Now that you have decided to either install new timber floors in your home or renovate an existing floor, you will need to make sure that your choice of flooring is suitable for your lifestyle. In order to minimise the risk of mistakes caused by a lack of understanding, we recommend that you speak to a professional floor contractor during the consultation and selection process of your timber floors. Some handy points to keep in mind when doing this are:
- Your local environment (coastal, inland, cold, dry or humid)
- Installation environment/design considerations
- Experience of flooring contractor
- Sanding & preparation, prior to and between coats
- Coating application techniques and system integrity
- Care & maintenance considerations
- Finally, always insist on a quality flooring contractor who uses only superior Polycure coatings products
What to expect?
Timber is a natural product. The end result of a timber floor will differ due to many factors including:
- Immediate environment
- The quality of the timber
- The installation
- The level of contractor expertise
It is vital that you discuss the following points with a professional floor contractor:
- Ask for and receive good advice from your contractor and if in doubt, get a second opinion from a recognised body or Flooring Association
- Nails to be punched and filled, end joins, knots & parquetry to be adequately filled (it is not recommended practice for gaps between boards to be filled)
- Some minor imperfections & dust will be evident in the floor finish. Remember it is not practical or reasonable to expect a furniture finish on your floor
- Down lights and some fluorescent lights will highlight swirl marks on the coating
- A Polycure finish will retain its original appearance as long as it is correctly cared for and maintained throughout its life
Preparation
As we have mentioned timber flooring is a natural product and will be influenced by its local environment. With this in mind, awareness and correct preparation of the timber floor prior to coating will ensure the quality of the finish. When preparing to install your floor, keep the following points in mind:
- Confirm your requirements and expectations with your chosen contractor. It is vital that you ensure that your flooring is of suitable quality and properly acclimatized to its intended environment.
- Complete all other building maintenance prior to coating your floors. You must correctly manage the activities of other trades as this will affect the overall floor finish. Foot traffic and the activities of other trades often introduce contaminants or foreign materials to the floor. These cause defects that acquire costly repairs such as re-sanding and coating.
- Do not install carpeting or apply the final coat of paint to walls and skirting boards prior to completion of the flooring project.
- Prepare the site. This will mean removing anything that may be an obstacle to the flooring works. Cover any curtains, seal any draught points & air vents, clean dusty areas and fittings, have gas and electrical appliances disconnected. Ensure all food is removed for the area.
- Consider making alternate arrangements for your accommodation, if possible for 24 hours to allow thorough drying of the floor and avoid the possibility of exposure to unpleasant odours during drying time.
- Full curing will take between 10 to 14 days.
Attention to these details will ensure that the flooring project is successful and its full potential is reached. The result will be a beautiful hard wearing floor that will last for many years.
For further information on Timber floors.