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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

FAQ

Read answers to commonly asked wooden flooring questions. Check out our FAQ section below.

First we recommend to either vacuum or sweep your floor to remove any excess dirt or dust. Then using a clean, damp, microfiber cleaning mop and an appropriate cleaning product, diluted in a spray bottle, spray the floor with the cleaning product and mop. Very simple and very easy care.

If you have a polyurethane finish on your timber floor, chances are you will require the floor to be sanded and coated. This may be a light disc and coat, but may be a full re-sand and coat. Please contact us so we can arrange a suitable time to come and view your floor and give you our recommendations.

Yes, they can – they quite often leave a small dent but does not affect the overall performance of the floor. It also depends on the type of heel and whether the owner of the offending shoe looks after their heels or not. An exposed nail will damage your floor, but a well looked after heel should not.

A solid timber floor is just that. It is a natural plank of wood that has been machined into tongue & groove flooring and is most commonly either 13mm or 19mm thick. The board width varies between species. Traditionally solid timber flooring is installed as nude boards with the sanding and coating work to be carried out at the end once the installation is complete. This is also when any staining work would be carried out if you are requiring a custom stain.
 
This depends on what you are wanting, but generally the thickness of the timber is 13mm or 19mm.
 
This is a multi-layered, ‘engineered’ flooring consisting of a 3-4mm timber layer on top of a layered, stabilising backing system with a locking system to lock the planks together. These products are generally already finished in a multi-layer, UV hardened lacquer coating system that is very durable. The boards are manufactured to fit together perfectly so no filler is required and there is no board height variation.
Yes, you can. Strict criteria must be adhered to – please see our specification sheet for timber over underfloor heating here.
Yes, you can. HOWEVER, a badly installed solid timber floor can mean a full replacement. This includes the timber itself as a solid timber floor is normally glued down with a very permanent adhesive. As a solid timber floor is a large investment and can add value to your home, we recommend leaving the installation and finishing to the experts. All of our staff have years of experience and are all fully trained for this work.
 
A solid timber floor is an incredibly hard wearing flooring product. We would expect you to get at least 30 years out of your solid timber floor (this does not include the polyurethane/oil finish). All solid timber floors require maintenance and each floor will vary with performance as every environment is different. Please refer to our Domestic Guarantees sheet here.
No. A steam mop will cause damage to your floor and you will need to have your floor resanded and coated.
Yes. It depends on the finish and repair work required as to how involved the repair will be and how long it will take. A site visit is normally required so a proper assessment and recommendation can be made.
Yes. Our installation methods come with a guarantee, and where there are product warranties (laminate/engineered or prefinished flooring), the product warranty will apply. Please refer to our Guarantees section here.
Yes. As with any natural material, the sun will change the colour of your timber floor – whether it is a solid timber floor or an engineered/prefinished product. In some cases where there is strong sunlight shining directly onto the timber, the heat can cause your floor to shrink and crack. You can help to slow this down by using blinds or special UV protecting glass that will not only protect your floor but any soft furnishings as well (including carpet).
Neither one is “better” than the other. It all comes down to personal preferences and/or applications.
In most applications, yes. Some insurance companies will not cover timber flooring in ‘wet’ areas, so you would need to check with your insurance company first. Some prefinished/engineered flooring manufacturers will not guarantee their product for use in ‘wet’ areas. Just Hardwood Floors will only recommend products that are appropriate for these areas. If you have a polyurethaned floor that has been finished on site and is over a solid substrate, they are the most suitable for ‘wet’ areas as the polyurethane seals the floor to a certain degree. However, timber flooring is a natural product and the boards will move. Flooding in any area will damage flooring – timber, vinyl, carpet etc.
We are able to source varying brands of laminate flooring and the quality of these brands varies considerably. Laminate flooring is an HDF (High Density Fiberboard) type product, with a ‘wood look’ image on top (sometimes photographic imagery), and a finishing lacquer. Laminates are a tough and durable flooring product, that are fantastic in both the home and retail situations. Boasting features such as “Scratch Resistance (up to 10 times more), fade resistance, dent resistance, antistatic, and warranties ranging from 15-25 years in residential applications, laminates are certainly a fantastic option for the home. Just Hardwood Floors is fortunate to have Quick-Step in our range of products which boasts the Uni-clic locking system and is internationally recognised as being a brand and product leader. Please note : Laminate flooring CANNOT be resanded and coated. Should you damage your laminate floor, board replacement is always an option.
This is only used for prefinished or engineered timber flooring and laminate flooring. It is where you lay the flooring onto a 2mm thick underlay over an existing subfloor – e.g. concrete, chipboard, tiles, cork or existing T&G. It locks together and is held in place by skirtings, transition bars, furniture etc.
This is purely down to personal preference and choice. Both finishes are a durable and easy surface to live on if cared for properly. An oiled floor has a very natural look to it. It has its own lustre but less sheen, and requires regular maintenance coats to maintain the oil level in the timber. Oiled floors only need to be ‘topped up’ with oil – time frames vary between brands. Polyurethanes come in either solvent based (moisture cured) or waterborne and are available in whichever sheen level you prefer – gloss/satin/matt. A polyurethaned floor is usually considered easier to maintain as it coats the timber in a lacquer and only needs to be swept (or vacuumed), then wiped down. A polyurethaned floor will need to be re-sanded and coated over time. Polyurethaned floors are more suitable for ‘wet’ areas, as it forms a barrier against any water spilled. However, this does not mean that the floor is waterproof or watertight.
We are now spoiled for choice when it comes to choosing a floor covering. The price of both solid timber and engineered flooring products depends on many variables including timber type, installation method, subfloor condition, subfloor and finish. A floated engineered 3-strip floor will work out less costly than a glue-fixed, plank engineered floor, but more exotic timber species can prove very costly whether it is an engineered product or a solid timber floor.
This is entirely up to you and the look you are wanting to achieve with your floor. If you like the traditional rich and golden tones, then a solvent based, moisture cured polyurethane is the way to go. But if you prefer a more natural look, then a waterborne polyurethane or oil finish is for you. This is definitely a decision that is entirely down to personal choice.
This depends entirely on the size of the area, how intricate the installation is, what subfloor preparation is required and what finish you are looking at. As a time indication, a 30m² area of timber flooring will require subfloor preparation on the first day (depending on the subfloor), then 1 day to install the timber and 3 days to sand and finish. Please note that polyurethane requires time to finish curing, so we do not recommend walking on a newly finished floor for at least 48 hours after the final coat, and then only in CLEAN dry socks (not socks fresh out of shoes), for another 48 hours. It takes a full 7 days for a floor to finish curing so it is very important to place furniture and not drag it, and not put down floor rugs until the full 7 days have passed.
This varies from application to application. Some floors last for more than 10 years before a resand and coat is required, while others may only last for about 5 years due to many, many different factors. If your floor is damaged from being used as a dance floor, a soccer field, a tennis court or just life in general, then you may consider having it sanded and coated after only a few years. We always recommend that we come and have a look at your floor so we can offer the best advice possible for your situation.
It is impossible to achieve a perfect final coat. There will ALWAYS be dust in the final coat, but generally this will ‘walk’ out of the coat within the first few weeks of living on a newly finished floor.

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