Of course, if possible, you should definitely consider buying pre-distressed wood and then having it installed instead of purchasing pristine wood and then distressing it yourself. However, there’s no need to worry if you already have the wood laid down.

For starters, scrape the wood with a floor-scraping tool. You might want to start with a small area first to get a feel for it. Walnut, pine, hickory, and oak all take to distressing well, but hardwoods, such as maple and teak, are usually a little trickier.

Scrape with the direction of the grain instead of going against it – this will create jarring scratches which don’t appear authentic. You’ll also need to avoid knots in the wood. It should be possible to adjust the angle and pressure which you’re using to achieve the look you’re after. Everyone wants their distressed wood flooring to look a little different, so there’s no right answer here.
Other options include using a wire brush, which gives a grainy, aged feel to the flooring. Chains, drills, and hammers can also be used to make chips and scratches, while a soldering iron or other hot pieces of metal can add character with small burns. For a little more fun, anyone with a dog can let their pooches nails go unclipped for a little, then toss a ball around so they slide across the floor. This will help produce a weathered look, and it’s far more fun than scraping.

Just remember to practice your techniques – minus the dog option – on an old piece of furniture before you start on the flooring itself. It’s relatively easy to achieve the distressed look which you’re after, but it is also well worth making sure you know what you’re doing before you begin.

Cost
Price will clearly be one of the main things to consider. It’s almost always going to be less expensive to refinish the floor instead of replacing it, as this means taking into account the cost of the new wood, installation, and treatment. You might be able to offset that cost by doing some of the work yourself, but hardwood floors typically require the attention of a professional. You will have to buy or hire the equipment and materials for refinishing, but the cost will be lower and you can usually do the job yourself.

Appearance
What do you aim to accomplish by refinishing or replacing your floor? If you simply want to restore the original appearance, replacing the boards might be overkill. However, if you need to change the style or direction, you’ll probably need a full replacement. You’ll also need to replace wood which has become warped or badly damaged, as refinishing cannot remedy this.

Time
You might think that refinishing won’t take as long as replacing, but this isn’t actually the case. Refinishing can take from four to five days – often longer if you complete the job yourself – during which time the floor must remain untouched. Replacing generally doesn’t take as long. You’ll also require more equipment for refinishing, whereas replacement requires only the basics. If you’re thinking of refinishing simply because you believe it involves less effort, think again.

Age
Some factors are simply out of your control, and the most important one is the age of the wood. Older floors may resist refinishing, usually because they have already been through the process several times or because the surface wood is now too exposed. Very old floors should really be replaced instead of refinished. You might also find that older floors lack the proper thickness, and structural integrity may have been compromised during their long life.

There’s no hard and fast rule when it comes to replacing vs refinishing, but taking this information on-board can ensure that you make the right decision.

Floating Floor Advantages

The most obvious advantage associated with floating floors is that they can be laid down quickly and easily to achieve the look of real timber flooring. This means that you can give a room an upscale look without spending too much time or money. You won’t even necessarily have to hire anybody to help.
Additionally, floating floors generally offer strong sound insulation due to the fact that they have been laid over a subfloor system. Wooden flooring can often be noisy for anyone living below you, so it’s nice to have this problem mitigated. Any movement will even be spread across the floor, so unsightly gaps are less likely.
Floating floors are usually pre-coated to provide superior durability, and there are numerous styles to choose from.

Floating Floor Disadvantages

Unfortunately, some of the advantages of floating floors create their own drawbacks. The flexibility of this option means gaps are less likely to appear, but it also means that the boards typically wear out faster. This is especially true in environments which experience frequent variations in temperature, or in those where moisture levels are high.
Additionally, unlike structural wood flooring, a floating floor cannot be sanded once it starts to break down. The sealed finish will offer protection, but you’ll still need to replace the boards once they become too worn. For this reason, structural wood flooring could be considered a better long term investment.

Floating floors are popular for a reason. Not only do they look great, they achieve their style without putting you, or your bank account, through much strain. Just take the drawbacks into account, then consider exactly where you’ll be placing your flooring and how long you’d like it to last.

Here are a few handy ways to let you have your wooden flooring without complaints from below.

Place Strategic Rugs

Obviously you won’t want to place rugs across all of your floor space – that would defeat the whole purpose of laying down wooden flooring in the first place. However, you should consider buying some rugs to place in areas which experience high footfall, especially around entrance ways.

