Recoat and Screen Solid Wood Flooring

Recoating or screening describes the process by which the veneer of a wood floor is scraped very lightly to remove the topmost layer only before being recoated with fresh finishing. The term screening comes from the mesh screen, which is used to delicately remove worn finishing. By using the screening process you can ensure that only the very top coat is removed, which offers a renewed look to your floor without need for a full sanding and refinishing job.

Popular in commercial premises in rooms with heavy football such as gyms and pool surrounds, a recoat and screen can also work wonders in domestic settings with more and more homeowners benefitting from a topcoat finishing. Whilst screening does away with surface scratches and spots it will not go deep enough to repair gouges or heavy stains. Recoat your floor only if you are looking to remove surface wear and tear. Otherwise, re-sanding will be necessary to bring the floor back to pristine condition.

A facelift for your floor

All floors will eventually require a sanding and re-polishing but until that time screening is a viable and cost-effective method of Botox for your floor! A well-carried out screening will add years of life to the floor staving off the day when a full refurbishment becomes necessary.

The handy DIY-er can undertake recoating by hand, or if you don’t feel confident enough you can turn your floor over to a professional floor sanding specialists company with the additional advantage of all work professionally carried out and fully guaranteed.

However if you feel that screening your solid wood floor is a task you would like to undertake then here is the relatively simple but painstaking process to a lively and fresh looking wood floor.

First things first…

Before you start make sure the room has good ventilation. Vacuum carefully first and use a gentle cleaner to remove any build-up of dirt and grit. Begin screening with a 120-grade of paper (black) and always sand along the wood grain with a light hand. Move slowly and carefully along the length of the planks and avoid over-screening any one area. When finished screening vacuum and wipe the wood with a damp cloth to remove all debris.

Choose your finishing product carefully, and take into consideration the finishing which has already been applied. For example, topcoats which are oil-based are absorbed into the wood so if the floor is unstained it is likely to have been finished with an oil-based product. Another clue to oil-based finishing is the yellow/gold effect this type of finishing has on solid wood flooring sanding. If the floor has small blemish marks a satin finish will be more forgiving.

After screening has been completed then apply the new coat of finishing. The best method of application is via a small lambs wool pad which should be soaked in solvent being used (either mineral spirits or water as appropriate). Apply the finishing in smooth strokes moving along with the natural grain of the wood. Nooks and crannies are best reached by a good quality brush which will not drop bristles onto the floor.

Allow the veneer to dry out completely (24 hours at least) before walking on it. Leave the room empty of furniture for as long as you can (3 days is perfect if you can do it). After this time the floor will be fully hardened and can be polished by a buffing machine or you can use a hand held duster if the room is not too large. However use a buffer if you want a highly polished and ultra-smooth look.

Recoating and screening successfully can add years of life to an existing veneer.

Hand Scraped Solid Wood Flooring

Hardwood flooring which bears the marks of character and rustic living has never been more popular than it is currently in 21^st Century homes. Aged wood has a particular charm that speaks of country living and of gentler days gone by. It evokes comforting images of hearth and home and family life, and is the reason many people opt for hand scraped wood flooring for their homes.

Imagine traditional wood flooring bearing the marks of character and style but which benefits from the advanced finishing techniques on the market today. Hand scraped flooring is an asset to any solid wood type and looks great in all types of homes. Both lovers of minimalist and traditional design enjoy the authenticity and bespoke qualities of a hand scraped floor.

The difference between hand scraped and distressed wood floors

The basic difference between the two is that hand scraped wood is exactly as it says: wood floor sanding company which has been marked and scored by hand in order to achieve a traditional and time worn appearance. A ‘distressed’ floor is one that has been subjected to similar treatment but by a machine. As one might expect the distressed floor option is by far the most cost effective and less labour intensive than the traditional hand scraping method.

Since both of these finishes will indeed last for many, many years with only basic maintenance and cleaning required, it may be worthwhile to opt for the hand scraped method or, if you are an artisan yourself, you might try doing it yourself. It has to be said though that by choosing a wood floor specialist to do this work their innate artistry and skill can transform naturally occurring holes, whorls and other distinctive markings into superb features of the wood.

Hand scraping can be done as a light, medium or heavy finishing and this work can be carried out on a floor that has already been laid. That means it is never too late to choose a hand scraped look for your floor, and you can change your mind whenever you want to.

If the floor is new then homeowners do have the choice of selecting a hand scraped veneer prior to the floor being laid. This type of pre-finished hand scraped work, generally known as ‘hand rubbed’ and is amongst the most costly options for solid wood flooring. However the up side has to be that you will never have to replace your floor again in your lifetime. In addition wood treated in this way will be unaffected by changes in temperature and will not be subjected to shrinkage or expansion.

Why choose hand scraped?

As well as being unique, homeowners know that their floor can never be copied and will remain a tailored and beautiful finish that adds beauty and value to the home. Whether your floor is brand new or been in situ for years you can choose to have an authentically finished hand scraped floor, and quite possibly for less than you think.

Hand scraped solid wood flooring is probably the oldest style of wood flooring sanding services there is and is currently enjoying a well-deserved resurgence in popularity. Modelled on a style that was first developed in the days before machinery, hand scraped wood has an intrinsic beauty and style which cannot be reproduced using any other method. Oddly enough the hand scraping method was used initially to try to smooth the wood to a uniform level of smoothness and to iron out irregularities. Today the same hand scraped method is used to produce the opposite effect.

Most hand scraped floors have a ‘recycled’ look about them when finished, and as such fit nicely into today’s homes and look great in both modern and traditional settings.

