Finishing
Once a floor has been completely sanded it is extremely porous & requires finishing with lacquer (varnish), painting or oil. This is the moment to apply stain if a colour or tonal change. Lacquer is the most practical, attractive & hard wearing, way to finish a floor & necessitates the least maintenance all round. Most lacquers are available in varying levels of ‘sheen’ typically Matt, Satin and Gloss.
Lacquer
Lacquer functions by sealing the ‘pores’ of the wood (the first coat), with each subsequent coat building up another layer of wear resistance, whilst at the same time ‘lifting’ and making more attractive the tone of the wood more. Modern water-based lacquers tend not to darken or give such an ‘orange’ tone to Victorian pine as the old-fashioned polyurethane, solvent-based lacquers.
Between each coat of lacquer a careful ‘key – sanding’ or ‘de-nibbing’ is carried out, either manually or mechanically. This is a fine surface sanding, followed by a careful vacuuming, that ensures an optimum ‘prickle’ free final finish to the floor.
We only use professional quality, environmentally friendly, water based lacquers such as Bona, Jenkins & Ronseal. These are designed to be used in high traffic situations & are known in the trade as ‘2-pack’ in that they function with a catalyzer additive which serves to further harden the surface as the finish dries.
Staining
Staining can function in different ways; it could be just that you have a few tonally ‘stray’ boards in an otherwise even old Victorian floor and feel loathe to rip out and replace with reclaim. For example, an Antique Pine wood stain can be carefully diluted to the correct tone and applied to these boards to help blend them in with the rest of the floor prior to lacquering.
If a floor has an extensive tonal variation and is a hotch-potch of different aged wood or has suffered from a flood in the past (that can leave lifeless, grey areas even after sanding) it may be wiser to use a stain all over as a way of homogenizing the entire surface.
Staining is also used purely aesthetically, that is, to completely re-style your floor so that it fits with your other interior plans, matches your sofa, looks good under your rugs and so on.
In these situations, we can advise and carry out colour/tonal test palette areas directly onto your floor to help you decide on the best option for your home.
We use high-quality methyl alcohol-based stains, which are extremely stable, light-fast & easy to dilute. Furthermore, they don’t raise and swell the grain of the wood like water-based stains do, nor do they take forever to dry. They don’t cause foul odours like oil-based stains which are often environmentally toxic and need diluting with turpentine/white spirit.
Painting
An attractive alternative to a lacquered finish – this look is becoming more popular since Farrow & Ball made their entire colour chart available in a tough eggshell finish floor paint.
Floors need to be repaired and sanded to provide a proper ‘key’ for the paint. This is typically two coats of primer and two coats of Farrow & Ball, ‘de-knibbing’ between coats for the optimum finish.
Although these paints are modern, low VOC (volatile organic compounds) they are still solvent-based and as such there is some odour and a substantially increased drying time between coats. It can be up to 18 hours for the final two coats, so a little increased planning is involved.
Oil
We do not recommend oil finishes in domestic scenarios because, like wax, oil eventually soaks or ‘migrates’ from the surface deep into the wood leaving the surface dry & vulnerable. This then needs to be re-oiled periodically, depending on the type of wood, atmospheric conditions and level of traffic, this could be as much as 2 or 3 times a year.
In certain situations – restaurants, bars, large open spaces that can be emptied easily, an oiled finish can work – but a higher level of maintenance and periodic re-oiling must always be factored in.
What our customers say
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The Natural Floor Company, 216 Chapter Road, London NW2 5NB
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We provide Floor Finishing in London; we specialize in changing your floors into gorgeous master parts that improve the attractiveness and dignity of your space. Whether you are in the green suburbs of Hampstead, Muswell Hill, or Crouch End, the vibrant streets of Walthamstow, Leyton, and Hackney, or the bustling neighborhoods of Camden and Dalston, we have the expertise to meet your floor work finishing needs.
Our experienced team is committed to providing excellent floor finishing services, from restoring Victorian floorboards in Kentish Town and Notting Hill to refinishing hardwood floors in Willesden and West Hampstead. With careful awareness of detail and a dedication to quality, we bring out the natural beauty of your floors, leaving them looking brand new.
From NW6 to Kensal Rise, Kensal Green to Battersea, and throughout central London, our extensive floor finishing services cover everything from sanding and staining. Suppose you have a residential property in Paddington or Westminster, an estate in Holland Park, Tufnell Park, or a commercial space in Tottenham or Islington. In that case, we have the skills and experience to transcend your expectations.
In Harlesden, Shepherds Bush, Chiswick, and Shoreditch, we understand the significance of keeping the character and charm of your floors while enriching their durability and longevity. Our environmentally friendly finishes ensure that your floors not only look great but also stand the test of time.
From streets of the East End, Mile End, and Wandsworth to the lush suburbs of Balham, Fulham, Putney, and Wimbledon, we provide expert floor finishing services tailored to your special style and choices. If you prefer the classic grace of Chelsea and Brixton or the creative flair of Camberwell and Hither Green, we have the expertise to bring your idea to life.
Contact Us Floor Finishing London today to learn more about our services and how we can help transform your floors into works of art that you will love for years to come.