ENGINEERED OR SOLID WOOD: WHICH IS RIGHT FOR YOUR HOME?

What do you need to consider when deciding which type of wood you want to install in your home? It all boils down to the place where the wood is placed in your home. Because they are made from real wood Solid and engineered wood floors are environmentally friendly. What is the difference between engineered and solid wood flooring? North London Floor Sanding explain the difference.

Engineered wood flooring in North London Homes

This type of hardwood flooring is made by using several layers of wood veneers. These veneers are made out of real wood, and may be of different or the same wood species; the top layer is typically the best quality. Engineered wood floors are considered to be extremely stable due to the grains of each layer of wood are parallel to each other. What does this mean? Engineered wood expands and shrink more than solid flooring when the weather and humidity in your area change.

Where else can engineered wood floors be put in? They can be put in anywhere in the house. But because this type of flooring can be stapled, nailed, or glued down, it creates a perfect slab or basement installation. It is also less susceptible to warping and is ideal for moist or humid zones like lower levels. It is only possible to be sanded only once and then refinished several times due to its thin layer of top.

Solid Wood Flooring better suited to your needs?

What is solid flooring made of wood? It is exactly as it is sounded, a solid piece of wood that may vary in the thickness. Unlike engineered wood floors, this type of flooring can only be used in rooms above the ground. Solid wood flooring is best for rooms such as living and bedroom spaces as well as kitchens, dining rooms, and bathrooms. Wood flooring can also be sanded and refinished or repeatedly refinished.

North London Floor Sanding Contact us today for an estimate at no cost for engineered or solid wood flooring today!

4 TIPS TO PROTECT YOUR HARDWOOD FLOORS IN THE SUMMER

The temp outside is climbing! Do you know how to protect your flooring investment? Here are 4 simple tips to protect your floors in the heat of summer!

WATCH THE HUMIDITY LEVELS

This trick is important year-round and particularly in the warmer months of summer. Air conditioning can dry the air out and in many areas of the country, humidity levels grow to extremely substantial levels in summer time. Neither extreme is healthy to your hardwood floors. Some seasonal falling or expanding of your floors will occur — but you can keep this to a minimum by maintaining the humidity levels in your house within the recommended range of 30-50%.

GIVE A LITTLE EXTRA ATTENTION TO HIGH-TRAFFIC AREAS

With warmer months comes more time outdoors! Of course, you understand what that means — more possible dirt being tracked inside! Dust and grime can build up and scratch your flooring’ finish. Maintain dirt to a minimum with frequent cleaning, paying a little additional focus on higher-traffic places like hallways, entrances, etc..

MINIMIZE DIRECT EXPOSURE TO SUNLIGHT

You’re careful to protect your skin throughout the warm summer months, the exact same should go for your flooring! As too much sunlight can harm your skin, direct sunlight can easily damage your flooring and cause unsightly discoloration and fading. Not only will shutting blinds or drawing curtains keep your house cooler in those hot summer months, but it will also prevent unnecessary harm to your stunning hardwood floors.

Check out this movie to learn more about how best to protect your flooring from the harmful rays of sunlight!

SAY “NO” TO WATER DAMAGE.

A quick swim at the pool or a run through the sprinkler is an excellent, refreshing way to exercise and cool off when the thermostat climbs to uncomfortably substantial levels. Be sure that when playtime is over, everybody is toweled dry and off before heading back into the house. Wood and water not mix — make certain to mop up spills as soon as you can keep your floors looking great!

At Floor Sanding North London we consider in quality hardwood floors services. We’re the North London hardwood flooring refinishing and restoration experts. We’ve been serving the North London region for 15+ years and we pride ourselves on high quality.

OIL OR LACQUER

Alacquered finish sits on top of their timber flooring, instead of entering the timber as an oil-based end will not, and as such is more vulnerable to surface scratching than oil-based finishes. However, this can be circumvented by including a hardener into the lacquer, guarding your flooring. It is important to keep in mind that using a lacquer you are actually walking onto a protective topcoat and not the actual wood; in short, lacquer slows down wear the timber itself.

In so much as touching up your flooring travels a oil finish is far easier to spot repair than a lacquered finish. If any problems arise within an oiled floor, spot repairs can be made in tiny locations and will be unnoticeable whereas, with a lacquered finish, a large area of wear or scratches will need to be sanded back and re-finished to prevent the floor finish appearing darkened.

SHEENS
Concerning sheen, if you’re going for a mild finish — matt will work best for hiding any scrapes, but both gloss and satin sheens may work also. If a darker finish is what you are after, a matt sheen is ideal as scratches can show up much simpler on a satin or gloss finish.

ADDITIONAL FINISH HARDENER
We could add a hardener into any oil or lacquer making a more robust finish for your wooden floors.

