Finishing and caring for your flooring

Finishing the parquet
THE natural resistance of chestnut means there is no need to treat the floor with insecticide or fungicide once laid.

If natural flooring is laid down then a light sanding with 120grit sandpaper should be done and then the desired finish applied.

Before varnishing a sealing treatment should be applied; if a wax finish is desired again a sealing treatment should be used first; or two coats of light oil can be applied.

Using a clear finish of any of the treatments will accentuate any knots, or features in the wood, giving an authentic rustic look.

Ongoing care
On no account should ammonia based products, silicone or abrasive treatments be used.

The simple passing of a vacuum cleaner and damp mop is the best method.

Periodic re-treatment can be used, for example, a polish can be applied to varnished floors to restore any lost sparkle.

For waxed floors an occasional re-application of wax and polish will suffice, for oiled floors a top-up coat and polish will bring back a shine.

Renovation
After a number of years’ use it is possible to sand back to the underlying wood should a change in finish be desired.

Using an industrial sander, often available to hire, the top surface can be removed allowing the application of a new finish, or the re-application of the existing style.