Blog Details

Floor Sanding Dublin – Local Floor Sanding Specialist

Do you have an engineered wood floor? Unlike the solid wood flooring where it’s a uniform block of wood sourced from sawed planks of natural timber, the engineered flooring uses just a veneer of real hardwood that has been glued together with layers of derivative wood products such as plywood. The installations come in different textures and wood grain, from the lighter birch and oak, the darker rosewood and ebony. The differences between solid wood flooring and engineered wood flooring is more prominent when handling them, given that the former tends to be heavier since it is a single plank of wood, with the engineered plank, on the other hand, being lighter and thinner. No doubt you want your installation to look elegant for years. For this to be achieved, it comes down to how well the floor is taken care of.

Water damage
Moisture is one of the main issues that affect wood flooring- both solid hardwood and engineered installations. The varnishes and polyurethane finishes that are usually applied onto the structure aid in protecting the underlying material, but that does not mean that you allow spills to remain standing on the surface. They need to be cleaned up immediately. There is also the issue of moisture that is underneath the planks of wood. It can be from rising damp, or cases where one used too much water for the cleaning process, that seeped through the seams. It may even be an issue of plumbing accidents that led to flooding. Whichever the case, the cause should be fixed as soon as possible. The wood absorbs the moisture, causing gapping and buckling.

One of the benefits of engineered wood flooring is its greater ability to withstand humidity fluctuations compared to solid hardwood installations. This is mainly because of the aluminium oxide finish that the engineered planks usually come with, which adds to the water resistance of the structure. This is also why this type of flooring can be set up in areas like basements where the solid hardwood would have been more susceptible to water damage. The moisture that builds up in basements can ruin solid hardwood. However, the layers used for the engineered wood plus the core plywood, give it more dimensional stability. The wood’s contraction and expansion with the humidity fluctuations is reduced. However, this does not translate to the engineered flooring being invulnerable to water. It can only withstand so much, hence the need to ensure that moisture issues in the building, be they spills, pipe leaks, or humidity control with the HVAC systems are properly managed.

Durability
The engineered wood floors come with a high durability, especially because of the hardwood veneer. The strength and hardness here depends on the specific hardwood that has been selected. These installations can be set up in high traffic establishments, giving the engineered wood floor a life of even 30 years under normal conditions. Note that the floor sanding and refinishing for these installations is carried out less times compared to the solid hardwood. This is because the wear layer of the engineered wood floors is thin. Usually, they can be sanded once or twice during their life. On the other hand, with solid hardwood, it can be done multiple times, which allows these installations to last for generations- just as long as they receive appropriate upkeep.

The wear layer varies in different engineered flooring. For instance, those with a 3-ply construction can have a 1-2mm wear layer. The 5-ply constructions can have a 2-3 mm layer, and those with the 7-9 plys can have a wear layer that’s 3mm or more. The larger the wear layer, the more times that it can be sanded. For instance, with a 3mm wear layer, the floor sanding can be carried out more than two times. Before the process, the condition of the floor needs to be assessed. Factors such as scratches, gaps, cracks, and other kinds of damage that are on the installation are analysed, to determine the approach that will be suitable for your installation. Getting professional services for this, where the crew have the experience, skill and machinery needed for the task, will ensure that your property is in safe hands. This is as opposed to going the DIY route or enlisting the services of a fly-by-night company because of the rock-bottom prices they have on offer. It ends up being costly in the long run. Mistakes made during the floor sanding process can permanently ruin your installation, and forces you to have a new floor installed- which dramatically increases the costs of the building maintenance. Besides, the stress and frustrations that come with the DIY and rookie processes are simply not worth it.

The nature of engineered wood flooring also allows it to be set up directly over concrete slabs and radiant heat systems. The thinner nature of the engineered wood floorboards enables heat to get transferred through them much better compared to the thicker solid wood. What’s more, since they are usually floating floors- i.e., not fixed by nailing or stapling to the ground, there won’t be issues of wires or hot-water tubes getting punctured. Since foam underlayment is usually used with the installations, it is advised that you check with the manufacturer of the radiant system before installation to avoid a situation where the underlayment interferes with the heat flow.

From mats to pet grooming
These are measures that will come in handy to protect your engineered wood floor. Take entrance mats for instance. They are set up at the front door, the garage door, plus that leading in from the backyard. The goal here is to simply provide those walking in the opportunity to wipe off the dust that is at the bottom of their shoes, reducing the amount of soiling that reaches the floor. Dirt is gritty, contributing to the wearing down of the finish. Simply having mats will reduce the rate at which this happens. For your furry friend, focus shifts to ensuring that the nails are trimmed. These are one of the main causes of the scratches that form on the surface of the floor.

Taking Care Of Your Engineered Wood Floor