There can be few things in construction better than a quality hardwood floor.
Oak is often the hardwood timber of choice for flooring and it comes in two different types - Red Oak and White Oak.
Red oak is the most readily available and therefore more popular. It gives a reddish hue which is both aesthetically pleasing and gives warmth to internal decor.
Given the rise of contemporary minimalism, White Oak is growing in popularity - offering more dulcet tones of colour which combines well with neutral colour schemes.
Both types of oak can be stained to your choice of colour - giving some flexibility within your chosen colour scheme.
The benefit of using either type of oak flooring is it’s aesthetic appeal and durability.
Posted by Bob Bulmer on Fri 26th October 2007 at 06:00 AM, Filed in Floor Finishes
1. It’s first important to make timber floor boards safe to walk on. You can do this by using a nail punch to push back all the raised nails. This should also help prevent the sanding belt from tearing.
2. Remove any old varnish or polish from the timber by using steel wool and white spirit. Make sure you use protective goggles while doing this.
3. Working from the edge of a room you can start to strip the surface off the floor using the sanding machine.
4. Keep some distance from the skirting boards otherwise the sanding machine may cause some damage.
5. Work the sanding machine along the grain of the timber, which would be along the length of the floor boards. Sanding across the grain will cause scratches.
6. If the edges of a floor board curl up then sand diagonally using different grades of sanding belt. This should help level the surface of the floor board.
7. To get a good finish, let the sanding machine gently work over the floor. Don’t rush it!
8. Do not pull the sander backwards and forwards when the drum is rotating.
9. If you need to sharply change direction, always raise the belt of the sanding machine before hand.
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It seems that exposed floor boards are everywhere nowadays and for good reason. Their easy to clean, they look contemporary and their cheap (so long as you have decent floor boards in the first place). Some real estate agents even claim they can clinch a house sale
So, assuming you have half decent floor boards and want to make them useable, you’re gonna need to sand and varnish. The tools you need include:
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