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Floor Sanding & Finishing specialists - what you need to know

Floor sanding is where the top layer of wooden flooring is removed - this restores and refines how it looks, by removing stains, marks, and dents that have built up over time. Alternatively, you might have remove a carpet to find an old wooden floor – sanding would be one of the first things you would do to restore it. Once it’s sanded, it can be varnished, waxed, or oiled to produce a fresh new look. You can sand all types of wood flooring: parquet and boards, solid and engineered.

Sanding typically involves removing under a mm of the top layer, so it can be done up to around ten times, although it depends on:

• The depth of the damage.
• The thickness of your floorboards.

One of the big benefits of wooden flooring is that it’s easy to clean, hypoallergenic, and durable. Wood floors are also warm in winter and cool in summer, along with giving your home an earthy feel to it. Floorboards that are currently exposed may have been treated with a varnish in the past, and may need more attention to restore them to their original state.

It’s the paper-thin top layer of the wood that a professional floor sander will pay most attention to. Invariably, along with old varnish, there are scuffs and scratches that have developed on the floor through wear and tear. For instance, high heels can easily create indentations wooden floors. Dragging furniture such as chairs or tables can scuff or mark floors, or there might simply be parts of your home – like the hallway – that get constant use. An expert floor sander will consider the depth at which the floorboards need to be sanded down to get the best possible result, removing all scrapes and scratches in the process.

The sanding process removes the debris and dirt, pits and dents that currently exist on the floor, and reveal the unblemished wood beneath. Often with exposed floorboards, you’ll find that draughts and squeaks make themselves known, but an expert floor sander can address this for you. They’ll make sure the floor is free from imperfection by carefully filling small gaps, or installing wooden strips or slivers for larger gaps. These restorative steps are necessary to prolong the life and durability of your floor.

There are a variety of finishes that can be applied to your wooden floor to protect it against its future use, and to suit your interior design scheme. These include:

• Varnish.
• Wax.
• Oil.

Should I choose a varnish, wax or oil finish?

It depends on how meticulous you’re going to be in maintaining your wooden floor. Wax or varnish finishes will need periodic recoating. Varnish can last up to 5 years, whereas wax needs recoating twice in the first year, and annually thereafter. This is because the protective barrier of both wax and varnish will eventually diminish, and a new application will need to be applied before this happens. If the bare wood is exposed to dust and dirt again, the whole floor will need to be resanded.

Oil is absorbed by the wood, and though it lacks the protective barrier of wax and varnish, it repels liquids and dirt. To maintain your wooden floor with oil, you’ll need to re-oil it every couple of years, but you can administer it to specific areas as needs must, rather than having to do the whole floor. Ask your professional floor fitter for advice.

Dust-free technology

Another big advantage of hiring a professional is that they’re more likely to have high end sanding equipment that basically combines the sander with a vacuum cleaner. That means no dust, and completing the job in record time as it’s such an easy clean-up operation for the tradesperson.

Cost of floor sanding work

Prices are usually quoted in m², depending on the size of the floor, the level of restoration that’s required, and the finishes that you choose. Basic costs can range from £10 to £20 per m², along with flat fees for carpet removal.

How do I keep my wooden floors looking good?

The elements that damage wooden flooring most are grit and debris that are brought inside from outside. Make sure that you have doormats for people to wipe their shoes before they come in. This is true for maintaining carpets too. Get into the habit of sweeping or vacuuming your wooden floor daily in areas of high traffic, and dry mopping them to catch any dust. Use a specialist wooden floor cleaner to damp-wipe the floor, but remember not to soak it to avoid warping the wood. Keep stilettos away from your wooden floor, they cause damage that can go deep into the wood due to the pointed heels. The options for removing a dent made by stiletto would be to sand it out, or to fill a dent if it’s more than half an inch think. Both options can be tricky to perform yourself, or pricey if you decide to get a professional in.

The use of chemicals during floor sanding

To quickly remove the finish that is currently on the floorboards, some tradespeople use chemical or solvent strippers to clean the wood prior to sanding. These contain ingredients that can carry health risks if they are not handled with care. You should consult your floor sander is you’re concerned about such products being brought into your home.

The qualifications your tradesperson needs

There are currently no formal qualifications that are required by law in the UK for floor sanding. Your floor sanding professional may be a member of the British Wood Flooring Association (BWFA).

Planning permission for floor sanding jobs

While you don’t need planning permission for sanding your wooden floor, if your house is listed you may have to adhere to certain regulations, in which case, you should contact your Local Planning Authority. If you live in a building of multiple occupancy such as within a block of flats, you may be restricted as to whether you can have exposed wooden floors due to the increase in noise that they can generate. If you’re a tenant, it’s worth your time checking your tenancy agreement to see if you can change the flooring. For more information on planning permission, head to the government’s planning portal.

Insurance for floor sanding work

All reputable tradespeople should have public liability insurance, and it’s worth checking they do before any work has begun.

Questions you should ask your tradesperson

• Do they have public liability insurance?
• Do they have a portfolio of their work?
• Do they have previous customers you can contact as references?
• Are they members of any trade associations or accreditation schemes? For example, a member of the British Wood Flooring Association?
• Do they use dust-free technology?
• What chemicals do they use? What are the known side-effects?
• What guarantees do they provide?