Badly Damaged Floorboards

It is amazing how much damage looks absolutely fine after a thorough sanding. Nevertheless, larger areas of damage will need sympathetic restoration. How perfect really depends on your taste. Some people want everything to be just right and are happy to pay for this level of detail, whilst others prefer small imperfections as they can add character. Replacing like-for-like is very often possible but some sizes are unquestionably hard to find - we can of course advise on inspection.

From traditional fillett repairs to resourcing matching reclaim boards, we can undertake repairs on either a day rate or priced by the metre - depending on the size of the area to be repaired

Restorations

A truly sympathetic restoration can be a long process involving genuine craftsmanship and appreciation of the integrity of the original materials in place. This applies equally to Floors, Panelling and Staircases.

The extent to which original integrity is to be maintained is a client decision to be made when we evaluate a restoration project. Sometimes it is appropriate to do a commendable job but not to the highest standards. On other work - for example Listed Buildings and National Trust / Heritage Sites, only the most exact finish is demanded. As they say 'horses for courses' and we are able to assist in this decision if you have any questions.

Gaps Between Floorboards

It is common to find gaps between boards and, whilst is is feasible to lift all boards and re-lay them, it is a long job and may not be possible without splitting some boards. Consequently it is normally best to use one of the following methods:

• Traditional wooden slithers glued in and profiled to match.
• Mix dust generated by sanding with a fast drying resin and push it into the gaps.
• A flexible tubing (Draftex) which comes in several thickness and can be pushed into gaps more than 2mm wide. Draftex comes in several thicknesses and is a flat dark grey finish which works well. It is a quick, long-lasting and mess-free option.
• Silicon sealant - not usually recommended unless a specialist flexible, non-shrink acrylic such as 'Bona' and used for gaps under 4mm. Inappropriate use will lead to failure after a while.
• String - which can be stained and glued into the gaps - works very well - particularly on old oak boards with wide gaps.

There are various circumstances influencing the best solution - we can recommend after inspection.

Rotten Floor Joists

Rotten or otherwise damaged joists will cause some of your floors to spring. This makes effective sanding impossible and any such movement will need to be rectified. We are experts at lifting even the longest established floorboards but only an in-situ inspection will enable us to be confident that there is no risk of splitting boards when lifting. We can then replace rotten or loose joists to restore a firm floor.

Chemical Treatments

Occasionally, previous wood coverings are simply too thick for effective sanding and, in these instances, we would start with a chemical stripper. We have extensive experience using these products, and can advise once we know what type of old floor covering we are dealing with.