Maintaining Your Timber Floor

Timber floor maintenance

Once a timber floor is installed it will be necessary to take steps to maintain the surface.  Many of the finishes used today have a longevity that is remarkable however it is not a case of simply finishing a floor and forgetting the maintenance; there are basic steps that are necessary.

This is especially true in the commercial setting where often there is limited time for maintenance in the schedule.  If maintenance is not a priority with the solid timber floor in the commercial setting then this choice of flooring is probably inappropriate.  In a commercial setting with much higher foot traffic maintenance takes on special meaning.  It is essential.

Thankfully, maintenance steps are relatively easy and simple to perform working within some basic guidelines.

The exception to this is a floor that is finished in oil where there are specific guidelines provided by the manufacturer of the oil.  Oil is designed essentially to wear with the floor and therefore you should consult the specific requirement for additional coating as part of the maintenance procedures.  Because there is such a huge variety of oils and in a number of cases these do not work too well with the hardwoods in Australia this is something that should be established in conjunction with the manufacturers. Some oil systems such as OSMO have purpose designed maintenance systems. Use of these may result in a very good long term floor.

Basics common to all floors.

1         Grit, dust & sand should be kept to an absolute minimum.  It will be necessary to sweep the floor regularly to maintain a grit free environment.  Grit or sand that is crushed under a leather soled shoe for example will abrade the surface of the floor.  Keep it to a minimum.

2          It is a good idea to use a vacuum cleaner however you should note that some of the bristles on the heads of commercial and domestic vacuum cleaners can be quite stiff and can even scratch a polyurethane surface.  You must ensure that the bristles used on the brush head are appropriate for use with a timber floor.  Very often this information is not available in the place where vacuum cleaners are purchased and you may need to seek additional information from the distributor or manufacturer.

3          Additional maintenance steps include the use of a damp mop.  You should never flood a timber floor with water assuming that the sealer used on the surface is waterproof.  In the majority of cases polyurethane sealers are not waterproof.  Therefore a well wrung out mop is essential, keeping the water used to an absolute minimum.

With oiled floors the surface is waterproof but the same rules apply. Excessive water can result in a blotchy surface. Water should always be kept to a minimum.

4          When it comes to the question of what to use in the water to maintain the timber floor the simple guideline is that this should be a "non-residual cleanser" or a product that will not leave a residue behind on the floor.  For example, some cleaning products contain soap and it is quite easy to leave a slightly sticky surface behind on the floor.  If this occurs then grit will be trapped on the surface making it difficult to maintain the area using a sweeping brush or vacuum cleaner.  Some cleaning contractors have reported that when using some materials the floor seems to get dirty more quickly and the common cause is the use of something residual in the water.  Purpose made non-residual timber floor cleaning fluids are very effective and are usually an economical choice.  Some are supplied in concentrated form which means that there are also suitable for use in removing scuff marks which are generally harder to remove than the usual small markings.

5          Sometimes polishes are recommended to extend the life of the floor.  These are sacrificial mop on products that put a protective surface on top of the pre-finished or polyurethane coated material.  They are sacrificial in that they will wear instead of the coating.  These are often part of a commercial maintenance system and are widely used with a high degree of success.  If deciding to use a polish it is recommended that you check to ensure that there is a product that is supplied by the manufacturer that will "strip" the polish from the surface when it comes time to re-sand the floor.  If there is no recommended system for removing the polish this can interfere when it comes time to resurface the floor.  Virtually all resurfacing materials that are available will not adhere to any remnant of polish that is left on the surface.  So when checking on the use of a polish you should also be careful to check that the polish will not interfere with the long-term maintenance of the timber floor.  Some coating manufacturers also manufacture polishes and these are usually designed with the long term life of the floor in mind. With polishes there is a lot of information available and it is good to seek advice.

Mats, Matting & Entrances

The Three Pace Rule

At the entrance to a home there needs to be a method of catching grit. Mats are an excellent choice in these locations. A simple mat however may have little or no benefit. When selecting mats try to have in mind a design where people entering the home take three paces on the mats; such as by having a small mat out side the home and a larger one inside. This principle will greatly reduce grit ingress into the home.

In commercial locations it is impractical to have clients entering from an external area directly onto a timber floor. With no steps taken to reduce grit there will be accelerated wear. [The level of wear may reduce the life of a floor coating from years to weeks. It is a critical area of a floor.] No maintenance program devised can avoid this outcome. Therefore mats to entrances are essential.

The Ten Pace Rule

At entrances to commercial sporting venues the idea is to keep as much grit as possible away from any sports surface. Sports surfaces are generally larger than 500m2 and therefore a full re-sand of the surface would be costly. Carpeted areas and matting/grating options should be explored. If possible plan to allow for ten paces to be taken on another surface to reduce grit. This can play a good role in extending the life of a floor. Not everyone visiting a sports centre will necessarily visit a changing room to change footwear and therefore the more time spent walking on a surface that may remove grit the better to outcome.

Scuff Areas

There are areas in any building where there is excessive wear. In a home the key areas to watch are entrances, main traffic areas & kitchen floors. In all of these areas there is greater wear. In front of the kitchen sink the wear can be 20 times greater than in the general floor areas. A mat is a logical requirement.

In commercial buildings it has been noted that areas near counters where people are served are scuff areas and there is usually accelerated wear at these points. Fixed mats are required to extend the overall life of the floor.

