5 COMMON HARDWOOD FLOORING PROBLEMS AND HOW TO AVOID THEM

Hardwood floors are a wonderful investment for your home and one of the most popular flooring materials. However in order to keep its value over time, homeowners will need to carry out regular maintenance and find out more about what causes damage to hardwood flooring. The following are some of the very common problems that crop up during and after installation.

5 Common Hardwood Flooring Problems and How to Prevent Them

Dents and Dinks

Some dents may appear after installation while the floor is still relatively new. This might be brought about by lots of things, including the use of cheaper grades of timber. Another Frequent cause of minor dents is inferior workmanship; which is easy to avoid when you get professional hardwood floor contractors such as Floor Sanding Hackney .

Fluctuating Plank Width
Hardwood floors expand and contract as the seasons shift. Normally, the wider the diameter of the plank that the more pronounced the effects of contraction and expansion will be. Since the weather changes, humidity and temperature will fluctuate, resulting in the openings between the ground to expand and subsequently contract. As you pick the kind of plank to set up, keep in mind the typical expansion and contraction brought on by changes in weather.

Smears and Smudges

This is a frequent issue especially for homeowners who install solid hardwood flooring using a high gloss finish. The images in house magazine catalogs frequently show floors which are exceptionally polished and glamorous but it requires substantial effort to maintain your flooring looking exactly the same. Much like a brand-new shiny car that requires a great deal of polishing and washing to help keep it looking flawless, your flooring also will require lots of polishing and cleaning to maintain their luster.

Hardwood Oxidation

When exposed to sunlight, hardwood floors go through a process of oxidation, where exposure causes a darkening of the timber. This doesn't cause any significant problems unless the floor is exposed to intense sunshine, in which case you could move a couch or sofa to discover a patch of lightly colored area underneath. Even though this might be unsightly at first, the good news is the discolored area will eventually choose a darker tone to match the rest of the room.

To prevent uneven darkening or lightening of your hardwood flooring, try to minimize the amount of sun coming to the room.

Avoid Problems with Hardwood Floor Installation by Calling In the Pros

Are you looking for a Hackney Area hardwood flooring installation expert? Look no further than Floor Sanding Hackney . Our hardwood flooring experts will guide you on selecting the ideal material for your flooring, and performing simple maintenance which may help extend the life of the timber. Feel free to give us a call at 020 3369 1330 or email us using our online contact form.

Where Do You Start When Preparing For A Kitchen Floor Remodel?

What is the busiest room in your house? We are betting you said the kitchen. It is where you collect at the close of the day to cook a home-cooked meal. It is where the children do their homework. It is where you talk about a glass of wine with friends and loved ones.

One of the hardest working fixtures is the kitchen floor.

Yep, there's still a trace of tacky residue.

Remember the pan you dropped from the stove? The score remains there; you feel it when you step on it.

If you want to make a dramatic change for your own kitchen, but don't have the budget for a complete remodel, then among your best options is to focus on your kitchen floor.

Exactly what any kitchen flooring choice should have

As a homeowner, your primary request is to have an aesthetically-pleasing atmosphere. You have your heart set on a particular flooring choice. From the kitchen, looks are important. However, there are numerous other things that you should think about.

Durability -- Let us go back to this jar of pickles. Think it will not happen again? Because the kitchen is the busiest room in your house, it's also the area where accidents frequently happen also. Concentrate on a flooring that can withstand all you can dish out. And recognize a household with small children need to focus on lifestyle changes because your kids move in their tweens and teenagers, bringing home friends, working through science experiments, and increasing the amount of visitors in your house all the time. Your upcoming lifestyle should dictate your decisions as far as the present.

Care -- How often do you clean your flooring? Think that'll change? The busier your own kitchen is, the more you are going to pull out the broom or mop to keep it clean. It extends beyond overall cleaning also. If you make the wrong flooring choice, you may be dealing with cracks, dents, tears, yellowing, stains, or other unsightly messes. What's your strategy for damage control? In some cases, the only way to fix the problem may be to tear out the flooring and begin all over.

