Tuesday, November 20, 2012

Outdoor Flooring

When we talk about wooden flooring, we don’t just mean interior designs. The garden is now seen as an ‘outdoor room’ and as such we need to consider what type of wooden flooring and floor sanding polishing works with this unique space. Here are a few ideas on outdoor flooring to play with, depending on what you want to do in your outdoor room and the design and layout of your space.


Railway Sleepers

Railways sleepers are a wonderfully recyclable asset to any type of garden space. Made from oak, these reclaimed timber edgings, in good condition, are likely to last for the duration of your garden. Railway sleepers are graded A, B and C so that the consumer knows exactly what they are buying and how long the sleeper is likely to last:

A Grade:        Sleepers in excellent condition with no rot and with bolthole marks which once attached it to railway lines. Grade A sleepers are popularly used as high-profile patio edging.
Grade B:        Sleepers with slight damage on one side, a little rot but otherwise in good condition. This grade of sleeper is used for stacking and for building retaining walls.
Grade C:        This grade of sleeper will likely have damage on both sides and the damage will be more extensive that Grade B. There may also be a higher percentage of rot but the Grade C will have one good facing which can be used for edging purposes on driveways and as a base for a garden shed or gazebo.

Green Structural Oak

This is oak wood that has been cut within the last six months. Because it is still ‘young’ timber it will hold a high percentage of moisture and is prone to shrinkage and will shift as the wood dries out. So when purchasing green structural oak, make allowances for shrinkage and/or movement in the early days of your construction.

Structural Oak (air dried)

This is oak that has been held in ideal drying conditions for anything from 3 – 5 years. When used for any kind of construction, air dried oak should not be prone to movement or shrinkage, thus avoiding those irritating squeaks and puffs which can plague outdoor hardwood constructions. This type of treated oak is popular when installing oak beams.

Wood Tiling

Wood style decking can look great on the patio and is easy to lay. Ideal for the perimeter of swimming and paddling pools around Jacuzzis and hot tubs too, these easy-grip tiles look great in any outdoor setting. If you are wondering why wood tiles can be placed so close to water without becoming damaged or warping, it’s because patio wood tiles have a plastic base which lift the tile slightly higher than the ground so that the wood escapes water damage. The screws that fix plastic to the tile itself are treated to be rust-proof too.

The Distressed Look

Distressed (or hand-scraped) wood has been enjoying a renaissance in homes and offices across the UK, and this trend continues outdoors as distressed decking gains popularity as an alternative to patio slabs and traditional decking. Hand-scraped wood brings uniqueness and personal style to any floor sanding that cannot easily be copied. So if you are looking for the ultimate in patio originality, go for distressed wood flooring.

Bamboo Flooring

Ideal for inside and out, bamboo decking is the new kid on the patio block who looks set to be around for a very long time. The durability and sheer good looks of bamboo makes it one of the most versatile and eco-friendly patio options around.

Ipe Wood
The seasoned veteran of the patio floor, ipe wood is one of the hardest woods out there and is extremely popular for use in all types of outdoor projects including raised decking, patios, flooring for gazebos and summerhouses, outdoor staging and other portable structures. Ipe wood contains no toxins and is safe for use beside water. Typically this wood carried an attractive greenish-red undertone interspersed with light and dark markings. Ipe wood is distinctive and extremely attractive in appearance and remains a popular choice for UK garden lovers everywhere.

Thursday, November 8, 2012

Flooring Oils

Why choose oil?

When an oil-based finishing product is used as topcoat veneer on a Hardwood Floor Sanding it gives a highly polished finish. This ‘retro’ look was originally popular in the 1940s and ‘50s, but retro is back and oiled floors are making a design comeback. However, oil finishing is not only about achieving a shiny finish and there are other reasons to choose oil finishing on your hardwood floor.

Oil finishing products can have a base of petroleum (usually called synthetic oil), tung, vegetable or linseed. One of the prime advantages of using oil is that unlike varnish, lacquer or stain, it is absorbed into the wood, ‘feeding’ it and enhancing the natural wood grain. Some floor oils have also been manufactured with hardening agents incorporated into the mix. These help to give the floor an additional protective shield against scuffs and scrapes.

Gloss or low sheen?

If you don’t need your floor to be shiny enough to please Fred Astaire then you can opt for a low sheen finish. This somewhat muted effect is gaining popularity in homes across the UK as it works well with the in-vogue ‘distressed wood’ look. For an eco-friendly option try using oil that is low in or has no VOCs (volatile organic compounds). A low count, or ideally an absence of, VOCs means that no harmful toxins or odours are produced; an important consideration if you have children and/or allergy sufferers in the house.

