How to Look After A Wooden Floor

Many people consider wood to be one of the finest materials known to humankind.

We can’t but agree. Almost nothing compares to its elegant, natural beauty. They are, in a word – handsome. Your wooden floor brings a little bit of nature into your home, which can only be a good thing. In fact, the only predictable thing about the beauty of wood is its unpredictability. Every single plank is unique, even those from the same tree that lie next to each other on your kitchen floor. Its natural patterns, shapes and whirls are just lovely, we’re sure you agree.

Actually, if you own a wooden floor from Forest Flooring, we know you’ll agree. Our aim is to help you enjoy your home, so we hope we’ve succeeded. But, aren’t these types of floors difficult to look after? They’re natural, aren’t they, so perhaps they’re a little too high maintenance for everyday family life?

The short answer is no, which you may find surprising.

The beauty of wooden floors

Whether you’ve chosen a solid or engineered wood floor, both options are relatively easy to keep at their gleaming best. Without a doubt, a wooden floor is a considered purchase. It will dominate the room – in a good way, of course – due to its sheer size.  Wooden floors are natural, yet durable.  If you look after it, it can offer future generations years of hard-wearing pleasure, and it could even add value to your property.

Nevertheless, a few sensible precautions apply, so we’ll take you through everything.

To start

The following section is in italics. Why? Because this is the key thing we need to tell you:

Don’t use water.

In fact, don’t even think about cleaning your floor with a mop and bucket! Wood is porous and can absorb moisture far too easily and quickly. It may even show signs of staining from small spills. More importantly, though, a wet floor could start to buckle and cup if large amounts of water are absorbed into the planks. Avoid, avoid. You’ll be forever looking at your floor with great regret, and we don’t want that to happen.

Think about the following routine:

DO…

  • Keep it simple. Just sweep and dust your wooden floors regularly. A soft bristle brush is a good tool for the job.
  • Clean up spills immediately with paper towels or a dry cloth.
  • Understand the rules about waxes and restorers. If your floor has a wax finish, you can add more wax just a couple of times a year and it will be back to its best.
  • If it has a shellac, polyurethane or varnish finish, use either a general-purpose floor restorer or one specifically designed for a polyurethane finish. The surface may require a light sanding down and then you may need to re-coat it. Or, you could ask a wooden floor specialist to do this for you.
  • Use felt protector pads if something heavy is resting on it, say a large, kitchen dresser. Also, never drag objects across the surface of the floor. Why? Because you are asking for trouble, and the damage may be long-lasting.
  • Remember that gravel and dirt will damage a wooden floor, even the fine dirt in house plant pots could scratch its surface. Keep an eye out for this and gently brush it away if you spot it.

DON’T…

  • Use abrasive cleaners of any kind, that is any regular household dusting and cleaning products. They will ruin your beautiful wooden floor in a matter of seconds.
  • Furniture polish. It’s another no from us. Why? Because it makes the floor greasy and slippery. A PH neutral cleaning spray used in the direction of the grain, rather than across it, is a good alternative.
  • Use vacuum cleaner brushes as they could mark your floor. The exception could be an extremely soft brush that’s suitable for surfaces like these, but err on the side of caution.
  • Use water.  Or a steam mop. Yes, we’re repeating ourselves, but hopefully you’ll understand why, and forgive us.  You’re likely to cause permanent damage. The only thing you could deploy is a mop or microfibre cloth that’s been wrung out and is almost dry. And, it goes without saying, but even if you spill red wine on your gorgeous wooden floor, never pour water directly onto it.
  • Walk about your floor in heavy shoes or high heels. To be fair, leaving your footwear in the porch or on a shoe rack is a good domestic habit to get into anyway. Outdoor shoes are surprisingly grubby.

Think About Finishes

Does your floor have an oiled finish? If so, you can apply a little more oil to the floor if you notice any small scratches. However, make sure that the surface is clean before you start. Then, after application, leave to dry.

If you have a lacquered finish, you may be able lightly to sand the top, then apply more lacquer.

Deep or large dents? Damage like this is best left to the experts. You’ll need a deep sand, then a refinish with a good oil or lacquer.

We’d recommend that you avoid the Do It Yourself route. You’ll know when to pick up the phone – your floor will be showing signs of wear and tear.  Professional flooring cleaning or repair specialists should be your first port of call if you think that your floor needs some TLC.

Would you like your wooden floor to remain at its elegant best for years to come? Simply follow the above tips, and you can look forward to starting your day with that happy feeling; that great sensation of knowing that your home is your sanctuary, and a place of domestic retreat.

