Maintenance or a Full Sand? When to Refresh Your Floor
Maintenance treatments versus a full sand
A tired floor often leads people to think a full sand is the only answer. Often a simpler maintenance treatment will restore the look in less time and for less money. The key is catching the wear early, before it reaches the timber itself.
Why not just sand?
Every full sand removes a thin layer of timber. That is fine occasionally, but engineered floors in particular only have so much wear layer to give. Refreshing the finish rather than the wood adds years to the floor's life.
Re-oiling an oiled floor
Oiled floors are designed to be maintained. As the oil wears in busy areas, the timber can look dry, pale or grey, and it may start to mark more easily. A simple test is to drop a little water on the floor: if it soaks in quickly and darkens the wood, the oil needs refreshing.
Dry, pale patches in walkways.
Spills absorb quickly.
The floor marks and stains more easily.
The sheen is uneven across the room.
We deep clean the floor, buff it lightly and apply a new coat of oil. It is usually a one-day job. Our re-oiling service helps oiled floors across Kingston stay healthy for longer.
Lacquered floors
A lacquered floor is protected by a film on the surface. When that layer starts to wear thin, the floor loses its sheen, looks scuffed and may show grey traffic paths, but as long as the lacquer has not worn through to bare wood, a re-coat can restore it. We clean thoroughly, lightly abrade the surface and apply a new coat of lacquer. Our re-coating service is quicker and more affordable than a full sand.
Beyond maintenance
Some problems need more than a refresh. If the finish has worn through to bare wood, if there are deep scratches or dents, or if water has stained the timber black, sanding is usually the right answer. Changing colour or finish type also needs a sand back to fresh timber.
Worn through to bare wood in places.
Deep scratches, gouges or dents.
Dark stains from water or pets.
An old finish that is breaking down.
You want to change the look.
What a maintenance visit involves
A maintenance visit is much simpler than a full restoration. The room must be emptied, but there is no heavy sanding and most jobs are finished in one day. First, the floor is deep cleaned to remove dirt, polish and residue so the new coat can bond properly. For oiled floors, a fresh coat of compatible oil is worked into the surface and buffed in. For lacquered floors, the surface is lightly abraded and a new coat of lacquer is applied.
Drying times are usually shorter than after a full sand, and the room can often be used again the same evening for light foot traffic. Furniture can usually return after a day, with rugs following a few days later.
Compatibility matters
The new product must suit the existing finish. Some oils and lacquers do not bond well with others, and the wrong product can peel, stay sticky or look patchy. Keeping a record of the products used on your floor makes future maintenance easier. If the original product is unknown, a small test patch will confirm what works.
The essentials at a glance
Refreshing the finish rather than sanding the wood preserves timber and adds years to the floor's life.
If an oiled floor looks dry or faded, or water soaks straight in, a maintenance coat is due.
A dull, scuffed lacquered floor can normally be re-coated as long as the wood is not exposed.
Exposed timber, deep damage, dark stains and failing finishes are signs that sanding is needed.
Always use products compatible with the existing finish, and keep a note of what was used.
Planning ahead
In a typical home, an oiled floor may need a maintenance coat every two to four years, while a lacquered floor may go five years or more before a re-coat. Busy areas and pet-friendly homes may need it more often. If you are unsure, we are always happy to take a look.