COLOUR
We would advise opting for a lighter colour board and complete so if there are any scratches at the topcoat, they will be less noticeable. Instead, if you have your heart set on a darker floor, you might go to get a board that has been treated so the colour penetrates through the thickness of the plank, such as our Deep Smoked, Thermo-baked planks or distressed dark colors from our Regency Collection.

TRY A PAINTED BOARD
Deciding upon a painted board will permit you to quickly touch up any dog-related wear and tear with the paint color you initially finished the floor , or, you could adopt the tear and wear and enjoy a true-to-trend shabby-chic, dog-made distressed look.

LEAVE THE DIRT AT THE DOOR
A mat entrance mat is a fantastic concept to minimise those dirty paws and muddy footprints. Try to keep an old towel close at hand for all those particularly muddy walks.

CLIP THOSE NAILS
Keep your pet’s nails trimmed to avoid those unwanted scuffs and scrapes.

CLEAN UP ANY MESSES AS SOON AS POSSIBLE
Unfortunately, accidents do occur. Whether there aren’t any puddles left from your own pooch, wash them up as rapidly as possible. Urine is contaminated and will stain the floor if it is left uncleaned for a long time.

MAINTAINING YOUR FLOORS
Hardwood flooring needs regular maintenance to help keep it looking as good as fresh. The under Chaunceys approved Saicos products will help protect and maintain the floor, to keep it looking beautiful for many years to come regardless of the damage that your dogs may do.

FOR THOSE MUDDY PAW PRINTS
Eco Wash Care — an environmentally friendly and PH neutral floor cleaner. Cleaning with clean care weekly is essential if you would like to maintain the natural beauty of your hardwood flooring.

Light Grey Wooden Flooring Options

Grey hardwood floors is a popular choice, but a lot of people worry that it may look dark. That is why at Wood and Beyond, we’ve created a point of earning sure we have plenty of light grey wooden flooring options. The thing about light grey hardwood floors is that it is a choice that will never go out of date; pretty much goes together with every interior design and will clean a dim room with light if that is what you want. Overall, when you choose this option, you’re sure to give your space the elevator you’re awaiting.

1.When you are shopping around for light grey wooden flooring options you will find that the range of grey tones fluctuates considerably from option to option. The real key to making the right option for your particular project is to think about the end result you need to achieve. By asking yourself things such as: whether you desire a true gray or simply a hint of grey as well as exercising which tone will function best with your furnishings can help make you much closer to having the ability to make a decision that will work for you.

2.In this article, we will help you through a couple of these mild gray choices we currently have in stock and ready to deliver, in addition to sharing with you why we believe they’re really special.

3.Organic engineered oak Spring gray – UV oiled alternative. This floor is simply magnificent, regardless of what sort of furnishings you’ve got. Well called, it really makes you think of the first bright lights of springtime and will clean your space with light no matter how gloomy it might seem at this time. A floor with plenty of personality and sporting a reasonable number of little knots, you can really see the natural grain in each board. And thanks to its UV filter, if your area does happen to get washed with bright sunlight, you should not be worried about sun damage since it’s nicely protected. Perfectly suited to almost any room in the home, this floor is so versatile that it works regardless of your style of furnishing or color scheme.

4.Organic engineered walnut Spring Grey click This solution is perfect for anybody who wants all of the plus points of this floor we’ve just described but needs the ease of a click program!
Organic engineered oak UK grey – UV oiled. This floor is warm and enchanting. Labelled UK Grey, it is definitely not a gray you’ll ever tire of. With an almost honey tone to it, it certainly is grey, but it’s that pure timber colouration that will look good even in twenty years’ time. Again, with a nice open grain, it has been UV oiled to protect it to the center and leave it looking very natural. A fantastic solution for hallways, lounges and living rooms, this flooring will stand up to pretty much anything that your life throws at it.

5.For anyone who wants a light gray solid wood choice that this flooring is ideal. Brushed to open up the grain after which hardwax oiled, you truly get to enjoy the full splendor of the timber if you plump for this particular solution. A warm, blond grey, we’ve seen this flooring work really well in everything from an extremely formal setting to a very relaxed, understated chic frightening zone. It’s as versatile as it is attractive and works across the home, except for in kitchens and baths where we would not normally suggest installing a solid hardwood flooring. In these rooms we would recommend engineered hardwood floors each time.

If you’d like help to get the light gray wood floor of your dreams, why don’t you get in contact? In Wood and Beyond it is our business to make sure that the wood flooring decisions you reach are the very best for your project and that you get real value from your floor today, and in the years to come.