 

 

What’s All The Fuss About LVT Flooring?

This time, we’re going seriously upstyle, with lots of useful information about LVT. What is it, what’s it made of, and how could it be the best thing ever in your home?

Here at Forest Flooring, we’re big fans of LVT. It stands for Luxury Vinyl Tiling, and the clue’s in the word: luxury.  Most of us wouldn’t normally associate the idea of deluxe home style right next to the word “vinyl”, but trust us – LVT flooring is an exceptionally popular choice. And, in our business, many in the range are continuous best sellers. (Also, we have “ordinary” vinyl options that are equally impressive, so do get in touch if you fancy getting the vinyl bug.).

It’s fair to say that LVT is one of the fastest-growing products on the flooring market.

So, what exactly IS LVT?

Luxury Vinyl Tiling is made from several layers of PVC vinyl.

Without going into too much technical detail, the PVC is mixed with various compounds which affect its hardness. The result? Several sheets of PVC that the manufacturer compresses by a rolling process that’s suspended in a liquid. Then, everything is dried to produce several layers.  Out of interest, LVT floors are pretty thin, much thinner than standing vinyl flooring, in fact: between 2mm and 8mm thick.

LVT has a clear vinyl and urethane coating (a type of polymer) that’s applied at the end, for further protection, and comfort underfoot.

With top layers of no more than 6mm, their slenderness can deceive you. In truth, they’re wonderfully strong and durable. With a super-high density, LVT has a superhero force. The way they’re made – with several layers – means that they simply don’t need to be any thicker.

Sorry about the science lesson, hope that’s all clear. Basically, this is a technological miracle.

Actually – thinking about it, also like a superhero, LVT floors are here for the good of humankind.

Let us explain.

They’re Incredibly Realistic

By which we mean, when it comes to floors, they can be almost anything you want them to be.

In a nutshell, technicians can create LVT  to look exactly like every type of real wood. Or, real stone, or ceramic. Not only does it look astonishingly authentic, but it also has the subtle imperfections that we see all around us in nature. Think: whirls, swirls, patterns, and variations in shade and tone. They are perfect in their faults, you could say. On balance, so perfect that you would have to look extremely close to see that this isn’t the real deal. Amazing.

LVT is available in plank and tile formats, and in an incredible, almost dizzying array of colours and styles to suit every home. Your home, actually. And, Forest Flooring will fit and install everything for you.

Designed for Life. And, to Last

These are ultra-high-quality products to give you pleasure for several years. In fact, we can’t make any promises, but LVT flooring can last up to 25 years.

Another important point to make is that unlike hardwood flooring, with LVT there are no specific maintenance requirements to think about. The top layer of LVT acts as a protector, meaning that it’s resistant to spills. You can quickly remove any scuff marks with a damp cloth, and your floor will thank you for just a vacuum or a sweep when it needs it. In contrast to a wooden floor, there’s no re-sanding or sealing.  In fact, there’s no floor maintenance programme to worry about.

Likewise, this product is more stable. It won’t warp or expand, it just lays flat on the surface for an all-round practical solution.

The durability of LVT makes this type of product a sublime family-friendly choice in your bathroom (it’s resistant to moisture), or your kitchen (heat insulation properties). That is, places that are high-traffic, or in constant use with children running in and out. Alternatively, if you run a business, Luxury Vinyl Tiles will give your establishment an affordable touch of class and sophistication.

This type of flooring tends to be more stable. It just sits flat, refusing to warp or bend, minding its own business and not causing any fuss.

Keep the Sound Down

Talking of family life, did you know that LVT flooring is a brilliant choice for soundproofing? A handy side-effect if you’re at all concerned about disturbing the neighbours. Can you imagine the comings and goings on a wooden or stone floor, and the noise? Well, quite. With LVT, the surface simply absorbs sound. So, you’ll have better acoustics in your home, and a bit more peace and quiet.

Keep Warm(er)

An obvious point, perhaps, but natural materials, lovely though they are, can be rather cold underfoot. And hard. Especially stone. LVT combines that essential super-chic look with warmth. Consider this important fact: unlike a solid wooden floor, they’re totally fabulous with underfloor heating, too. No slippers required.

You lead a busy life. Everyday comings and goings are the hallmarks of family life. Do you really want to spend time putting right any visible damage to your floor any more often than you absolutely have to?

How would something that looks authentically like a wooden, stone or ceramic floor, but is SO much easier to live with work in your home?

Rather well, we think. Why not get in touch to find out more about the wonders of LVT? Or, if you live in East Sussex, we’re just in Forest Row and we’d be delighted to show you some examples of this fabulous range.