With A London Wood Flooring Fitted On The Floor, You Need To Know How To Keep It In Top Condition
You had just got beautiful wood floors put in. The fitters have packed up and are out of here. There you are in your socks, looking at the grain and you think, “So, what now?”
When most people think of installing, they do not think further. The truth is, though, that the floors last as long as you do, if you take care of them. A poorly-maintained hardwood floor can begin to look worn within 2 years. A well-maintained one? It will last longer than your mortgage.
This guide is unvarnished advice from those who have been around the block – the good, the bad, and the catastrophically warped.
The first 72 hours are the ones that matter the most, and you won’t believe it.
Fresh wood floors are similar to a new tattoo. Tender. Vulnerable. Don’t push them.
Wait at least 24 hours after your Wood Floor Fitters London team has left before moving furniture back on the floor. If the floor is oil finished, 48 to 72 hours is a good time to allow. Walk on it gently. If the humidity can be kept under control, keep windows open — it is a very different London in July than in February — and that counts.
The wood is still in acclimatisation. It will swell and shrink with temperature and moisture and rushing this settling-in phase is how you get gaps, squeaks or a floor that pops under foot like a bowl of cereal.
Many homeowners don’t know that the initial cleaning should not be a water cleaning. At all. Dry microfibre mop is your best friend in those early days. Vacuum on lowest setting (no beater bar). This whirling broom is wood floors’ worst enemy.
The Couple of Things You Do Everyday that Can Save You a Lot of Money
Here’s a scenario. A beautiful engineered oak was installed in a Herne Hill family two years ago. They mopped it every week with a very wet mop, and, unthinkingly, put a humidifier in the corner and allowed the dog (a fairly large Labrador) to run around free. In just 18 months, finish was cloudy, boards were cupping near the window and scratches were catching a fingernail.
Don’t be that family.
Sweep or dust every day, if possible. Grit is a wood flooring killer. It’s a sandpaper surface underfoot. With all the dust and pollution in a city like London, it will be all over much more quickly than you think.
You should use a just moist mop and not a wet one. It’s a professional term: Wring until nearly dry, then wring again. Wood that has standing water in it is never good. Spills should be blotted right away – not wiped, not smeared – blotted with a dry cloth.
Leg stands with felt pads. Every single one. This is non-negotiable. The worst are dining chairs. Sit, push back, do this a thousand times a year. Those legs will mar your floor with lines that won’t be removed by polishing if they’re not fitted with felt pads.
Products: What Works, What Destroys
Step inside the doors of any supermarket and you’ll see floor cleaners making bold claims. A lot of them are great – for tiles. For wood? There are some that are actually harmful.
Don’t use anything that contains ammonia or bleach. They remove the protective finish from hardwood quicker than you might think. Likewise, steam cleaners are in a huge rage these days. They are a problem in wood floors. Because of a combination of heat and moisture, it causes the moisture to penetrate deeply into the wood. It swells. It warps. It doesn’t recover.
Use hardwood or engineered wood cleaners that are pH neutral. Following installation, your Wood Floor Fitters London team will frequently suggest a particular product — heed them. When people don’t, they have witnessed it.
Oil finished floors require re-oiling every 12 to 18 months as this will maintain nourishment and protection for the wood. Lacquered floors require less maintenance, but when damage occurs, it’s not easy to recover — if you have a deep scratch on a lacquer floor, you may want to refinish just that spot.
For any Herne Hill Homeowners: Special Considerations the following steps can be taken to improve water quality:
There are many Victorian and Edwardian terraces, period conversions and maisonettes around Herne Hill, many of which have had original floorboards replaced or overlaid in the course of their renovation. There can be variation in the thermal performance of these older buildings, resulting in more fluctuating indoor temperatures and humidity levels.
When you’ve just installed new flooring with the wood floor fitters in SE24, monitoring rooms with radiators or underfloor heating is a wise choice. Radiator zones will shrink during winter. The use of a humidifier (with a setting of 45-60%RH) can make a huge difference in stabilising things.
There is also a good number of rental properties available at Herne Hill. As a landlord, it’s okay to leave care instructions with tenants, and while this may sound like a scolding, it’s actually an investment in the home. When well-maintained, wood floors are a real asset. Those that are not will turn into a kerfuffle over the deposit.
Scratches, Dents and the Inevitability of Life
Kids happen. Furniture moves. Keys get dropped. A scratch on your wood floor isn’t the end of the world. It’s a reality of life.
If the damage is on the surface, a wood floor touch-up pen or wood floor wax crayon that is the same colour can be a convincing repair job. These can be obtained from most flooring outlets or on-line. It’s all in the colour matching – photograph the floor with natural light (or better yet take a spare board off-cut to the shop).