Caring for Your Hardwood Flooring

As with all hardwood flooring, you will want to protect your investment by caring for your walnut hardwood floors correctly. It’s important to follow the manufacturer’s recommended directions to prevent voiding your warranty, but there are some basic rules of thumb to follow in its own care and general maintenance :

• Regularly sweep your floor to keep dust, dirt, or sand from collecting. These can act as abrasives on the floor’s finish.
• Vacuum your floor at least one time each week to reach debris between floorboards. Use a vacuum that does not have a beater bar, which could mar your floors with heat marks.
• Never wet-mop your hardwood flooring –instead, just damp mop. Instantly wipe up any spills to avoid discoloration or water damage.
• Place mats created especially for hardwood floors in areas of entranceways and near sinks to catch any dirt which could be tracked in or any splashed water.

With the proper care , your hardwood floors will provide you many years of enjoyment and extra value to your house. It has been proven that houses with hardwood floors will often sell quicker in the home market than houses with carpets because of their lifetime.

If you need floor services for hardwood flooring for your home, be sure to check out all of the different options you need to choose from when you click HERE!

BENEFITS OF DUST-FREE HARDWOOD FLOOR REFINISHING

Refinish Wood Floors the Dust-Free Way

You are assessing hardwood floor restoration or repair procedures. Why should you bother using “dust-free” refinishing? What are the advantages? More importantly: what would you overlook, if you opt for a different strategy?

First of all, a”non-dust free” approach can be very messy. Envision your house and living area strewn with dust and plastic. Now imagine facing hours of bothersome, horrible clean up chores to eliminate everything. When particles of dust input your home’s ventilation and HVAC system, breathing problems often follow. When you have children with asthma, for instance, the proliferation of very small debris can irritate his lungs and possibly cause him to suffer an asthmatic episode.

If you chronically inhale dust, then you can develop allergy symptoms, which can be bothersome. To ease those symptoms, you may take drugs, which can have its unpleasant side effects (and price a bundle). All these inconveniences accumulate. When scoping hardwood flooring refinishing projects, most people do not think about the cost of allergy drugs in their own cost benefit analyses. But maybe they need to!

When you opt for dust-free refinishing, you enjoy a plethora of advantages. You protect the employees who work in your house, and you get an superb outcome, aesthetically speaking. The advantages go beyond how good your floors will appear. You will not have to compete with dust particles raining down on your furniture or cover the costs of hiring a maid service to clean up the clutter.

Contact the Floor Sanding North London Hardwood Floor Professionals

At Floor Sanding North London, our floor refinishing staff works hard to maintain homeowners safe, on-budget, and on-scope with their tasks. Give us a call now at 020 3369 0825 or email us through our online contact form to get a free quote.

HARDWOOD FLOORING WITH RECLAIMED MATERIALS

Floors Like… Corkoleum!

Whether you are renovating a North London rental or laying down hardwood flooring and carpeting on your new Bay Area attic, you’d ideally like to use recovered materials not only to prove your green cred but also to enhance the aesthetics of your location.

Flooring producers have surely caught the”green wave,” and you can now find floors made from a number of reclaimed materials, for example…

1. Vinyl

Vinyl is simple to clean, comfy, and pretty stain resistant. It’s also a cost-effective substance, and you can come across flooring in a seemingly endless variety of patterns, colors, and styles. Additionally, there are luxury vinyl alternatives that mimic hardwood flooring , marble floors, rock, and beyond. Buzz-phrase to recall:”Vinyl is Versatile.”

2. Carpeting

Carpet remains the Big Kahuna at the market. But like vinyl options have diversified, so, also, have carpeting options. It is possible to locate recovered carpet made of the most unbelievable stuff, including corn, fresh polymers, old transformer toys, hub caps, and stomach button. (Alright, we left some of those up! But still, the diversity of materials is astounding.)

3. Corkoleum

Cork grows on trees, so it is naturally sustainable, and manufacturers can harvest the bark without damaging the plant. Corkoleum mixes attributes of linoleum floor products with natural cork to create a flexible, eco friendly material. Cork flooring also has antibacterial and antimicrobial properties, based on boosters.

Whether you want to use reclaimed wood or other renewables in your renovation project — or if you are only trying to find a cost-effective, time-efficient way to”get the job done” — get in touch with the staff at North London Floor Sanding to get a free floors quote and highly effective information 020 3369 0825.

 

PARQUET FLOOR SANDING

Parquet floor has an interesting past and stems from the French word parqueterie. Its history spans all the way back into the 1600’s. Parquet flooring are essentially small blocks or strips of wood planks which are laid to make a pattern. This routine could be geometric or regular and can produce some of the most spectacular flooring and has been likened to mosaic floors.

Whilst it’s often the advice that placing a parquet floor should not be an experience for a DIY’er, this is also the case for restoring them. Due to the manner which they’re laid and the fact that sometimes individual boards or cubes can be damaged, DIY restoration is steeped with challenges.

It may be that some blocks have become loose over time. Before any wood recovery or floor refurbishing work commencing, all boards must be checked to ensure they are appropriately fixed.

