Wood Floor Restoration Advice

Have questions about restoring your wood floor? We can help!

What will my floors look like once they have been restored?

We get this question all the time. Let’s take it back a bit….if we are asked to re-sand or restore a wooden floor (usually pine or oak in the UK) we are often given the specification for “as natural finish as possible”. Now, this can be interpreted in several ways from colouration to sheen levels. We have access to a range of high-quality professional grade finishes that all have slightly different looks so we can advise and guide. The truth is we can show clients endless sample boards but the reality is that samples need to be put on the client’s floor in their property to get a real feel as to how it will look.

What is the best finish for my wood floor?

Your original pine floors in your 1890 Victorian home in Brighton are highly unlikely to be an exact match with the same age property in Truro or even a 1912 Edwardian property back in Brighton so we treat each property individually.

In the process of ‘finishing’ floors’ (applying the protective coats), it’s the first coat (primer) that locks in the colouration of the floors, that sets the tone and is the most important consideration. It’s the final ‘top’ coat that sets the sheen level.
We consult with clients and based on that feedback we often put several primer samples down for their consideration. However, there are some serious factors to consider in looking at samples as they have a huge impact on the final look…

Other considerations when restoring a wood floor

Wall and ceiling colours have a huge impact on the look of a floor as they reflect light onto the floor and change the look. Rich navy’s and deep colours will impact the floors in a different way to whites and off whites. Colours that look like raw plaster (pinks/terracottas) have a habit of bringing out the ‘pink and coloured tones’ in wood. All this needs to be considered and it is one reason why we also try to put samples down.

Will my wood floor look natural once it has been restored?
Light has a huge influence on the look of a floor, both natural and artificial. Different times of the day, direct sunlight, size of windows etc. We are not trying to confuse the issue just point out that the look of your floor isn’t static and solid but one that changes with different light, seasons and is fundamentally why wood is so beautiful. Your electric lighting also impacts subtle differences in the choice of lights, even the difference between light bulb choice of cool or warm bulbs. We often suggest to clients considering the samples we have put down to look at them in the evening under their lighting.

What gives the floor its shine?

In the process of ‘finishing’ floors’ (applying the protective coats), it’s the first coat (primer) that locks in the colouration of the floors, that sets the tone and is the most important consideration. It’s the final ‘top’ coat that sets the sheen level. When it comes to choosing the final sheen level, that’s a relatively simple process as we have sample boards showing the different choices. From silk matt down to extra matt and ‘invisible’ finishes or even heavy gloss if you like that traditional North America look!

We are not trying to complicate or confuse the issue and clients often find it a very seamless process and the final choices seem a natural choice. What we are saying is that wood floors and how we finish them is a subjective choice and we simply say that you need to allow for other factors.

If you want advice on your wood floors or would like to discuss any points raised, please don’t hesitate to get in touch. We have offices in Brighton & Hove in Sussex and Cornwall.