Can I Sand & Refinish An Engineered Wood Floors?

by Floor SandingWood Flooring

A question we get asked a lot and a concern a lot of people have is ‘can engineered wood floors be sanded’?

Generally speaking people’s knowledge is much better than even a few years ago regarding the difference between laminates and engineered flooring. Laminate flooring is, simply put, a photo of wood, sealed onto a hardboard backing; an engineered floor is a solid piece of wood glued onto a ply base layer.

Just to be clear we are talking about engineered wood flooring here!

Engineered flooring comes either pre-finished or has a finish applied on the bare timber once the floor has been laid. We can provide our customers with both pre-finished and custom finish options.

Depending on where in the home the floor is laid and the amount of use the area has will depend on how long the floor looks good. Another important factor that often gets overlooked is how often the floor is cleaned. Cleaning with the recommended cleaner and not getting the wood too wet will keep the floor looking its best. For example, hallways and kitchens are often the areas that will begin to look shabby quickest.

Once the floor is past its best and no amount of cleaning can bring it back to life then the only alternative is to have the floor sanded and re-finished. This process removes all the old finish leaving the timber bare. Once the floor has been completely stripped it can then be stained if required and then sealed with a hard wax oil or lacquer.  This process completely transforms a room and if looked after properly, will last the homeowner for years to come.

As a general rule every time a floor is sanded you will lose about 1mm of the surface. Sometimes this can be more depending on how badly the floor is marked or damaged.

Most engineered floors have a wear layer of between 3 and 6mm with a backing of 15-21 mm; on this basis if you are looking at sanding a floor with a 3 mm wear layer it can be sanded up to twice and if it has a 6 mm wear layer it can be sanded up to 4 times. We always recommend erring on the side of caution as the last thing you want to do is sand through the wear layer!  This also depends on who is sanding the floor, so let’s say a floor has been really badly sanded the wear layer will be reduced quicker and the life expectancy of the floor will be less.

We always urge our customers to go for the thickest floor (wear layer) they can simply because the cost difference between a 3 mm and a 6 mm floor is not huge and the floor will theoretically last for a lot longer.

People are often put off by engineered wood flooring as they assume that it cannot be sanded as much as a solid wood floor. Assuming that both floors are tongue and grooved, which most floors are nowadays, then you can only sand down to the tongue (or just above it) so there is no discernible gain in the lifespan of a solid wood floor over an engineered floor.

For any more help and advice please feel free to call us on 01962 733016, email info@winchesterwoodfloors.co.uk or pop into our workshop and we can get your flooring project off the ground today! 

10 Frequently Asked Questions – New Wood Floors

by Wood Flooring

Wood flooring looks gorgeous in any home but its benefit factors don’t stop with appearance! Wood floors add so much character, warmth and also value to your home. Another point is unlike carpet, laminate and other types of flooring is that wood if cared for gets better with age.

However, of course wood flooring is an investment so take time with deciding the different wood looks and the options available, such as solid or engineered wood. Here at Alresford Interiors we have a flooring room with loads of samples and laid floors around the building which we are happy to go through with you, just pop into our workshop!

What are Wood Grades?

Grades of wood are useful for assessing the overall look; we refer it to the amount of knots or other natural marks on the boards. The four wood grades include: Prime – the lowest knot content, Select, Character and Rustic – The highest knot content.

What rooms are not recommended for wood flooring?

Because wood floors can be mark by water and liquid, especially if not cleaned up promptly as well as them not tolerating moisture well. This means we do recommend not necessarily installing a wood floor in rooms which are exposed to excess moisture, heat and condensation. These conditions could leave you with a wooden floor that has expanded and warped. The main room that is a concern for laying wood floors in is places such as the bathroom!

What finishes are available?

We use a whole variety of brands so have lots of finishes available and colours. If you would like to see finish options / colours are available feel free to pop down to our workshop in Alresford near Winchester, we have loads of examples in our flooring room and an experienced team happy to go through the options with you. We actually have a whole blog dedicated to this subject – What are the different finishes for sanded wooden floors?

Shrinking and Expanding Wood Floors

Solid wood flooring has been taken over by engineered; a modern version built up with layers making it much more durable. Wood is a living material and reacts to both temperature and water which will most likely effect its positioning, especially solid wood. If the humidity and moisture levels rise in summer where there is more contact with humidity, the wood will start to absorb the moisture leading it to expand.  Reversibly in a home with the heating on, let’s say in winter, this will evaporate and suck out the moisture leaving it to shrink. However, fitted correctly and ensuring there is no dramatic contact with moisture the floor should remain looking the same throughout its lifespan size wise.

Investment

The price of a wood floor is something that commonly puts people off, however a wood floor is truly worth the investment. Its lasts for a minimum of 25-30 years, longer than most people live in one home for and it also adds value to your home, not forgetting it is for sure the most stunning option.  It brings so many benefits to a home both financially and appearance wise.