Rugs won’t eliminate the problem entirely, but they’re sure to cut down on the amount of noise when placed correctly. Taking this step will also demonstrate to downstairs neighbours that you’re trying your best to accommodate them.

Install an Underlay

This will obviously be easier if you’re just about to install your flooring, but installing an underlay can be advantageous even if it does necessitate some extra work, especially if you plan on staying in the property for some time.

An underlay fits beneath your floor, and is typically made of either foam, plastic, or a combination of the two. They can be used in any room except the bathroom, which is normally not a high-traffic area anyway, and can be extremely effective.

Remove Your Shoes

Sometimes the easiest solutions are right in front of your nose – or right beneath your feet. It might seem obvious, but remember to take off your shoes whenever you enter the house, and ask any guests to do so too.

Shoes make your feet heavier, and can dramatically increase the amount of noise which the people downstairs need to put up with. This is especially true when hard-bottomed shoes or high heels are involved, as the resultant tapping against your wooden floor can become particularly aggravating.

Take one or more of these steps, and you’ll be able to enjoy the benefits of wooden flooring in peace and quiet – and so will your neighbours.

As anyone who’s ever had a hardwood floor in the home will no doubt agree, keeping it looking good can be a constant battle. And when they often cost a great deal to put in, it’s a battle you have to put everything into. Here’s some good advice on how to look after you hardwood floor so that it lasts as long as possible:

Cleaning
Avoid using wet mops on the floor as they will over time take off the finish. Instead, try sweeping with a soft broom or a special dust mop. If you want to hoover the floor then be sure to use an attachment suitable for hardwood floors so you don’t pick up any unsightly scratches.

Spills
If left undealt with, spills of any type of liquid, even plain water, can stain your floor, so if you notice one then clean it up straightaway. Use a soft cloth, either dry or just slightly damp and ensure you get it all up.

Footwear
This may sound like stating the obvious, but some types of footwear can be seriously bad news for hardwood flooring – think high heels and studded sportswear. Make a point of removing them at the front door.

Furniture
Heavy furniture can dent or scratch your floor, so use pads made of felt underneath the legs to prevent that, and be careful when moving furniture around. Remember if you use rubber pads these can discolour the flooring. It’s a good idea also to place rugs near external doors in case any loose stones get into the house, as these can also scratch the floor.

Treatments
Depending on the type of hardwood floor you have, different treatment products are suitable, from surface finishes to wax or acrylic finishes. It’s always best to learn from the company that sold you the flooring which treatment you ought to be using, and if the floor was put in before you moved in, then establish the type of wood you have and go from there. Using the wrong type of treatment can at best make it ineffective, at worst damage the floor.

One of the most important decisions you need to make when you are considering a new flooring is how your flooring will converge in doorways, or other room divides, and around the room sides and edges.

Our advice is don’t leave this until the last minute, but make it part of your initial purchase decision, as otherwise you may experience problems and not get the polished look you were hoping for.

Door and skirting board thresholds usually need to be fitted with special purpose mouldings, usually made from a hardwood like Oak, or metal, which give a clean finish to your flooring.

What you use to connect your new flooring to existing flooring in doorways, and to the walls, will affect the overall look of your entire room and floor. You can choose from the following mouldings:

1)      Skirting boards – these cover the base of the wall and fit flush to your flooring. They are available in a wide choice of material and style to give your room the desired look.

2)      Beading – you can choose from different styles of beading depending on what look you prefer.

3)      Ramps and reducers – if your new flooring is at a slightly different level to existing flooring at door thresholds you will need to use ramps or reducers, which are available in different sizes, to suit the overlap between different floor types, like wood to carpet etc.

4)      T-bars – for internal door thresholds where both flooring covers are the same height.

5)      L-sections and L-beads – for external door thresholds where you need a clean cut-off edge.

6)      Flat thresholds – for door and skirting thresholds where there are no height issues between flooring materials.

7)      Nosings – to tidy up any visible flooring ends, like on stairs and external thresholds.

When you are choosing your threshold mouldings do also consider practicality and safety, as well as design. High T-bars for example won’t be appropriate in high activity doorways as they will be a trip hazard – especially if you have any young or old residents in the house.

