Flooring FAQs

Wood floors can often look worse than they actually are. As soon as we begin sanding the original condition of the floor will be visible. Any damage to the floor such as cracks, dents or gaps can all be sorted once sanding is completed.

Sanding can make even the oldest and worn out floor look new again. It also reduces the chances of your floor cracking or splintering as well as evening out the surface so it is level. Refinished floors are also more hygienic as they are easy to clean and collect minimal dust. Floor sanding is a less costly alternative to have a new floor fitted and once sanded floors can last years with the correct maintenance. 

There is no such thing as completely dust-free sanding, but at Freshwoods we use the highest quality machines that are 98% dust-free.

In certain circumstances such as an uneven floor, more dust can be generated than normal. Despite our machines being equipped with dust-extracting machines, we always seal up doors to adjacent rooms or put up plastic sheeting to minimise any dust spreading throughout the home.

This varies depending on the size on the room, although we can typically sand an average sized room in a day and a further day to apply the finish. Additional time does need to allowed for it to fully cure before it can be walked on or furniture can be moved back. This time frame can alter a lot depending on whether any repairs are needed. 

Wood flooring has many great benefits, such as they can last for years (with the correct maintenance), they are easy to clean, they are more hygienic and do not trap unpleasant odours like carpets can, they provide a great medium for underfloor heating, wood floors can simply be sanded and sealed to bring them back to new again, they are warm in the winter and cool in the summer and woods appeal never goes in and out of fashion.

These are just some of the benefits of wood flooring. Check out our blog post to find out more.

Gaps in floor boards can be filled using slithers (narrow bits of wood) which once glued are sanded down so they are level with the existing boards. With smaller gaps we would use filler.

There are a variety of different floor finishes to choose from whether it be hardwax oils, lacquers or varnishes etc. At Freshwoods our go to finish is hardwax oil due to its superior protection, the warmth and natural character it produces and the fact it is easy to clean and maintain. 

This depends on what form of wood is currently laid on your floor. Hardwoods like oak, walnut and mahogany tend to be darker in comparison to the lighter softwood woods like pine and larch. Despite the differences most types of wood can be stained, oiled or waxed to whatever colour and finish you are after.

Maintaining your floor in the correct way is essential in keeping it looking its best. This requires cleaning using specially formulated products that we will recommend to you. We will also provide advice to make maintaining your floor easy, fast and cost-effective.

** One thing we stress is that you never use bleach or steam cleaners on timber floors. As this will damage the finish and even warp the timber.

This is something that varies with the amount of foot traffic, with greater foot traffic resulting in more wear. The location of the floor is also a variable as for example a hallway would receive more  traffic in comparison to a bedroom. With minimal maintenance and cleaning a floor may only last a few years. Yet by following a thorough maintenance and cleaning routine your floor can last for much longer.

Due to our sanders having such good dust extraction there is minimal chance of dust getting into the paint work. The only thing we suggest leaving until after sanding is the final coat on skirting board, in the event of our sanders leaving the odd mark on the skirting board.

Many factors can effect whether your wood floor will change colour, such as the type of wood, what floor finish is applied to the wood and how much time it spends in direct sunlight. The best way of preventing this from occurring is regularly maintaining your floor. Here at Freshwoods we provide aftercare advice to help keep your floor looking newer for longer.

With our free no obligation quote and visit we will be able to measure the space the floor is being laid whilst also allowing for an extra amount of wood. This is for wastage from cutting. For the additional coverage we allow between 7-10% extra for boards and a further 15% extra with parquet blocks.

Here at Freshwoods we have an extensive knowledge and experience of working with a variety of different wood floor types. So we will be able to recommend what type of floor would be best for you whether that is solid or engineered as well as what species of would floor would fit your personal preference and budget.

If furniture can be moved prior to our work beginning that is great. But if not we can complete the floor in two stages moving the furniture in between, or we can move the furniture out of the room. Both of these processes will incur an additional cost.