Maintenance required

The only downside (if it is a downside) of choosing an oil finish is that to keep your floor in tip-top condition it will require, in addition to ongoing cleaning,  re-oiling every two years or so.

Do it yourself?

You can undertake to re-oil your floor yourself, and the easiest way to do this is laid out below. However, one word of warning: do not attempt to skip any of the steps as this will almost certainly lead to a botched job which may require the skills of a hardwood floor specialist to Wood Floor Repair.

How to…

Before applying any oil the floor must be sanded. It is wise to use a medium grain as a fine grain will stop the oil from being absorbed by the wood. Once sanding is complete brush away residual wood dust and lightly vacuum.

Run a damp mop over the floor to pick up any rogue shards of wood you may have missed. You can use a good hardwood floor cleaner, but avoid abrasive detergents. Now give the floor time to dry out thoroughly. If you need to be absolutely sure the floor is dry (never apply oil to a floor that is even a little wet!) you can use a metre to check the floor for hidden moisture.
Now you’re ready for the oil. Oil is best applied with a good quality paint roller. Work the oil carefully into the wood grain in sections to ensure full coverage. When the oil has been applied leave it alone for 20 minutes or so in order for it to find its way into the floor boards.
Once the oil has been absorbed into the wood polish with a coarse buffing pad, which will help work the oil deeper into the grain as well as removing any excess oil lying on top. Use clean rags to wipe over the floor, again in sections. Take a new pad and polish up the floor to a smooth shine before leaving the floor alone to allow the oil to harden (circa 7-8 hours but ideally overnight).
Then apply an additional light coat of oil. This process does two things:
1)     It helps build up additional protection from wear and tear.
2)     It gives the floor a uniformity of shine.
If you are looking to produce a muted sheen then you can shine the floor one more time using a clean rag underneath a polishing pad. For a high gloss sheen this final step can be omitted.
Finally, leave the floor to rest overnight before replacing furniture.

Saturday, November 3, 2012

Hardwood Trims, Edging and Mouldings

When you are looking for a complete and professional finish to your newly laid hardwood flooring there is no better way than to include some beautiful trims. Edging or real wood mouldings blend perfectly with the skirting board, or depending upon the look you are creating, instead of skirting, why not have them lying flush with the wall?

Hide a multitude of sins

In addition to concealing the wood ends and patches of rough stuff better left unseen, the right choice of trim enhances any style of wood flooring and looks great against the polished boards. An extra advantage of using trim is that it adds a touch of originality to your floor. Remember too that your edging can be stained to match or cross-coordinate with the colour of your floor.

Bring on the hardwood bling!

When you want your room to sparkle try adding T-style edgings cut especially to fit around door frames, borders and vents. For hardwood stairs too there is a super selection of stair finishings products out there, including quarter round and stair nose floor mouldings. If you are unsure of how to install these decorative additions to your floor then seek the advice of an expert, as it is imperative that the mouldings and fixings should be correctly installed. That being said, most trims nowadays are precisely constructed for ease of installation and are built to last at least as long as your floor. However, it is always good to know professional advice can be obtained if required.

Flooring finishings – finished to perfection

After spending money and time on getting the perfect real wood floor you will no doubt consider a professional looking finishing to be the best way to bring out the real beauty of your hardwood flooring. If this is the case, it is always better to leave the finishing (whether you choose lacquer, stain or varnishing) until the trims and edgings are in place. This way you can give the whole flooring a flawless looking finish and avoid any ‘patchy’ results.

However, if you are adding trims to an already established floor then you may wish to purchase distressed style additions or better yet distress them yourself if you feel you can. If you want to add a live-in look to your trims then select unfinished wood.

Adding uniqueness to any floor

Trims, edgings and mouldings bring a tailor made quality to any wood floor and the value lies in their ability to change the appearance of your wood floor and make it unique. Recognising this, interior flooring professionals often use trims in their bespoke room design to give the final result its own, unique flair and flourish.

Corner trims can easily be added to floating and laminate flooring and parquet flooring benefits greatly from a complimentary trim in accord with the tile pattern.

Trims are readily available from UK professional hardwood suppliers in red oak, walnut, teak, cherry, mahogany as well as a selection of unfinished hardwoods if you wish to add the finishing yourself. Flush finishings, t-shapes, overlaps, door trims, threshold dividers, reducers and quarters rounds all help to bring a personalised finish to your floor.

If you are unsure on any aspect of floor finishings or how to incorporate them into your overall plan, find out more from your friendly wood flooring professional. Alternatively if you have a more than rudimentary knowledge of carpentry and have laid your wood floor yourself then you can confidently have a go yourself!

All types of real wood flooring is enhanced by the right style and application of trims, edging and mouldings, so before you apply the lacquer or even open that tin of varnish, check out the trim options to make your floor stand out from the rest.