If you are looking for a new floor covering for your home or other property, then you might be interested in wooden flooring. There are hundreds of different materials, types and styles which can be used when installing new flooring, each of which have their own set of advantages and disadvantages. See below for some of the advantages of having wooden flooring in your house.

1. High quality wooden floors can last for a long time. When they are treated and looked after correctly, they can last for decades. They don’t tend to suffer from stains, holes and other damage as badly as carpets and other soft floor coverings can.
2. Wood floors are typically easier to clean. A mop can clean up any mucky spills which might otherwise stain a carpet or other flooring.
3. It is a more hygienic option for many – carpets can harbor a variety of bugs and mites which can badly effect people suffering from asthma or other allergies. This is also a plus for pet owners who want to prevent the spread of bugs or fleas.
4. Wooden flooring won’t retain odour as well as carpets or rugs. After cleaning up a spill or mess, your wooden floor is good as new, whereas carpets keep hold of those nasty smells and stains.
5. With wooden flooring, it’s easy to install underfloor heating, a very efficient way in which you can heat your house.
6. If your wooden flooring has been damaged, it can be rectified with a simple sand and seal. It isn’t so simple when trying to repair a carpet.

Wooden flooring can offer warmth and a feel which is hard to find with other flooring materials. With such a range of woods and styles to choose from, the possibilities are endless. Why not contact a local flooring expert today to discuss your wooden flooring requirements.

Natural hardwood floors can add a touch of beauty and elegance to any home – especially in a kitchen. One of the rumoured downsides of wooden flooring is the work involved in cleaning and protecting them, as they’re typically more expensive than other floor coverings and are harder to replace if damaged. However, this doesn’t have to be the case. If sealed and maintained using the right processes, cleaning and protecting your hardwood floor doesn’t have to be a bother.

Follow our tips below for successful cleaning and protecting of hardwood floors:

• Avoid dirt and scratches where you can – An obvious way to protect your floor is to eliminate the things which are most likely to cause damage. You can do this by wiping up spills as soon as they happen, making sure people remove footwear before entering the room and by placing rugs or mats on areas of the floor which experience high volumes of foot traffic. Cleaning them often also removes any dirt or debris which could be worked into the floor.
• Know how your hardwood flooring is sealed – In order to clean and protect your floor correctly, you should be aware of how it was sealed. The type of seal or finish to the floor can determine which cleaning products are best to use, and how often it should be cleaned. A professional floor fitter will be able to tell you exactly what you need to know, such as which cleaning products to use, how much moisture your floor can withstand and more.
• Use the correct products – Again, asking a professional floor fitter for advice on cleaning products is best. Apart from that, make sure that you steer clear of cleaning products which are too alkaline or acidic. These can dull your flooring and eat away at the finish, respectively.
• Finally, you can always refinish your floor. If it’s starting to look a little dull or as though the finish is wearing away, then it’s a good idea to have it re-finished before you find irreparable damage. Contact a professional flooring specialist for more information.

When considering what type of flooring to have in your home or other property, there are a number of things to consider. For those who like a hard flooring, you might decide upon either wooden or laminate flooring, both of which have a number of advantages.

The most obvious difference between natural hard wood flooring and laminate flooring is the cost. Wooden flooring is typically more expensive than laminate, sometimes by quite a large margin. Therefore, if your budget is tight or you don’t want to spend a large amount of money on your flooring, then laminate flooring could be a suitable option.

On the other hand, real wooden flooring provides a touch of high quality elegance which you won’t find anywhere else. When fitted and treated correctly by professionals, real wooden flooring can last a lifetime and can become a durable investment. It also adds value to any property, when it comes to re-selling. Wooden flooring can also save your money – it is typically warmer than laminate flooring, and so can help reduce your energy usage and bills.

Although laminate flooring might not always look as high quality as hardwood flooring, is has a number of advantages. Firstly, there are a large number of colours and designs available to choose from, so you are sure to find a design to suit the interior of your property. Secondly, marks and scrapes are typically harder to spot on laminate floors. Finally, it is much easier to replace than wooden flooring. If you do end up with bad scratches or marks, it costs less to replace than it would if you had a hardwood floor.

Do always remember that you can also choose from a range of other floor coverings – carpets, tiles, rugs and more. For more information on the types of flooring available, click here.