If the gouge is deeper, it will be more difficult. If the floor is lacquered, sometimes the best solution is to refinish that area locally. Spot repairs for oiled floors are simpler: light sanding, re-oiling and buffing. Do not hesitate to contact the professionals if you are not confident. A botched botched job could be difficult to fix compared to the damage.
The dents caused by heavy furniture are another matter. They are not surface injuries, but compression injuries. Some of them may be raised using a damp cloth and iron, the steam will expand the compressed fibres. Try it on an unnoticeable area first. If it doesn’t, then that’s just as well. Otherwise, call someone that knows what they are doing.
The time to re-engage the professionals is when
Refinishing is not as costly as you may think.
Depending on the thickness, most wood floors can be sanded and refinished two to five times over the course of their lifespan. This is what makes hardwood so amazing and last longer than other floor materials.
When to refinish: When the finish appears dull and patchy after cleaning, there are deep scratches or stains that cannot be buffed, or the boards are starting to gray due to UV exposure, or the boards are worn and cleaning doesn’t seem to help.
A busy home would be expected to undergo refinishing every 8-15 years or so. This is a pretty major project, you’ll have to remove furniture and move out for a couple days, but the outcome is a floor that looks like it was just put down. Worth every penny.
If you are looking for wood flooring fitters near me who provide maintenance and refinishing services, then Best Flooring Fitters London covers all the London neighbourhoods with more than 20 years of experience. They will provide you a fair estimate and will not force you to get work done that you don’t need.
Please give us a call today on 020 3322 7001 for a free consultation and/or a refinishing assessment. The team serve Herne Hill and beyond.
A quick note on laminate vs. real wood
Many Herne Hill homeowners inquire about the option of laminate instead — particularly in rental properties or high-traffic areas. These days, laminate is really something to behold. Scratch resistant, easier to care for and much less expensive than solid hardwood.
Best Flooring Fitters London fits laminate throughout London. Like solid wood, their team handles laminate installation with the same care and precision. They have over 20 years fitting floors in the capital, and know their way around.
Give the team a call if you want to discuss laminate for your home or investment property at Herne Hill. They won’t push you towards a product that doesn’t suit your needs.
People Also Ask
Q: The average cost of laminate flooring installation in London is £150 per square metre, and is it a worthwhile investment?
A: London laminate installation costs typically vary from £10 to £20 per square metre, excluding the price of the subfloor preparation if required, and this is the cost of the laminate fitting only. The flooring that is actually used ranges in quality from very cheap, which is about £8 per m2, to really expensive which is £25 plus per m2. For a typical 20m2 living room, the overall expense of installation will be in the range of £400 and £900.
Is it worth it? Yes, for most London homes, undoubtedly. Laminate is durable enough to withstand foot traffic, pets and all the hustle and bustle of life. Unlike hardwood it doesn’t need refinishing. It is more moisture resistant than solid wood, but that does not mean that it is waterproof. Plus, today’s high-definition printing makes it all the more difficult to tell the difference between laminate and real wood on the surface.
Best Flooring Fitters London have been installing low cost laminate flooring in London for more than 20 years. Their pricing is clear, their fittings are clean and efficient and they have established a reputation for getting the job done right—no short cuts, no cuts corners on the underlay or no disappearing after payment.
When it comes to housing in London, cost and quality are important, and laminate installed by a professional is one of the wise home investments that you can make.
Why Trust Best Flooring Fitters London
More than 20 years experience in installing wood, engineered wood and laminate flooring in all London boroughs, from Victorian terraces in Herne Hill to modern apartments in the Docklands. The team have faced virtually every subfloor condition, every quirky period property problem and every material challenge that London’s housing stock has thrown at them.
The fitters are experienced with both traditional and modern installation techniques. They not only help with species selection, finish types, underlay needs, but long-term maintenance also. Team members are continually retrained to ensure they stay up to date with new products and techniques.
Best Flooring Fitters London is a recognised name amongst the homeowners, landlords and property developers in London. They work on the basis of repeat business and word of mouth, in neighbourhoods such as Herne Hill, Brixton, Dulwich and more.
Transparent pricing. No hidden charges. Honest advice – sometimes that means suggesting a lower-priced alternative that’s a better fit for your needs. Fully insured. All work guaranteed.
Looking to safeguard your investment?
Advice after installation, maintenance services, fitting laminate in Herne Hill or even a complete refinishing job, Best Flooring Fitters London are just a call away.
📞 020 3322 7001 🌐 flooringfitterslondon.org.uk
Wait no more as the damage has already been done. This simple phone call now will prevent an expensive repair later.