When to Re-Oil or Re-Coat Your Floor
Maintenance treatments versus a full sand
A tired floor often leads people to think a full sand is the only answer. In many cases, a maintenance treatment is all that is needed, and it is quicker, cheaper and kinder to the floor. Timing matters: treat the finish before the wood underneath is damaged.
Why maintenance matters
Sanding always takes away a little wood. Solid floors can be sanded many times, but engineered floors have a limited wear layer, and even solid boards will not last forever. A maintenance treatment refreshes the protective finish without touching the wood, extending the time between sands by years.
Oiled floors
Oil finishes are made to be topped up. In busy areas, worn oil shows as dry, faded or patchy timber. A simple test is to drop a little water on the floor: if it soaks in quickly and darkens the wood, the oil needs refreshing.
The floor looks dry, faded or grey in busy areas.
Water soaks in instead of beading.
The floor marks and stains more easily.
The sheen is uneven across the room.
A maintenance re-oil involves an intensive clean, a light buff and a fresh coat of compatible oil. Most rooms are done in a day. Our re-oiling service keeps oiled floors in Croydon looking their best between full restorations.
Lacquered floors
A lacquered floor is protected by a film on the surface. When that layer starts to wear thin, the floor loses its sheen, looks scuffed and may show grey traffic paths, but as long as the lacquer has not worn through to bare wood, a re-coat can restore it. We clean thoroughly, lightly abrade the surface and apply a new coat of lacquer. Our re-coating service is quicker and more affordable than a full sand.
Signs you need a full sand
Some problems need more than a refresh. Bare patches, deep gouges and dark water stains in the wood itself need sanding to fix. Changing colour or finish type also needs a sand back to fresh timber.
Worn through to bare wood in places.
Damage that goes into the wood.
Black water stains in the timber.
Peeling, flaking or yellowed lacquer.
You want a new colour or a different finish.
The maintenance process
A maintenance visit is much simpler than a full restoration. The room must be emptied, but there is no heavy sanding and most jobs are finished in one day. First, the floor is deep cleaned to remove dirt, polish and residue so the new coat can bond properly. For oiled floors, a fresh coat of compatible oil is worked into the surface and buffed in. For lacquered floors, the surface is lightly abraded and a new coat of lacquer is applied.
The floor is often ready for careful use the same day. Furniture can normally go back after 24 hours, and rugs after a few days.
Compatibility matters
It is important to use a maintenance product that is compatible with the original finish. Incompatible products can fail to bond, leaving a sticky, uneven or peeling surface. Keeping a record of the products used on your floor makes future maintenance easier. If you do not know, we can carry out a small test to check how the existing finish reacts.
In summary
A maintenance treatment refreshes the finish without removing any timber, extending the life of the floor.
If an oiled floor looks dry or faded, or water soaks straight in, a maintenance coat is due.
A dull, scuffed lacquered floor can normally be re-coated as long as the wood is not exposed.
Exposed timber, deep damage, dark stains and failing finishes are signs that sanding is needed.
Always use products compatible with the existing finish, and keep a note of what was used.
A maintenance schedule
Plan on roughly every two to four years for oiled floors and five or more for lacquer, depending on traffic. Hallways, kitchens and homes with pets may need attention sooner. If you are unsure, we are always happy to take a look.