It will be fair to say that not everyone has a wooden plank floor that evokes associations with old Khrushchev houses. It is rare to find it in modern fashionable apartments and houses today, however, in many styles, such as loft, country, Provence, Scandinavian, Japanese, bungalow, pop-art, etc., it is quite organic and today it is included in the trend despite its considerable price. .
The need to maintain a wooden floor is often seen as a disadvantage of all natural wood floors, including also parquet, tarquet, or parquet board. But few people stop and point out what kind of care it is and why is everyone so afraid of it? Here we will look at the three most popular types of natural wood floor care. A new wooden floor is usually sanded, tinted and treated with wood protective coatings. As a rule, the choice is: a) varnishes, b) oil impregnations, c) paints on various bases, water, oil, alkyd, etc.
1) Maintenance of lacquered wooden floors.
Working with modern acrylic water-based varnishes is no longer associated with harmful fumes and can be carried out with any frequency and regularity. However, water-based acrylic and polyurethane varnishes are quite durable and wear-resistant, and some of their types are superior in this regard even to alkyd ones. Therefore, they are usually updated every 10-15 years. Water-based varnishes dry quickly and practically do not leave the border of the treated and untreated surface. It is these varnishes that can be partially renewed, only on the worn part of the surface, where chairs often move or there is constant active movement.
Water-based varnishes have a low odor and dry very quickly. It is enough to clean the surface of dust and do wet cleaning by degreasing the floor, and you can update it. Re-grinding is only necessary if the abrasion depth is significant. Here we note that although the plank floor is made of less dense coniferous wood than, for example, oak parquet, but wear-resistant varnish perfectly levels this difference. In addition, the boards are much thicker than parquet and parquet boards, so grinding can be done more times. Given that affordable parquet is very thin, it is recommended to grind it up to 3-5 times. Even if this is done once every 10 years, and no one does this so often, then this is 30 - 50 years, compared to parquet, this resource is 3-5 times more for a plank floor.
2) Caring for wooden floors impregnated with oil.
Impregnation of wood with oil is the oldest way to preserve wood from varying degrees of decomposition. Its advantage is that the oil penetrates deeper into the wood than an aqueous solution, does not form a protective film, but gives the wood itself water-repellent and wear-resistant properties. In the middle of the 20th century, the rubbing of wooden floors with a special oil-based mastic was widespread. Such rubbing was done 2-3 times a year, and was really labor-intensive. It was this care of wooden floors that left an unpleasant aftertaste for many.
However, modern floor oils have been improved with special alkyd components, which give the wood a significant wear resistance slightly inferior to varnishes. Unlike varnishes, floor oils do not form a polymer film and the wood retains the ability to vaporize. This allows moisture to slowly leave the wood without damaging the protective coating. The oil coating does not peel off over time and it is not necessary to grind it before updating. Updating can be done by washing off dust and dirt from the floor and degreasing it. Surface renewal can also be carried out partially, oil perfectly hides scratches and abrasion marks, restoration work can be carried out without special preparation with only rags and a wetting container in hand.
It is easier to work with oil than with varnish or paint, it does not leave stains or brush marks, the remaining oil is simply wiped off. Also, the oil almost does not raise the pile. The disadvantage of floor oil is a long drying time and a specific smell, which, although it is natural and absolutely harmless, can disappear for several weeks. It does not cause allergies in people even prone to it, but not everyone is loyal to him. However, the oil is ideal for wooden furniture, and wooden floors in kitchens, because it is not afraid of greasy stains, and in living rooms, where the level of wear is not so high and it has an exceptional ecological natural origin.
3) Caring for a wooden floor covered with paints - secrets and tricks
Wooden floors acquire deep traces of use over time, which are more and more difficult to hide without restoration. In addition, sometimes the design and style provides for an opaque color coating, for example, in the Provence or Pop Art style. Unfortunately, it is not always possible to achieve such an effect with tinted oil or varnish that have a transparent base. It is in such cases that wear-resistant covering paints for wood are used. (eg WoodWax PRO).
Paints, although they have a good degree of wear resistance, are significantly inferior in this to varnishes and floor oils with alkyd additives. Therefore, we advise you to choose this option only in special cases, when others are definitely not suitable. Acrylic-based paints form a strong elastic film, it does not turn yellow over time and can last more than 10 years in a dry residential area, however, their guaranteed service life is about 5 years and they are used for floors, for example, in combination with acrylic or polyurethane varnishes that cover the top finish layer. Works of this kind require the experience and skill of restoration work, and are first carried out on a test surface.
To update, it is necessary to carry out work on the entire working plane, since the old, burnt and fresh paint layer may differ in shade. Acrylic paints, like varnishes, are practically odorless, they are easy to apply and rub into a wooden surface and dry quickly. Painting the floor in an unexpected color brings aesthetic satisfaction to many and creates a special designer wow effect. If this is exactly what you need then this option is for you, but it's worth weighing the pros and cons.
The company Bionic House has in its arsenal a wide range of various products for the treatment of wooden floors, please contact us, we will tell you about the entire range, because we have plenty to choose from for every taste.