Moisture -- By an overflowing sink to a diminished pot of water, spills will take place from time to time. How will your floors stand up to every one of these? While no floors can withstand a flooding or standing water, some flooring choices are considered resilient and can resist moisture problems over others. The ideal selection will ensure your kitchen flooring stands up to whatever you dish out.

The fantastic news is today flooring manufacturers offer you a wide selection of materials that offer each of those characteristics and more. Keep an open mind while looking for a new kitchen flooring. Your final selection might just surprise you.

Here are just a few of our favourite options.

Porcelain Tile

Why we like it: It is beautiful, durable, watertight, stain-resistant, and lasts for several years.

If you want durability, ceramic tile has to be among the top considerations. Even though it seems much like ceramic tiles, porcelain tile is fired at higher temperatures, so it is more durable and will hold up better to all of your family members can dish out. Plus, the options you will find now give you almost unlimited possibilities when it comes to making a polished appearance.

Porcelain tile comes in six inch squares, all the way up to eighteen inch boards that resemble hardwood. Depending upon your final choice, it can add significant weight, so it is a fantastic idea to consider your design and decide whether your subfloor may take the extra weight before finalizing with this selection. It also makes a wonderful choice if you're thinking about adding radiant heating beneath. That can make the holiday season extra fine when your feet stay warm and nice.

Engineered Vinyl Plank

Why we like it: It's waterproof, it is simple enough to install for a DIYer, and it can resemble even the most popular flooring choices including wood plank.

Among the up and coming floor choices include engineered vinyl plank. These resemble hardwood planks, simply they offer an upside -- they are totally waterproof. You'll find the top layers include a luxury vinyl which can mimic almost any surface area. It can even stretch beyond, offering even more exotic colour choices.

You snap it in place with a click and lock system. This makes it simpler to set up, and is more forgiving depending upon the flooring you already have set up. And since it has a pillow backing, it's softer underneath than you'd get with traditional hardwood or tile. That can be a huge bonus if you devote a great deal of time in kitchen.

Stone tile

Why we like it: it is a natural kitchen flooring option, one that adds one of a kind beauty to almost any layout.

In case you're looking for luxury, you need to give stone tile another appearance. It is a pure substance that provides you flexibility on your decor whilst providing you durability and effortless maintenance at precisely the exact same time.

This isn't a DIY job unless you're acquainted with placing flooring. Stone tile requires a distinctive underlayment, and it is essential to be exact with the procedure as any unevenness from the subfloor can make the rock tiles pop away.

What makes these beautiful is they are one of a kind. Quarried from natural stone, you are never going to find two stones appearing exactly alike. This gives any kitchen an aesthetically pleasing feel, while making it stand up to all your family can dish out.

The good news is that there are many different stone varieties to choose from.

Marble -- it's one of the hardest stuff, and could be polished to a high sheen

Slate -- it's a Fantastic choice because it's slip-resistant and very durable

Granite -- it is hardness makes it a Fantastic Selection for high traffic areas

So many choices...

These are just a couple of the choices available to you when selecting a new kitchen flooring.

What's the right selection for your house ? The perfect method to learn is to give us a call.

You will be surprised at all the kitchen floor options available to you.

Your perfect kitchen flooring is awaiting you. What are you waiting for?


 

Grade Of Wood Flooring

Within our last blog article we clarified about wood flooring kinds, which will be your very first consideration when it comes to picking wood flooring. In this post, we are going to discuss flooring grade and conclude, two more considerations to take into consideration.

Grade Of Wood Flooring:

Wood flooring grade will determine the cosmetic side of the timber. The higher the grade is, the less colour variations you will find between the flooring planks and limited variety of infrequent knots. Do not mistake regular for'quality', can it be merely the visual side of each plank. Whether you choose solid or engineered floors, each comes in different grades.

Prime Grade - Since the title will suggest, prime is the maximum grade. The flooring will display minimal colour difference between the boards along with minimum small knots.

Select Grade - Every board will display the odd infrequent knots, some color variations and nutrient streaking to be anticipated in select grade.

