavoidable – unless you vow to never set foot on the floor again, you can expect them to appear from time to time.

The trick, though, is learning to fix them and prevent them from spoiling the look and feel of the floor. To maintain the appeal of hardwood flooring takes care and attention in any case, so you should be prepared to carry out maintenance whenever required.

If the floor is being used quite a lot and the footfall is fairly high, you can expect these scratches to develop. In addition to this, pets can cause marks in wooden flooring and so you will need to provide them with alternatives to paw on instead. Be very careful when moving furniture too as this activity often leads to the surface of the floor being damaged in some way, so make sure you have pads on the bottom of the legs.

Minor scratches shouldn’t be too much of a problem to remedy, but excessive surface damage may need re-sanding. In the next article we will be concentrating on minor scratches and what to consider when going about repairing them.

Is it best to restore an old floor or replace it?

As with a lot of things, the answer to this question will depend on a number of factors, not least the current state of the wood flooring and your individual circumstances. The decision needs to be made taking into account a range of criteria.

For example, if you have recently moved to an older property, you might be unsure about the old wood floors and whether they can be restored. Or, you could have been hiding your hardwood floor underneath carpets or other floor coverings and want to change the look of the room.

In each of these situations where you want to make the right call, you will have to consider the budget and how much money can be devoted to a renovation project, most wooden floors can be renovated the only time they need to be changed is if they have been sanded and sealed to many times and another resand would risk going down to the tongue & groove.

Has the floor been subjected to an above-average amount of traffic? Has it been well-maintained over the years? What type of wood has been used to create the floor?

There are lots of things to think about, in addition to the condition of the floor finish and deliberating whether to opt for a new wood flooring solution or not. If you are in any doubt you can always choose to speak to the hardwood flooring specialists such as Justwood as they can advise on what will be best for your situation.

Bringing back that natural beauty

When you make a conscious decision to restore the old wood flooring in your home, the results can be quite remarkable. This is because you will find it hard not to notice the amazing transformation, especially with floors that have been neglected for some time.

The shine that was there when the hardwood floor was first installed will be brought back yet again through this restoration service provided by the wood flooring specialists.

By getting the floors back to this vibrant state, you can really freshen up your house. The effect can be quite dramatic as these classic floors are given a complete update, with the worn-out look you had come to expect now being replaced by this new image that can really add something to a room.

Whatever type of wood floor you have had fitted, you can be assured that when you choose the experts to take care of the restoration process, all the work will be carried out to very high standards.

Once you stand back and get to admire the finished restoration, you will be glad that you made this decision and find it was definitely worth it. Wood floor renovation can make your flooring last for many more years to come.

How to enjoy a stain-free wooden floor

When you have had a hardwood floor installed in your home, it is necessary to keep it well-maintained so that it continues to display a flawless finish. However, there are some things which are often unavoidable – like accidentally spilling drinks or other substances onto the floor.

Removing any stains will depend on the type of stain and the sensitivity of your wood flooring. If the mark has left a bad smell in the air too, then it is worth dealing with this issue as soon as possible.

Even if you just left the spillage on the floor for just a few hours, this gives it ample time to penetrate the finish and even affect the wood below. It is therefore advisable to act quickly on this. How you approach the matter will be determined by whether the stain is on the finish or the surface of the wood floor below.

Cleaning the finish shouldn’t be too much of a problem in most cases and the general maintenance tips provided previously will be applicable here. By using a decent pH neutral cleaning product, this might be enough to remove the stain, but in some extreme instances it might be necessary to look to have the entire floor sanded and refinished, which depending on how the stain occurred, should be covered on most household insurance policies.

Ensuring that your hardwood flooring serves you well

Hardwood flooring has increasingly become the first choice flooring for many homeowners, and once they’ve replaced carpets with hardwood flooring, it’s fair to say that the vast majority just don’t look back.

Hardwood flooring has proved itself to be a very cost-efficient investment for modern homeowners, with many having enjoyed the hardwood flooring in their home for as long as they care to remember now.

However, if you’re looking to join the ranks of homeowners who have experienced the longevity, style and convenience of hardwood flooring, there are a few things which you need to bear in mind and a few steps which you will need to follow in order to ensure that hardwood flooring serves you well.

Although hardwood flooring is renowned for being relatively easy to look after, looking after it does mean ensuring that it’s swept, cleaned and up kept with the right products and on a regular basis- it can’t just be forgotten about.

Spills are a part of life in many homes, and provided any spills are cleaned up quickly and appropriately, they shouldn’t stain.

When the time comes, it’s also important to call in a professional to take care of any repairs or renovation to hardwood flooring- this will help to increase the looks and lifespan of flooring no end.

How to eliminate squeaking floorboards

When you purchase hardwood flooring from a reputable specialist, you will be warned about what to expect from the floor as it acclimatises to its new environment. While these professionals will always ensure that a floor is fitted to exceptionally high standards, seasonal changes can sometimes affect the floorboards.

The expansion and contraction of the core can happen because of varying humidity levels and this sometimes results in a squeaking sound. However, it may be that the sub-floor is not perfectly flat and so you might need to perform some basic maintenance on the floor to stop this from happening. By waxing the joints between the timber boards, you can ensure that the squeaking noise is reduced or even eliminated.

Wood flooring should always be fitted by an experienced floor layer as they will assess the place where the floor is to be installed and make sure that the sub-floor is perfectly positioned in the first place. They will also recommend ways to maintain the hardwood floor and keep it looking at its best throughout the year, despite fluctuations in temperature and humidity.

If you happen to have an under-floor heating system, this can affect things further and so it is all about managing the environment and keeping the temperature in the room as constant as possible.

Choosing the right solid wood floor for your room (Part 2)

We have recently been trying to guide you in what to take into account when selecting the best floor for your application. As well as the practicalities of fitting hardwood flooring in your home, there are other things to consider in terms of the aesthetics.

In addition to the functionality of the floor, ideally you would be looking for something well-suited to your tastes and a product that is able to create a special atmosphere within your property.

Getting that unique look while providing a certain feel is all about the colour, style, grading and surface finish of the floor. You need to ensure the right balance between these things to be able to enjoy the perfect floor for your home.

When it comes to colour, you will soon see that each species of timber offers its own benefits. As for grading, the type you opt for will have particular characteristics in terms of colour variations and knots.

Style is going to be another influencing factor as you need to think about whether long wide boards are appropriate to make a room seem bigger, or if you want to create more of a busier feel to the room go for a narrower board.

Finally, we have the surface finish. With this you need to determine whether you prefer a subtle, low sheen or a hard, shiny surface instead. You can also choose between a smooth or grainy feel to the wood flooring as well.