How to prepare for Installation?

We recommend moving the wood floor boards to the environment they are being laid so they can adapt to the temperature and humidity of the room. A recommended room temperature is somewhere between 18 – 22 degrees Celsius / 65 – 72 Fahrenheit. If the wood floor reacts to a temperature / humidity change once laid it could move and change size. We lay the floors in a way that can cope with slight change so your floor should always look perfect.

Who should lay my floor?

Installing a wood floor isn’t the easiest of jobs and is pretty irreversible once finished. It is highly recommended to get a skilled professional floor fitter in, someone with experience. Here at Alresford Interiors we supply and lay fresh, brand new wood floors weekly and would be happy to help with your flooring dreams.

How should I look after my floor?

Of course when you get a new floor that looks gorgeous you want to keep it that way. You can take steps to help look after your wood floor such as protecting your floor from furniture by using cloth / felt pads on the legs of your furniture. They are hidden so wont effect the appearance of your furniture. For other tips visit one of our previous blog posts which is all about this topic – How to keep your oak floor in perfect condition.

Is solid wood flooring compatible with underfloor heating?

It is recommended not to place a solid wood floor over underfloor heating. Solid wood floors can’t deal well with a continuous fluctuation in temperature. However, there is another option! Engineered wood flooring – it gives you the same look and feel but is a lot more durable with things such as heat change. If you want to learn more about engineered wood flooring visit one of our previous posts – Engineered wood flooring: Everything you need to know.

Options for dog owners

Most homeowners want to know what the hardwood flooring options are if they have pets – particularly for dogs with their muddy feet and scratchy claws! Fortunately, if you have a pet and want a gorgeous hardwood floor for your home, the two aren’t mutually exclusive.  Engineered hardwood flooring is a great option, particularly when it has a strong finish applied. Read more here – Pet owners: What wood flooring should you choose?

More brilliant blogs posts up on our site about wood floors!

Engineered wood flooring – Pros & Cons

What is reclaimed wood flooring?

What you need to know about laying wood floors

We also have plenty of photos in our gallery to show you more examples of our gorgeous wood floors: https://winchesterwoodfloors.co.uk/services/wood-floors/

Or if you already have a wood floor and it’s not looking its best, we have loads of helpful blog posts about floor sanding. Our website is full of informative and interesting content.

Hopefully this blog post has answered some of your questions, if you have any more queries or just want to discuss getting a new wood floor don’t hesitate to give us a call on 01962 733016, email info@winchesterwoodfloors.co.uk or visit our workshop, we are happy to help. 

Wooden Floor Insulation

by Wood Flooring

It is becoming more and more common for people to ask us about floor insulation. Having your wooden floor insulated not only eliminates draughts and makes the room warmer and cosier, but also saves money in the long run by cutting down on heating bills.

The bulk of our under-floor insulation work we’re asked to do is carried out under old pine flooring. Although stripped pine floorboards look lovely, they have a tendency of being very draughty and cold as well. To combat this, we would always recommend filling the gaps in your floorboards with Draughtex (rubber gap filler) which could save £40 a year alone, based on a room that’s 12 square meters. By adding insulation into the mix, you could potentially double that saving, as well as making the room a much more comfortable environment to be in.

If you’re lucky enough to have a cellar, then the insulation process is much more straightforward. We’ve completed several jobs where there’s a large enough gap to simply get under the floor ourselves. While it’s not the most glamorous of jobs, with the dust, dirt and thick cobwebs that build up, the less of the floor that’s taken up the better.

In most cases, when there’s no cellar and not enough room to get under the floor ourselves, enough of the floor will need to be removed to get a breathable membrane fitted under the joists, which acts as a cradle for the insulation. We’ve found 140mm thick Thermafleece cosywool insulation to be the best as, on top of its superb insulation qualities, it can easily be fitted around pipes and hard to reach areas. Rigid insulation board can also be used as an alternative, but we find cosywool provides far better coverage thanks to its ability to fit into every nook and cranny.

It’s very important not to block the airflow under a house that has suspended floors as this can lead to damp and dry rot, which would be a very expensive mistake.

From a budget point of view you’re normally looking at around £50 per square meter to insulate, based on a 25-square meter area, but prices can vary from property to property based on how much work is involved. Once the floor is re-laid it will almost certainly need sanding and finishing, which we can do for you as well.

If you need any help or advice,  give us a call on 01962 733016, email info@winchesterwoodfloors.co.uk or visit our workshop to discuss further or arrange a no-obligation estimate for the works involved.

Reclaimed Pine Flooring

by Wood Flooring

Historically pine was an inexpensive wood material for building furniture and wood floors. There are lots of old buildings with pine flooring still around, such as Victorian houses, nowadays that age of antique reclaimed pine flooring is very popular and for good reason, they are truly stunning, whilst not being as expensive as you think. Old pine reclaimed wood floors are also a common choice for home owners throughout the UK still today.