Rustic Grade - The most popular tier as a result of its price and due to the ageing expression of the board. Each board will display heavy grain markings and imagining, frequent colour variations and frequent knots of varying dimensions.

End Of The Wood:

After deciding between engineered or solid wood flooring and between the various ranges, comes the final stage of choosing the finish of the wood. The finish has an important role in the visual aspect of this floor, but also plays a significant part in protecting the floor from slight damage. We'll cover wood flooring coatings and complete in more detail in the future.

Grey Chevron and Herringbone Hardwood Flooring in Stock

Grey colored hardwood floors is a popular option with an entire assortment of individuals, and from where we are sitting; it's easy to see why. Highly contemporary, yet not a choice that is very likely to really go out of style, it is the ideal'half way house' between the likes of a jet black flooring plus a vibrant white one. A colourway that does go with any style of supplying or inside, the gray chevron and herringbone hardwood floors we've got in stock works especially well with contemporary, monochrome designs or using shabby chic faded linens.

Chevron and herringbone hardwood floors are really strange and trendy options if you would like gray hardwood floors, but you need something a little different. And the excellent news about the gray chevron and herringbone hardwood floors we've got in stock is the fact that it is sitting in our warehouse and ready to provide for you at the moment. This indicates is that you might have your new flooring job under way well before you dared picture.

Herringbone and Chevron floors extends back centuries and is reminiscent of those handmade flooring that exude chateaux and stately houses across Europe. Due to its legacy, it is going to include a true je ne sais quoi to the small of homes. This signifies is that no matter whether you're flooring a very long, narrow hallway, a little dining area or a cavernous attic, you can be certain that by selecting this option you're going to be on the ideal paths.

Produced in the popular engineered flooring manner, our gray chevron and herringbone hardwood floors may be used across the house, such as in kitchens and in bathrooms where solid hardwood flooring would not normally be advocated. As a result of its distinctive arrangement of layers and layers of ply which are secured together to make a solid and secure core board and its own solid wood surface, you're going to be fooled into believing it is solid hardwood, but you will have the comfort of knowing it will not expand and contract into the exact same scope as wood. This truly is win:win.

If it comes to selection, we've got two amazing examples available for you now that could be sent to you in only a few days. Following is a tiny bit more about each of these...

London Grey

This London Grey flooring is perfectly appropriate to use in almost any room in the house. An actual

gray, it boasts all of the charm of wood and benefits from all of the benefits of engineered timber flooring. The herringbone layout is a full classic and also the prime grade of walnut used to high the planks will make you no doubt you own an excellent product on your hands.

It's been repainted and brushed, so the attractiveness and allure of this oak is emphasized to the max throughout the cleaning procedure which opens the grain. Then you've got the oiled finish, which shields, nevertheless leaves the timber looking very natural. Coming in simple to match planks, this flooring option has to be seen to be believed. Why don't you check it out yourself using a few of our complimentary samples, which you can get by clicking on the gray button on the item page?

White Grey

This White Grey herringbone hardwood floor has all of the allure of the preceding solution but comes at a slightly lighter colourway. A solution that will look great in almost any style of dwelling; contemporary or traditional, we have seen this flooring employed in a lot of different configurations and it never fails to delight. Simple to look after and long lasting, you truly won't regret buying this type of flooring -- in the brief, the medium or the long run.

If you're trying to find a gray herringbone or chevron hardwood flooring and we do not have everything you're looking for in stock, why don't you get in contact and we'll do our best to supply everything you are looking for? At FLOOR SANDING GUILDFORD we've years upon decades of expertise in our staff and we are always pleased to discuss that with our customers to help them achieve the outcome they need and deserve.

MAKE YOUR HARDWOOD FLOORING SHINE LIKE NEW

If you decide to have new hardwood floors installed in your house you aren't just choosing a new floor, you're also buying into a new way of life. Hardwood flooring includes in all the glistening home design magazines which adorn the shelves in the regional newsagent and there's a good reason for this -- hardwood flooring is stylish, elegant and gives a lift to how the entire home looks.