In the home it is good to take note of areas of the floor that may be wearing quickly. These are obvious scuff points and the use of decorative matting is a superb option.

Australian Chestnut Flooring

Australian Chestnut

Australian Chestnut is a blend of Australian hardwoods found extensively in Victoria. It is a mix of tall trees which provides excellent timber for flooring. The colouring is pale brown to deep brown. The timber has tones similar to eastern states Blackbutt but has slightly darker tones reminiscent of real hardwood.

Sanding; Australian Chestnut is rated as a hardwood. Australian Chestnut  is an easy timber to work with. Sanding machines are very effective when used on this timber. It can be sanded to a very fine finish suitable for all finish types. Sometimes with softer timbers it is harder to see rotary marks that will need sanding out so it is vital to check for these carefully. If in doubt sand through to a much finer grit than usual such as a 180grit or 220grit mesh.

Australian Chestnut accepts most types of coatings. Solvent based finishes in two packs and single packs have been used for a long time with this species. Solvent based coatings bring out the deeper colouring. Waterborne finishes also work well with Australian Chestnut. When using waterborne finishes it is important to follow closely the coating manufacturer’s instructions for burnishing the grain.  Oils have been used extensively with the timber with good effect. The timber has an open grain and is a beautiful timber.

Australian Chestnut accepts liming solution which sits into the open grain. If using liming solution it must be applied only once as the result of too much solution can look like a painted surface.

Generally Comments.

Australian Chestnut is a proven Australian hardwood that is ideal when used in flooring. It wears well, looks excellent and is good to work with.

American White Oak Flooring

American White Oak

This is a mixture of species from North America chosen because the tones are similar. The result is a timber that looks similar to European Oak.  The species exhibit uniformity with browns to honey colours with some pink tones occasionally evident. The grain is quite open.

At times less uniform species are mixed together and the resultant timber adds the colouring of darker brown tones and lighter tones at the extreme with some knots. This is termed a rustic oak. [For an alternative look at French Oak which is slightly heavier and generally has virtually no pink colouring.]

American White Oak is easy to sand. It does not generally need to be sanded with very coarse paper as it can be leveled with a 40 grit paper or belt. Additional time is required with the rotary sander to close down the grain for coating. Sometimes with softer timbers it is harder to see rotary marks that will need sanding out so it is vital to check for these carefully. If in doubt sand through to a much finer grit than usual such as a 180grit or 220grit mesh.

American White Oak accepts most types of coatings. Solvent based finishes in two packs and single packs have been used for a long time with this species.

Waterborne finishes also work well with White Oak. Many Oaks are now supplied in pre-finished panels finished in waterborne coatings and the results are very even.  Oils have been used extensively with Oak with good effect. The timber has an open grain and is a beautiful timber. There is considerable difference in the appearance of Oak with oil as against a waterborne finish. It would be good to view this prior to making a choice.

American White oak accepts liming solution which sits into the open grain. If using liming solution it must be applied only once as the result of too much solution can look painted.

American White Oak is a well used, popular, proven timber in Australia that is good to work with.

Karri Flooring - Harder than Jarrah

Karri

Karri is a West Australian hardwood.  It has a brighter colouring than Jarrah with rich reds and pink tones and is often sought be people who want the colours of Jarrah but want a brighter floor. The timber is widely used and well known in Australia. In older floors it is often mixed with Jarrah. The timber is good to work with. Karri needs to be on site for at least two to three weeks to acclimatize to the surroundings in older established homes. This is important as Karri is a dense timber and therefore adjusts slowly to localized conditions. Karri is usually dried slowly for best results.

Sanding; Karri is a hardwood. Sanding machines are very effective when used on this timber. It can be sanded to a very fine finish suitable for all finish types. Whereas with some timbers there is a large range of density from piece to piece, Karri is more even and therefore it is possible to achieve a very even finish at the sanding stage. The grain of Karri often runs in straight lines as the timber is quarter sawn though it looks more interesting when plain sawn. Karri feels fibrous when sanding and requires more care than Jarrah. Additional time may be required with the rotary sander and the tradesman needs to allow for this.

Karri accepts most types of coatings. Solvent based finishes in two packs and single packs have been used for a long time with this species. Waterborne finishes also work well with Karri though there is a need to work quickly as sometimes strong shading can occur. It is important to determine the correct sealer with waterborne finishes as shading can be dramatic with the wrong base. Oils have been used extensively with Karri with good effect. It should be noted that due to the high density of Karri the oil coverage may need to be varied significantly for a good result. Often oils are tested on more open timbers such as Oak and the take up of oil is greater on these species. Applying too much oil on Karri can cause problems with a blotchy finish that doesn’t dry out. Liming is a popular notion however it is difficult to obtain the correct take-up of solution on Karri due to the high density and the fibrous pattern. OSMO oils look great on Karri as do finishes such as Bona Traffic & Traffic HD.

Generally Comments.

Karri is a proven Australian hardwood that is ideal when used in flooring. It wears well, looks excellent and is good to work with. Termites are attracted to Karri and you need to maintain good perimeter protection around a Karri floor. Several of the stories about Karri and termites have legendary proportions.  There are a lot of stories about timber floors that have been damaged by termites.  Having said this during my 20 year association with the timber flooring industry in Western Australia I have seen very few Karri floors that have been affected by termites where proper perimeter protection as being maintained around the house.