Blog | Wood Floor Maintenance

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.

Find a permanent fix for your poorly fitted squeaky wood floor!

If the constant squeaking and other annoying noises coming from your hardwood flooring when you walk on it is starting to really grate you now, it is time you got it sorted once and for all.

In the majority of instances, this issue is caused due to the separation of the three main wood floor parts; the finished hardwood, the subfloor and the joist. What may have happened is that the nails keeping them together are becoming free to move around on poorly fitted floors. The boards let out a squeak when dust accumulates in these nail holes.

One temporary measure you can use is to use graphite, wax and talc, but it would be better to go for something more permanent. This cannot be achieved through having it sanded and refinished either.

Speak to the wood flooring experts and they will tell you that some seasonal shifts in the boards are to be expected anyhow, and so it is advisable to ensure the temperature is maintained at a constant. The humidity level should be kept between 40 and 60 per cent throughout the year. By doing this you can prepare the right conditions for the floor.

Should squeaking still be present, you will probably need to get in touch with a reputable contractor to ensure the nails have been installed correctly and the subfloor was suitably prepared at the outset. If not, they can sort this problem for you, leaving you with wood flooring without the noise.

Repairing a wooden floor damaged by water

It is an unfortunate fact that flooding has become more of an issue in recent years and so if you hardwood flooring has been damaged by this kind of situation or any other involving water, you need to know how best to proceed with the repair work.

Forgetting anything to do with insurance for a moment and whether the company expects all the flooring to be removed or not, the first thing that is recommended by wooden flooring contractors is to dry out the subfloor as well as the floor surface in order to ensure the warping of the boards is under control.

This cannot be stressed enough as the floor needs to be dried as soon as possible, to prevent any mould from thriving on the wood. The easiest way to achieve this is to rent large heated fans and having them pointed towards the surface of the floor. You can also dry the subfloor from the floor below and angling them towards the ceiling if the leak occurred on an upstairs area or if there is a cellar below. Dehumidifiers will also be required to take the moisture from the air. Remember, that ventilation in the room is still very important.

Calling in the wood flooring experts to check out the state of the wood is necessary as they have the right equipment to make the best assessment of the situation and the state of the floor as to whether it can be repaired or needs a full replacement.

What is involved with sanding your wooden floor

When your old wood floor is in need of renovation and a refinish, going to a hardwood flooring specialist is highly recommended. This is because they have many years of experience in returning your well-used floor to its former glory.

One of the services they offer to customers with hardwood parquet or natural pine floorboards is sanding. This is one of the best choices you could make for your classic wood floor.

With a bit of time and effort put into this process, you will really notice the difference. In practice, this means that the professionals will remove the top surfaces using specialist abrasive materials.

The three stages normally involved with sanding include the preparation work, the sanding itself and the application of a protective sealant (hardwax oil or lacquer) to the surface of the floor.

Sanding is a task that should only really be carried out by those trained in the discipline as hardwood floors need to be cared for by those that understand what is needed.

For those living on the south coast of England, there are specialists you can go to for this sanding work to be carried out on your floor. In fact, for anything to do with hardwood flooring in Hampshire, hardwood flooring in West Sussex or hardwood flooring in Surrey just call the experts.

Wooden flooring- modern flooring at its finest

If the flooring in your home looks dated, there’s a very good chance that the rest of your décor will look exactly the same way-no matter how recently you made investments.

When you’ve spent your hard earned cash on making your home look the part, you certainly won’t want something like flooring to bring things down, so if your floors are still covered in carpets you need to upgrade to flooring which is a little more modern.

Wooden flooring is modern flooring at its very finest, and there is a huge amount of choice out there at the moment, so there’s something for every modern home.

Wooden flooring is available in a superb range of shades- from very light to very dark- and modern householders also have the freedom to invest in flooring which is of a suitable durability.

Wooden flooring can perfectly complement any existing décor, so whether your home is adorned with the ultimate in contemporary pieces, or modern yet classic furnishings, there’ll be a type of flooring which completely fulfils your needs.

Invest in modern flooring at its finest and keep floors looking beautiful for years.

It would be a shame to neglect your hardwood flooring

When you have invested in such a beautiful wooden floor made from ash, cherry, oak or maple, it is never good to see it lose its appeal. Even if you have not done anything to scratch or damage its surface, over time it will lose its shine if maintenance is not carried out on it.

Wood flooring is a covering that needs to be cared for if it is to wow all your house visitors and continue to remain at its best. These floors have been made to high standards of workmanship, so make sure you ensure its longevity by getting it renovated and refinished.

There are services available that can return your classic floor back to how it was when you first had it installed. The natural beauty of the wood can be brought out again and when you go to a specialist wood flooring company to undertake this work, you can put your trust in their many years of experience.

They will be able to put in the effort and care required to make the floor look attractive once again, while providing you with floor sanding and maintenance tips to ensure it is kept looking this way going forward.

How to care for wood floors with different finishes

When it comes to the latest hard surface floors, there is usually a greater range of finishes that are possible these days.

How you go about maintaining the floor can depend on the finish as well as such things like the place where it has been fitted and so it is necessary to think carefully about the floor care product you use on the surface.

The first thing you need to do is find out whether your floor has been finished in water-based lacquer, wax or hardwax oil. This is because the recommended care will vary between each of these types of hard floor finishes.

If you are unsure of the finish, you need to speak to the wood flooring specialists who installed the wood floor in the first place or contact the manufacturers of the flooring solution.

Should you be unable to get hold of this information then there are some general guidelines you can still follow in caring for the floor.

For surface finishes, which includes water-based lacquers, it is important to wipe up any spills as soon as possible using a dry or slightly damp cloth. Make sure you keep any grit from the floor.

As well as vacuuming on a regular basis, you can also use a recommended hardwood floor cleaner for the general cleaning of the floor.

How to go about re-oiling your hardwood floor

If you have had hardwax oil applied to your wood flooring, it is highly recommended that you get it re-oiled every one or two years. In the meantime you can apply maintenance oil to keep it looking at its best.

The re-oiling process needs to be carried out in the right way, so be sure to read up on the approved methods. We will now go through some of the stages involved with this work.

Firstly, if the floor needs to be thoroughly cleaned, use a recommended product like Osmo or Fiddes Wash and Care. This cleaning concentrate is very economical to use and you just need to add water to it.

Once this has been done, the next step in the maintenance procedure is to buff it using 150-grade sandpaper.

A thin coat of oil should then be applied to the surface. This can either be achieved by hand or by using a buffing machine, brush or soft cloth. After it has been allowed to dry, usually taking a 6 to 10 hours, it can then be buffed if required, using the methods previously mentioned until you get the perfect sheen.

If you feel you do not want to risk the condition of your floor by performing this maintenance yourself, you could always turn to the wooden flooring experts who can carry out this work for you to an exceptionally high standard.