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 more as you live on the floor it will game a character and feel that is unique to your home. This all part of the beauty of owning a timber floor.
What not to expect:
– A completely dust free environment. Modern sanding machinery is fitted with dust collecting equipment and sanders will endeavour to clean dust away by vacuuming and wiping down surfaces. It is virtually 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 finish 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 all stains from within the boards and around nail holes such as water marks.
– Filling gaps between the boards .These gaps are not filled because of subsequent shrinkage and expansion of the of the timber will cause cracking in the filler
Things you should be aware of:
– Any silicone on a floor will cause rejection of subsequent coats. Silicone or silicone based products also include spray on ironing aids, Mr Sheen, fly spray etc.
– Halogen down lights can highlight sanding marks. Sanding is necessary in between coats for adhesion.
– You may get slight marking on skirting boards from contact with Edger. That is why it is recommended to leave painting of skirtings until after the floors are finished.
– You are likely to get some variation in colour and grain between new and all boards.
Use Mats:
Shoes carry sand, grit and small stones which will abrade the floor surface. Place mats at entrances and where possible place a mat on the inside as well outside. Use runners and rugs in high traffic areas.
Direct Light:
Like any quality or furnishing or floor covering in your home, direct light (sunlight and/or artificial) can cause discolouring over time. To avoid fading and discolouring, filter direct light with curtains or blinds.
Maintenance plan:
The most important thing you can do to keep your coated floor looking its bets is establish a regular maintenance/cleaning program.
Daily/weekly:
Use an anti-static dust mop to collect dust and dirt. If using a vacuum cleaner ensure that vacuum head brushes are not worn and are free from dirt and grit.
Weekly/Monthly:
Wash the floor. Use a non abrasive cleaner to clean all floor surface. Do not flood the floor.