We had been asked to fully restore this lovely Parquet floor. This routine type is named Herringbone and is arguably among the most popular pattern types. It remains to be very popular and can be seen in many high-end properties.

Much like a lot of our other finished tasks, this floor stripping job was a part of a larger renovation project. The floor was introduced and our customer identified the possibility from the ground straight away. They were amazingly accurate with their eyesight and when the previous coatings and layers were eliminated, the gorgeous planks were shown.

The grain pattern and standard quality of those boards were all incredible. They were hidden under other floor forms for so long their prospective had been abandoned. We constantly look to provide guidance on general cleaning when the planks are restored and completed. Wood flooring should be cleaned with a blot and a moist cloth.

If you’d like to find out more about our floor sanding service we invite you to call now on 020 3369 0825.

 

BEST FLOORING STYLES FOR SELLING MY HOME

It is no secret that a home with beautiful flooring creates an impression on prospective home buyers. My clients will tell me “I really like this ground but I am worried someone won’t like this floor once I try and sell the home”. Flooring trends are changing rapidly with advancing technology in textures, structures, and also a race to wider-longer planks. It can be difficult for flooring professionals to keep up with the modifications. So what is the right response for balancing a floor you adore with flooring that can hold the highest long-term price?

Fitting Together

I always say any flooring can look good in the ideal context. The challenging part is finding the right pieces for your puzzle. The number one most important aspect of selecting the right floor is to think about other woodwork such as baseboards, cabinets, and furniture that is underperforming. These things are expensive to change and directly touching your flooring. Next, you may want to think about countertops, paint, and backsplash. While some of them are still expensive to change, they offer a degree of separation with different substances between.

Should I match my cabinets or maybe not? The floor doesn’t always have to match the woodwork. In reality, designers often aim to provide a stark contrast between the floor and woodwork to provide the area more discerning features. Remember colour is not the one thing that may have comparison, now you often see minimalist designs with clean lines mixed with rustic high texture high personality hardwood floors. The combination of these aspects produces amazing results. Work with your designer to get the perfect style for your demands.

Buyer Persona

When selling your home it’s important to picture a possible buyer. Is it an urban, suburban, or rural location? Are you currently targeting newlyweds or acquaintances? A young couple seeking to buy a condominium downtown has very different taste than empty nesters looking to retire on a farmhouse ranch. Young urban house buyers are interested in broader boards, neutral tones, and higher durability. Older home buyers may take a more traditional route with conventional classic beauties like Black Walnut, Brazilian Cherry, or Hickory. As soon as you have a crystal clear vision of your intended audience, this can help you pick the right floor for maximizing resale.

Have a question for Creating a Buyer Persona? Unique Wood Floors is a flooring company specializing in retail flooring alternatives, give us a call now or inform us about your project online.

 

Quieting a Noisy Wood Floor

Adding wooden flooring into your home is a wonderful way to boost your worth and wow-factor. Whether your hardwood flooring are new or better yet, first into an old house, they could create a lot of noise to decide on their good looks. From creaks to the clamoring of children and pets, the noises of wood floors can vary. Luckily, there are lots of ways to decrease the noises once you’ve identified its source.

Creaky Floorboards

In older wood flooring and even newer ones, you may discover that creaking occurs. Though this might be great for knowing when somebody is sneaking around the home, it is fairly irritating. Squeaking floors often happen since the floorboards have shifted and are now rubbing against each other or their claws causing noise. Usually, this is really a sign that the floor has to be worked , however, the fix is comparatively fast. Typically, a specialist can fix the floor with a few new nails plus a metal squeak ender or a wood shim. In case you have yet to put in your flooring and want to eliminate noise and the potential for future noises, make sure that you add a thick underlayment of soundproofing material as the pillow and depth will help prevent squeaking and noise penetration.

Foot Traffic

If running feet would be your problem, your answer is a bit more straightforward. Adding hallway runner rugs is a excellent way to decrease the noise from children and pets alike. If you don’t have a shoe-free home, now is the perfect time to start employing a shoe-less policy. Not only does it ensure that there is less noise from thumping feet, but also your house will be cleaner also.

Ambient Noise

Last but not least, because of its tough material, wood will allow noises to reverberate and echo. This will make even tiny sounds even more noticeable. To help remove this you’ll want to add plenty of sound absorbing materials to your property. Long curtains in heavy materials, thick rugs, and upholstered furniture are all items that will help reduce the sound. In case you have high ceilings, false beams are a terrific way to help reduce noise as they stop the capacity for echoing.

Hardwood Flooring Installation and Maintenance

At Floor Sanding North London our dedication to quality installation is apparent in all we do, and that explains why our customers consistently rate us as one of the best builders in the area. If you’re ready to talk with someone concerning your hardwood floors job, we would like to hear from you! Get in touch with us at 020 3369 0825 or send us a message here.

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