Re-Oil, Re-Coat or Sand? Knowing What Your Floor Needs
Spotting the signs before the damage goes deeper
It is natural to assume a worn floor needs sanding, but that is not always true. In many cases, a maintenance treatment is all that is needed, and it is quicker, cheaper and kinder to the floor. The key is catching the wear early, before it reaches the timber itself.
Why not just sand?
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.
Signs an oiled floor needs attention
Oiled floors are designed to be maintained. As the oil wears in busy areas, the timber can look dry, pale or grey, and it may start to mark more easily. Try a few drops of water; if they soak straight in, it is time for a maintenance coat.
The floor looks dry, faded or grey in busy areas.
Water soaks in instead of beading.
The floor marks and stains more easily.
Some areas look matt while others still have sheen.
We deep clean the floor, buff it lightly and apply a new coat of oil. Most rooms are done in a day. Our re-oiling service helps oiled floors across Cobham stay healthy for longer.
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. The process involves a deep clean, a light abrade to help the new coat bond, and a fresh layer of lacquer. Our re-coating service is quicker and more affordable than a full sand.
Beyond maintenance
Some problems need more than a refresh. Bare patches, deep gouges and dark water stains in the wood itself need sanding to fix. The same applies if you want to change the colour, switch from lacquer to oil, or remove an old finish that is peeling or yellowed.
Worn through to bare wood in places.
Deep scratches, gouges or dents.
Black water stains in the timber.
An old finish that is breaking down.
You want a new colour or a different finish.
How a maintenance treatment works
Maintenance treatments are quick and far less disruptive than sanding. The room still needs to be cleared, but there is no heavy sanding, very little dust and the work is usually completed in a single 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. Lacquered floors are lightly abraded before a new topcoat is rolled on.
Drying times are usually shorter than after a full sand, and the room can often be used again the same evening for light foot traffic. 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. Some oils and lacquers do not bond well with others, and the wrong product can peel, stay sticky or look patchy. If you know which product was originally used, keep a note of it, as it makes future maintenance simpler. If the original product is unknown, a small test patch will confirm what works.
Key points to remember
Refreshing the finish rather than sanding the wood preserves timber and adds years to the floor's life.
If an oiled floor looks dry or faded, or water soaks straight in, a maintenance coat is due.
Lacquered floors that are dull and scuffed, but not worn through to bare wood, can usually be re-coated.
Exposed timber, deep damage, dark stains and failing finishes are signs that sanding is needed.
Use maintenance products that suit the original finish, and keep a record for next time.
Planning ahead
Plan on roughly every two to four years for oiled floors and five or more for lacquer, depending on traffic. Busy areas and pet-friendly homes may need it more often. Not sure which treatment your floor needs? Send us some photos and we will advise.