Recoating Solid Wood Floors in London Homes

London homeowners who understand the importance of regular maintenance and the recoating of solid wood floors are rewarded with many years of service from their flooring. With many London terraces uncovering a wealth of original wood flooring sanding, it is no wonder the astute homeowner with an eye on the prize invests both time and money into restoring these assets to their pristine best.

However there will come a time when even the best maintained floor will require a spruce up. Whether that takes the form of a complete refurbishment or a simple recoating process depends entirely on the current state of the floor and the type of usage the room receives.

London homeowners who have previously refinished a floor may well find that a recoating is all that is needed to return the floor to its naturally beautiful state.

The recoating process

Recoating a floor involves minimal removal of existing veneer and the application of a fresh coat of finishing. This process is possible if a floor has been varnished or has a polyurethane-based finishing. Waxed flooring cannot as a rule be recoated and homeowners with floors with a wax finish will have to re-sand and apply and entirely new finishing.

The first stage in the recoating process is therefore to know what type of finishing is on the floor. Plain varnished floors can be screened, which means lightly scraping off the outer skin of the finish. This process removes only a fraction of the finishing compared to that which would be removed by sanding. Once the screening has been completed best results are obtained by applying the same type of finishing as was originally used.

Alternative choices

If you are unsure as to what type of finishing you have or even if your floor is suitable for this type of treatment, you can obtain a no-obligation floor survey and quotation from a London floor sanding specialist company. They can help you get the best from your floor - and your money!

Although less intensive that a full re-sanding, recoating is not a secondary job and should be given just as much importance. A timely recoating can save money on refurbishment in years to come with less stress and upheaval.

Recoating solid wood removes ingrained dirt, small scratches, dents and scores allowing that burnished charm to shine through so that you fall in love with your floor all over again.

If all you want to do is to change the colour of an otherwise flaw-free floor then screening and recoating is ideal. Recoating can also be used to change a matt to a satin finish or vice versa.
 

The buffing machine used to remove the thinnest layer of finishing from your floor sanding can be hired from any tool or plant hire shop. If you have never used a machine like this before then ask the counter staff any questions you may have and do not try to use the machine until you feel confident in its operation. It is always a good idea to start screening in an area that is normally covered by furniture, or even the inside of a walk-in cupboard to allow yourself time to get used to the process and work with certainty.

If the recoating process is tried and does not yield the results you are looking for then do not despair; your floor can be refurbished after the event with no detrimental effect. When the refurbishment has been completed though it is a good idea to take note of the date, what was done and the materials used so that you will be in a more knowledgeable position the next time your floor requires some maintenance.

Screening and recoating is only suitable for solid wood flooring. Do not attempt this procedure on engineered or laminate floors.

Refurbishing Cork Tiles

One of the many reasons that eco-friendly cork tiles are popular is that they are super comfortable to walk on. With their naturally bouncy resilience these tiles can be walked on with bare feet making them a popular choice for bedrooms and den areas. Homeowners with arthritic or stiff joints also find cork flooring more forgiving and places less stress on ankle and knee joints. With proper maintenance cork tiling will last the average user around 20 years before refurbishment becomes necessary.

Cork flooring should be sanded to remove all residual veneer and any wood floor repairs should be dealt with at this time. Although cork is a heavy tile it can be damaged by a heavy sanding so a rule of thumb is to sand light but several times. Never dig into the tiles as cork cannot withstand this type of treatment and cracking will inevitably result.

Sand up to the edges with a hand held sander. This will require close work on hands and knees so if fitness is a problem you might consider getting a quote from a flooring specialist company to do the work for you.

The next stage

After sanding carefully vacuum the tiles. If you are applying a varnish finish adhere strictly to manufacturer’s guidelines and always have a channel of fresh air in the room while you are working.

Allow maximum drying time for the varnish and only when it is fully dry do you apply another coat. Cork tiles will require two coats, possible three but that should be sufficient. Do not over-varnish or a lumpy effect will be achieved.

Time to harden

After the final layer of varnish your cork tiles will look sparkling and like new. However avoid walking on the tiles for 24 hours minimum and a full week for it to fully harden before returning furniture to the room. Leave 2 weeks before washing the tiles.

Cork floor tiling can be protected with a polyurethane sealant. Apply exactly as directed and make sure each coat is allowed maximum drying time.

Remember that cork tiles can be swept as well as vacuumed. Whilst this type of flooring can be wet-washed, care must be taken when applying a mop. Mops should be lightly moistened only avoid excessive dripping and water spillages as this will seriously damage cork tiles. Remove stubborn marks carefully with the edge of a spatula.

How to colour cork tiles

Choosing a cork floor has many plus points. Cork is versatile, warm, tough, strong – and brown. If you would like to stamp your own personality on your cork tile flooring then why not try adding a bit of colour? Colouring cork flooring is very easy to do and adds immediate character to a room.

If there is a finishing veneer on the floor this will have to be removed before applying the colour. You can, depending upon the size of the room, strip the veneer off by hiring a sanding machine or you can use an orbital hand-held sander. There is also the option of using sandpaper alone but this will be labour intensive, not to mention painful on the knees and is not recommended unless the room is very small.

When the tiles are smooth and even, vacuum away the residue and you are ready to apply the colour. Cork colour comes in super shades: bold and bright primary colours to subtle blends and pastels.

Wearing protective gloves, open the can carefully and stir with a paint stick. When the stain is well mixed apply to the floor one tile at a time. Use a clean cloth rather than a brush and begin in an area which is usually covered by furniture.

When the floor sanding is completely stained leave overnight to dry. If a darker shade is required apply a second coat. When this is completely dry you can apply a urethane protective sealant to lengthen the life of your cork tiles.