Here at Alresford Interiors we regularly fit and sand wooden floors, including pine. When it comes down to wooden floors, old pine is definitely one of the more popular seen floors about. It is also one of the more affordable options too, but still a stunning choice. However, people do automatically think of hardwood flooring, such as oak, rather than softwoods normally when it comes down to choosing a floor due to the hardness factor, neglecting pine as a possibility. But reclaimed pine is definitely an option worth considering if you are after a magnificent wooden floor, especially in an older property.

Pine flooring is a gorgeous softwood option; it is (clues in the name) a softer species of wood compared to hard woods like Oak. Due to this it is more easily dented and scuffed. Although a lot of people, including ourselves think that this can make pine floors look great and the beauty only increases with the wear and tear it faces over the years. It all adds to the “character” of the flooring.

If you are worried about denting your floor quickly and damaging the look, you can minimize the risk and appearance of marks by refraining from using a dark stain, a dark colour will emphasize imperfections. Using a strong clear or light coloured finish will help keep your floor looking less dented than a dark finish, this stands for all wooden floors not just pine. Also to help protect your floor from damage, use felt pads on al furniture and don’t drag anything across the floor.

Another reason reclaimed pine is so popular is the fact it is slightly less expensive. Pine flooring is at the cheaper end of the scale of the wood family, but still high quality. Pine also holds paint well, if that’s what you require from your flooring and plans to paint it; pine is the way to go. The choice available whilst selecting your pine board’s width is up to you, there is not set or common size. Wide plank flooring has become a very popular choice.

So if you love the look of wood flooring, but not necessarily the price tag of hardwood or just prefer the rustic pine flooring look, we would be happy to assist you in achieving that dream floor for your home. Or if you currently have a pine floor that is looking a little bit dull and worse for wear, sanding could be just the cure! We transform gorgeous wooden floors daily, completely refreshing a room and returning the floor to its former glory. We can also carry out any repair works as necessary.

Before & After Sanding:

For any advice or more information about flooring and our services please visit our workshop, call 01962 733016 or visit www.alresfordinteriors.co.uk today.

Engineered Wood Flooring – Pros & Cons

by Wood Flooring

Engineered wood flooring is a hugely popular choice for homeowners all over the UK. Unlike solid hardwood, which comes straight from a tree to your home, engineered wood is far more complex. A piece of engineered wood consists of several layers; with  the outer layer being veneer, a thin slice of solid wood. The core layers below this run at 90 degrees to one another, making this product far more stable than regular hardwood. Engineered wood is also very different from both laminate and vinyl flooring, as neither include any real timber.

Before choosing engineered wood for your home here are a few pros/cons:

Pros:

  • The appearance and beauty of wooden flooring is defiantly why it’s so popular, engineered wood gives you the spectacular look whilst also being practical.
  • Engineered hardwood flooring is designed to reduce moisture problems, avoiding the crowning of solid wood floors that warp with moisture. The layers that are built up to create engineered wood will block moisture and provide added strength to your floors. This will eliminate warping and swelling from moisture, making it very low maintenance.
  • Environmentally, engineered wood flooring creates less waste than solid hardwood. This is due to the way the Veneer is sliced instead of being cut with a saw; reducing the sawdust created
  • Engineered wood can be sanded and re-finished unlike lots of other flooring types, such as laminate. This allows you to freshen up your floors and change the finished if desired.
  • A vast choice of wood available to choose from, the top layer of veneer can be the wood of your choice, meaning you can get the look you want but also the hardness and strength – for example a harder wood is the better option for pet owners.
  • You can lay engineered wood over an under floor heating system which is a very popular trend at the moment throughout households.
  • Life span is a defiant pro. Engineered wood flooring is an investment that can last from 20-100 years, depending on the thickness of the veneer which determines how many times it can be re-sanded and finished.

Cons:

  • The cost is a big turnoff for consumers, however, even though engineered wood flooring is more expensive than other flooring, the maintenance costs are low and the appearance is truly spectacular. It’s also an investment and something that can add value to your home, making it appeal to buyers.
  • While Engineered Wooden Flooring can be refurbished several times, this is ultimately limited by the thickness of the veneer layer. If you re-sand too many times, you can break through to the layers of plywood which make up the core.
  • Water damage is always a risk, not from moisture but from direct contact with still water left over a period of time. This isn’t a deal breaker; it just means a bit more care and organisation.

Overall, the pros defiantly out way the cons. Engineered flooring is a brilliant option and can make a huge difference to your homes appearance. If you would like to learn more about engineered wood flooring check out one of our previous blog posts – Everything you need to know about engineered wood flooring.

If you have any queries about engineered flooring or want more information about our flooring services and options please visit our workshop, call 01962 733016 or visit www.alresfordinteriors.co.uk today.