Wood flooring Specialist, Hardwood floors Melbourne, Wood Flooring, Strip floors Melbourne
Customer Guide
Your new Timber Floor. The things you need to know!
This web page provides some simple guidelines to assist you in maintaining your Timber floor and to give you an understanding of what is reasonable to expect from a professional installation.
Installation of your new floor boards
The best time to install your floorboards is straight after the installation of plaster and before the fix (doors and skirts) at this point of your project the houses is sealed. Kitchens and skirts can then be installed on top of the floor.
Cover windows to defuse direct sunlight on the floors. This will help to prevent shrinkage in boards
Endeavour to keep conditions as close to your normal living conditions as possible.
After the floorboards are installed wait at least a month before polishing
Sanding and Coating of Timber Floors
Preparation for the sanding and coating
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If building or renovating, the start date for sanding and coating floors is critical particularly in relation to other trades.
Carpentry, electrical, plastering, plumbing and glazing must be completed before work on the floor can start.
Any silicone or silicone based product which comes into contact with the floor after sanding but prior to any of the 3 coats will cause rejection of the coating. Silicone is often found on the footwear of plumbers and glaziers.
It is recommended that all painting except the final coat on skirting boards be completed. The final coat can be applied to the skirtings after completion of the floors.
Carpets should be laid after the floors are finished.
Unless specifically agreed to and quoted for, all furniture should be removed together with all floor coverings including staples, tacks etc.
Gas and electrical appliances are to be disconnected by qualified personnel and removed. All pilot lights (including hot water system) are to be turned off. Dishwashers removed.
Adequate lighting and power to be available. (Sanding machines require significant amounts of power therefore there should be no other trades using power at the same time)
Arrangements made for clear and safe access to the site.
In most instances arrangements should be made for alternative accommodation, bearing in mind the wet floor areas which cannot be walked on and the likelihood of strong fumes. Any movement in the house will stir up dust particles that can be deposited on the floor.
Before we get to the site, the home owner should
Seal any access areas such as fireplaces and vents that could allow dust to enter the room. Use masking tape and paper.
Cover light fittings to prevent dust from gathering on them.
Fold curtains into green garbage bags and seal at the top. Cover windows with news paper if a Satin or semi gloss finish
Cover all non-moveable furnishings using paper, drop sheets or plastic (using masking tape to secure).
What you can expect when your floors are professionally coated
Sanding and finishing a beautiful timber floor is a skill acquired over many years. Bear in mind that, as all the work is done by hand controlled machines and applicators, there will be evidence of this in the floor. Further as you live on the floor it will gain a character and feel that is unique to your home. This is all part of the beauty of owning a timber floor.
A thorough explanation of the work to be carried out at the time of quote.
Expert sanding and coating.
Nails punched.
Nail holes, knot holes and gaps at the end of boards to be filled with the appropriate filler.
A coating that will provide many years of beauty providing it is properly maintained.
Pin holes or insect trails do not get filled
What not to Expect
A completely dust free environment. Modern sanding machinery is fitted with dust collecting equipment and floor sanders will endeavour to clean dust away by vacuuming and wiping down surfaces. It is impossible however to totally eliminate dust from the job which has a couple of consequences:
There will always be some dust particles that settle on the newly finished surface.
There will be an amount of dust throughout the rest of the house.
Removal of deep cuts such as those from carpet trimming knives or deep gouges in the boards.
Removal of stains from within the boards and around nail holes such as animal urine and water marks.
Filling gaps between the boards. These gaps are not filled because subsequent shrinkage and expansion in the timber will cause cracking in the filler.
Do not expect boards damaged by borer to have the same gloss level as those in good condition.
Do not expect any areas filled with putty to have the same feel as the timber after application of coatings. Every knot or gum vein to be perfectly filled, the sander may miss some or the filler may shrink
The coating to look like a sheet of glass, there will be places that the coating runs into dips or cracks
A furniture finish. Furniture is made in factories with static machinery under controlled conditions and most coatings are sprayed on in a spray booth.
Things you should be aware of
Any silicone on a floor will cause rejection of subsequent coats of polyurethane. Silicone or silicone based products also include Fabulon, hair spray, fly spray etc.
12 volt downlights produce a cobweb effect on the coatings.
You may get slight markings on skirting boards from contact with the Edger. That is why it is recommended to leave painting on skirtings until after the floors are finished.
Black Japan or stain around the perimeter of some older timber may produce a two tone effect.
You are likely to get some variation in colour and grain between new and old boards.
Keeping your floor looking like new
USE MATS
Shoes carry sand, grit and small stones which will abrate the floor surface in the same way that sandpaper does. Place mats at entrances and where possible place a mat on the inside as well as outside.
DIRECT SUNLIGHT
Like any quality furnishing or floor covering in your home, direct sunlight will cause discoloring over time and possibly shrinkage To avoid fading and discolouring, filter direct sunlight with curtains or blinds.
MAINTENANCE PLAN
The most important thing you can do to keep your flooring looking like new is to establish a regular maintenance/cleaning programme. Just how regularly you need to maintain/clean the floor will depend on the environment the floor is in. Factors such as the level of traffic, the degree of grit carried onto the floor, pets and children, the condition of the immediate outside area etc. all have significant influence on the wear of the floor.
DAILY/WEEKLY
Use an anti-static dust mop to collect dust and dirt, Oates make a great microfibre mop. Note some people use a vacuum cleaner, generally we recommend against vacuum cleaners because often the brushes on the vacuum head wear thin and the floor is scratched by the metal.
WEEKLY/MONTHLY
Wash the floor. Avoid harsh detergents and abrasive cleaners. We recommend Toby Polyclean which has been specially formulated for the maintenance of polyurethane coated floors or a dash of metho in warm water. We can arrange to get a bottle for you. You only need to use Toby Polyclean diluted to 1% in warm or cold water i.e. 50ml per 5 litres of water. Apply with a mop. Wring out the mop in clean warm water and wipe off excess, leaving only a damp finish on the timber surface.
RECOATING
It is advisable to apply a maintenance coat before the surface has been excessively worn. This will save the need for expensive resanding. Just when this maintenance coat will be required is again entirely a factor of wear and care. Obviously the greater the traffic the sooner the need for a recoat.
(Ensure you put the details of materials used and date of application on a cupboard sticker. This is then stuck on the inside of a conveniently located cupboard for future record. This information is vital at recoat time as it can save expensive resanding because the applicator knows what recoat material is compatible with the original coating).
[Your new floor]
Most floor coatings dry within 24 hours but they will take approximately 10 to 14 days to fully harden. It is important to follow these guidelines:
When necessary you can walk on the floor in stocking feet after 24 hours. Avoid walking on the surface with street shoes for 7 days.
90% of the curing takes place within 24 hours, but care should be taken for the first 2 weeks until the floor has fully hardened. Light furniture can be replaced in this time, use protective felt pads, and avoid dragging furniture as it may scratch the surface.
Heavy items such as fridges should be moved carefully ensuring they are not dragged over new floors.-
Wait a minimum of 2 weeks before laying rugs but I would advise at least six months so you don't end up with light spots in the floor