If you have original wooden floorboards under your existing flooring - a common hidden feature in period properties - perhaps you're thinking of exposing them and restoring them to their former glory.
Depending on the condition of the flooring and your own DIY confidence, you may wish to call on the services of an expert to ensure that the restoration is carried out to a professional standard without risk of accidental damage.
However, if you want to give it a go yourself, it can be a relatively simple process - all you need is patience, a gentle hand, and some basic knowledge of wood finishes.
How to restore wooden floorboards
David Gardiner, Product Manager for Woodpecker Flooring has the following advice for restoring your wooden floorboards.
'Firstly, give the old floorboards a thorough clean with a wood floor cleaner to remove surface dirt.
'Next, identify what the original floor coating is – a smooth hard lacquer that still looks shiny in places or a duller looking oil or wax that can be scratched more easily. A dry, dusty surface may suggest that the wood is untreated.
'Old lacquered coatings may look patchy if they have worn through in places – in this instance sanding back to the bare wood is needed before applying a new coat of lacquer.
'If the old lacquer is largely complete, just worn and faded, there are some good lacquers around that can be applied after a light sanding to provide some grip – always test a small area first.
'Old wax finishes can often be polished up and refreshed with a hard wax oil, such as Woodpecker One Coat oil.'
How to look after wooden floorboards
'All wood floors are susceptible to moisture so, when cleaning them, make sure you only use a lightly damp mop and never a steam cleaner, which could cause permanent damage,' says Sahin Demuynck from Quick-Step.
'You need to think about the finish of your wood floor, which will either be a lacquer or oil finish. Regular vacuuming and the quick removal of spills is the best way to avoid scratches and permanent stains, especially with oil finishes, as they don’t have a protective barrier like lacquer.
'Over time, oiled floors will tend to show signs of wear more quickly, creating a "lived-in" feel. Particularly worn areas can be reconditioned with oil, while regular treatment with an oil care product will prevent them drying out.
'Lacquer floors are harder wearing and modern finishes offer excellent scratch, wear and stain-resistance, but can’t be spot repaired like oil wood floors.'
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