FAQs

A typical room takes one to two days, including finishing. Bigger floors and any repairs take a little longer, and we confirm the timeline with your fixed quote.

Very little. Our dust-free sanding systems capture around 99% of dust at source, so there is almost nothing to clean afterwards. We also sheet off doorways and protect adjoining rooms before we start.

Yes — every job starts with a free survey and a fixed written quote. The price on the quote is the price you pay, unless you ask us to add extra work. You can book a survey online in a couple of minutes.

Yes, we carry £5m public liability insurance. We can send certificates on request, which schools, churches and landlords often need before work starts.

Every floor restoration is covered by our 3-month service guarantee. If something is not right with our workmanship during those three months, we come back and put it right. Gap filling is excluded, because wooden floors move with the seasons — see our service guarantee for the full terms.

Not at all. We work room by room, and most customers stay at home throughout. Our water-based lacquers and low-VOC oils have only a mild smell, so day-to-day life carries on.

You can usually walk on the floor in socks after a few hours. Furniture can go back after 24–48 hours, and rugs after about a week while the finish fully cures.

We are based in Barnet and cover the town and surrounding areas. If you are just outside the area, get in touch — we are often happy to travel for larger jobs.

Because the blocks run in different directions, we use a multi-direction sanding sequence. A final pass with a fine-grit buffer removes swirl marks and leaves a flat, smooth surface.

Many older parquet floors were laid on bitumen adhesive. It does not stop us restoring the floor, but loose blocks need cleaning back and re-fixing with a compatible adhesive. We check this during the survey and include it in the quote.

Smaller gaps are filled with resin mixed with fine sanding dust, so the colour matches. Wider gaps get thin pine slivers glued in and sanded flush. Our gap filling guide compares the two.

Gap filling is excluded from our service guarantee. Wooden floors expand and shrink with the seasons and with movement in the building, which can open small cracks in the filler. We use the most suitable method for your floor to keep this to a minimum.

Yes, noticeably. Gaps between floorboards let draughts rise from under the floor. Filling them makes rooms feel warmer and stops dirt collecting between boards.

We do. After sanding we apply test patches on your timber so you can see how each shade looks in the room before we commit. Find out more about our staining service.

Oak, pine and other woods all react to stain in their own way. A colour that looks warm on a card can turn out much darker on pine, so testing on the sanded floor is the only reliable way to choose.

Yes — we strip paint and old varnish from treads, risers and spindles. Sanding stairs is detailed hand work, and we finish them with a hard-wearing lacquer or oil. See stairs stripping and restoration.

Usually, yes. We finish alternate treads so you can still get up and down, then complete the rest once the first coats are dry. We agree the plan with you before we start.

A standard staircase usually takes two to three days. Lots of paint layers or turned balusters can add a little time, which we include in your quote.

We regularly work during holidays, evenings and weekends. Large halls are often completed within a week, so disruption is kept to a minimum.

Yes. After sanding we apply a slip-resistant sports lacquer and can repaint court markings for badminton, netball and other games between coats so they are sealed in. Read more about our school floor restoration.

Yes — we supply RAMS and insurance certificates for every commercial or public project. Our team is used to working on occupied sites with strict safety rules.

Office floors can be done out of hours or in phases. Our dust-free machines and water-based lacquers mean minimal disruption to your team.

Yes — we restore halls, churches and community spaces, often around services and bookings. We treat older floors with care and choose finishes suited to heavy public use. See churches and community halls.

The cost depends on the size of the floor, its condition and the finish. Our price list shows typical starting prices, and the free survey gives you a fixed written quote.

For many jobs, yes. Photos of the floor plus rough measurements let us give a guide price within a working day. We confirm it with a short visit before work starts, so the final quote is fixed.

Oil soaks into the timber for a natural look and is easy to spot-repair. Water-based lacquer sits on top as a hard-wearing film that copes well with spills and busy households. We will help you choose at the survey — or read our guide to oil and lacquer.

Yes. We use low-VOC oils and water-based lacquers that are safe for children and pets once fully dry. Keep pets off the floor for the first 24 hours, and keep claws trimmed to help the finish last.

Oiled floors normally get two coats, and lacquered floors three. Busy hallways and commercial floors can have an extra coat for added protection.

Usually, if the wear layer is at least 3 mm thick. We check the thickness during the free survey, often by lifting a threshold strip or a floor vent. Our engineered floor guide explains more.

A solid wood floor can be sanded many times over its life. Each sand removes only a very thin layer when done properly, which is why period floors are still going strong after a century.

In nearly every case, yes. We re-glue loose blocks, replace missing ones with matched or reclaimed timber, then sand and finish the whole floor so the repairs disappear. Find out more about parquet floor repairs.

Usually, yes. Period pine boards sand up beautifully. We punch down nails, replace split boards and sand back to fresh timber. Read our guide to Victorian floorboards for the full process.

Empty the room where possible and take down curtains that reach the floor. If you need help with heavy pieces, let us know when booking. Our guide to preparing your home has more tips.

A normal plug socket and parking close by is all we need. Everything runs from your normal sockets, and we bring all tools, materials and dust sheets.

Usually, yes. We clean, sand and treat the boards with a UV-resistant decking oil that brings back the colour and reduces slipperiness. See our decking restoration service.

Late spring to early autumn is ideal. The timber needs a few dry days so the oil can soak in properly. Our guide to decking after winter explains how to prepare.

Once a year is a good rule of thumb. Decks in strong sun or under trees may need it sooner. Regular oiling stops the wood drying out and greying.

Yes — we replace rotten or split boards before sanding. Replacement boards are matched as closely as possible once the whole deck is oiled.

We match the species, width and age of your boards wherever possible. Once the floor is sanded and finished, repairs are very hard to spot. Learn more about wood floor repairs.

Squeaks usually come from loose boards rubbing against nails or joists. We re-secure boards with screws and fix any loose noggins below. Read about why floors squeak.

Often, yes. Light marks often sand away, while badly swollen or stained boards are replaced and blended in. The floor must be fully dry first, so we may check moisture levels before starting.

When wear is only in the finish, a deep clean and fresh coat can bring it back. It is quicker and cheaper than sanding and keeps the floor protected. See re-oiling.

Most homes re-oil high-traffic rooms every 12–24 months. Quieter rooms can go much longer. Our maintenance guide helps you judge.

Yes, if the scratches are only in the lacquer. We screen the surface, clean it and apply a new coat of lacquer, giving back an even, protective finish without a full sand.

Use a soft brush or vacuum, then a barely damp mop with a wood floor soap. Avoid steam mops and bleach or multi-surface sprays. Read our care guide for a simple routine.