Monday, July 1, 2013

Repairing and Sanding Solid Wood Flooring

When your wood, parquet or mosaic flooring is in need of repair, regardless of the size of the problem it is better to attend to the matter as soon as you notice the damage. With hardwood flooring it really is a case of a stitch in time saves nine. Many homeowners have ignored damp patches, squeaks and creaks or splintered planking only to discover months or even a year down the line that the once small eyesore has now become a major problem that spoils the aesthetics of the entire room.

Damp patches in particular have a propensity to spread and, along with dry rot, should always be dealt with as soon as they are discovered. In addition to the stale, moldy smell that comes with wet rot, there will also be noticeable spores that spread out in weird and wonderful shapes, some of which have an attractive frilly edging. However make no mistake - these pests are anything but attractive and will ruin the whole floor if they are not checked.

Unless you are an experienced craftsman it is not recommended to undertake a course of dry or wet rot treatment yourself. If you suspect you have any kind of rot in your floor boards, contact a professional wood floor specialist company who will offer a no-cost evaluation and solution.

Rot is not the only problem to afflict a wood floor. In fact the most common flaws come in the shape of split or missing boards, wood which has discolored over the years or is badly stained. Fortunately in these cases, the remedy can be within your own hands if you are reasonably competent at DIY and are not afraid of a bit of hard work.

Look after your floor and your floor will look after you in terms of aesthetics, comfort and elegance.  A beautifully maintained wood floor is always a talking point for visitors and guests to the home as well as the envy of neighbors and friends. It is not uncommon for a real wood floor to last 100 years or more, making it the most cost-effective flooring option on the market.

Repair

Much of flooring repair comes in the shape of refitting planks and replacing where necessary, removing dangerously upright splinters, screws and nails, gap filling and securing loose boards.

Once these jobs have been completed the next stage is the sanding. In order to bring the floor back to its pristine original condition, the existing veneer (which may well be patchy, discolored and faded if your floor has not been refinished for a long time) should be re-sanded back to its basic condition.

Sanding

Sanding involves totally removing not only the veneer but also a minuscule top layer of the wood itself to leave smooth and blemish-free boards. Do not attempt to apply a resurfacing product on top of a floor which has not been sanded. This never looks good and often results in an expensive and time consuming effort to put right. Floor Sanding is integral to the finished product and should therefore never be omitted.

The best way to re-sand is to hire an industrial sander from a good DIY shop. Before you take the sander away make sure the machine has been regularly serviced and maintained and adheres to current Health and Safety regulations.  These sanders are large vacuum-sized machines which you can guide along the boards sanding as you go.

If you have never used a sander before treat it with a gentle hand until you become familiar with the machine. For best results allow the sander to glide across the floor and avoid digging into the wood. It is better to lightly sand two or three times rather than one heavy sanding that leaves ruts on the floor.

 Finishing

When sanding is complete then you can apply your finishing whether it be lacquer, wood stain, varnish or oil. If you like the ‘bare board’ look of the floor after sanding then you can simply buff and polish although if you choose this option remember that the floor has no protection and is unlikely to last as long.

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