DON’T DIY: Why you should have a professional sand your floor. Past experience from a floor sanding professional.
I recently received a call from a distressed customer who had attempted to sand and finish his newly laid floor. It was a reclaimed, rosewood herringbone floor that he laid himself (and done a very good job), so it was clear that he had a real passion for woodwork and wanted a unique floor that he could show off to visitors, along with the pride of knowing he had completed it himself.
He had done a lot of research online about floor sanding, and after laying the floor, he rented a few sanders from a hire shop and proceeded to sand the floor. Once he thought it was ready to seal, he bought the best floor lacquer he could find from the local hardware store (Ronseal Diamond Hard) and applied it as suggested online.
Rosewood Floor after DIY Sanding
When the varnish dried he realised that he had made a mess of the floor and it did not turn out as he wanted. The varnish highlighted all of the imperfections in the wood and turned it a very dull grey/brown colour.
When I went to inspect the floor he was embarrassed about his work, but I assured him that a lot of people like to try floor sanding themselves with rented machines…and they ALL mess it up! The sanding machines are incredibly powerful, they require a lot of practice to master, and are guaranteed to destroy your floor if you have not used them before. He continued to tell me that it was the hardest task that he had ever attempted in his life, which is no surprise since floor sanding is very strenuous labour and requires a lot of strategic effort.
On top of the know-how on how to operate the machines in the correct manner, a professional floor sander will have the knowledge of how to finish a floor correctly. Rosewood is an exotic timber that cannot be finished using a water-based varnish (which Ronseal Diamond Hard is), which is why the wood produced such a horrible colour. We take every action we can before having to use solvent based products, however, there are a few exceptions in which there is no other option, and rosewood is one of them. Using solvent based products is not recommended without the correct safety gear, which most people do not have access to.
Rosewood Floor after Professional Sanding
After sanding the floor using the best sanding machines available, I finished it with a hard wearing, satin lacquer to provide the best durability possible. It looked like a completely different floor! The grain in the wood was really emphasised, and it brought back the beautiful dark brown colours that makes the floor stand out.
So to summarise: my customer wanted a beautiful floor, he tried to sand it himself, he made a mess of it, and had to pay a professional to fix it. If he would have paid a professional at the start, he would have saved himself the money he spent renting the sanding machines, the money he spent on the incorrect lacquer, and A LOT of backache (and embarrassment)!
If you would like beautiful wooden floors and want them sanded professionally, please contact one of the Ultimate Floor Sanding Company’s affiliate members near you today. Between us, we have a wealth of knowledge and experience that is unrivalled in the UK and Ireland, and provide the unique 5 point Ultimate Guarantee to ensure each and every one of our customers are happy with the end result.
If you have a wood floor restoration project or require a floor sanding and finishing service call today on 0333 93 901 93
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