Anybody that has a new hardwood flooring installed needs to keep it looking at its finest, however after a couple of years of use the flooring may start to seem a little tired. The floor aging process can be slowed by making sure you wear slippers around the house and by making certain that felt pads are fitted to the legs of furniture items. Moving rugs round the area may also be a great idea if you've got wooden flooring. The flooring color will lighten or darken due to sun, depending on the type of wood and also the conditions in the room, but transferring any rugs you've around can impede this

If a hardwood floor has seen a good deal of wear and tear, there is no need to stress. Hardwood flooring can be sanded and a coating of finish put on the new smooth surface. This can bring back the lustre inside the wood and make the floor look as good as new for a couple of years more.

Tips for Cleaning Your Hardwood Floors

Just how old are your current hardwood floors? Have they been dinged up or stained through long years of loyal service? Regardless of the age of the floors, you can still keep it in great shape. Even so, keeping your hardwood floors clean could be rather challenging. Fortunately, we've compiled this guide together to help you.

Maintaining Your Hardwood Floors

If you don't sweep or vacuum your hardwood flooring at regular intervals, you need to consider doing so. By following a rigorous routine of sweeping and vacuuming, you can prevent dust from building up on your floors and cause them to appear older and more worn out than they could truly be. Preventing excess dust is one only 1 benefit -- another is eliminating any abrasives that might be hiding but can't be readily seen. All these abrasives can leave scratches and gouges in the end of the floor. By guarding your floor's finish, you can also protect the flooring itself.

Accident Protection

Any time there is a spill, clean it up straight away. This may protect the wood against any harm from liquid vulnerability. It's also advisable to keep mats near entrances and exits. The mats will help keep out other less noticeable abrasive substances, like sand. Do not use rubber for mat backings, or any other similar materials, that might trap atmosphere underneath them.

Prevent Scratching

Place pads underneath chair legs along with other pieces of furniture. These pads may prevent accidental scratching. Do your very best to keep these pads clean as possible and change them out if necessary. Likewise, protect your flooring when you know you'll be moving furniture around. To do this, all you have to do is reverse a mat and pair it with a small piece of plywood. This technique should permit the furniture to glide without any trouble.

Other Tips

Sun harm will fade the appearance of your flooring too. While utilizing special finishes can slow this process, it will still occur regardless, so keep this in mind. When cleaning your floors, do not use wax or oil based cleaners. Don't rely on regular household cleaning products, either, because these will not help.

Protect Your Hardwood Floors From Real Christmas Trees

Hardwood flooring is beautiful to look at, easy to take care of but can be nerve racking when it comes to the holidays. You love your floors and you really want to keep the real Christmas tree as a part of your family traditions. Nothing brings tears faster than a wooden floor with water damage, sap stains, or deep scratches from the tree stand. With a few extra steps, you can keep your family traditions and keep your hardwood floors looking their best too.

Start With Layers

Before you head out to pick out your tree, create the spot for your tree in your home and have it fully prepared before hand. To guard against scratches, fold an old sheet into quarters and place it where your real tree will go. Then cut an old plastic table cloth or a trash bag to fit on top of the sheet. Once the tree is in position, cover both sections with your tree skirt to complete your festive look.

Prepare Your Tree Outside

Instead of bringing in the real tree directly from your car, prepare it outside first. Cut the netting or twine and stand it up to release the branches. Gently shake the tree to remove any lose needles that have come off in the moving process.

Protect Your Tree As You Move It

Once your tree is ready to move into your home, put the base of the tree into an extra large trash bag and gently pull it around the bottom of the tree. Move your tree upright through your home to its permanent position. Use a shears to cut away the bag as you place it securely into its tree stand.

Water Daily

While your tree may not need a daily watering, its important to keep an eye on your tree throughout the season. Water with a plastic pitcher or watering can that allows you to direct the water where you want it to go. Watch the base for cracks to ensure water doesn’t seep out and onto the floor.

Tree Removal

To remove the tree, siphon the water out of the base. Then use the old sheet and tablecloth as a base to slide the tree to the nearest door to remove. Be sure to keep the path from the tree to the door as clean as possible to avoid scratches.