SCHOOL HALL FLOOR SANDING AND RESTORATION
Stuart Poppleton • June 2, 2016
Having your school hall floor sanded and restored can have a big impact on the overall feel of the hall and ultimately the school. The main hall is the hub of the school, the one place where the whole school meet on a regular basis and the stage for a variety of school events such as school plays, harvests, musical performances and discos, and a well maintained floor should be the centre piece of the hall. Forrest Flooring have many years of experience in restoring and maintaining school floors and we still get pleasure out of seeing the final result and the amazement of the staff at the transformation. So many school hall floors are left neglected or have the wrong maintenance regime leaving them looking untidy or dark and depressing, but no matter how bad the floor looks, with a bit of work we can always get it looking beautiful again.
There are a variety of different types of floor for a school hall but they are nearly always wooden. The most common type of wood floor for a hall is parquet, parquet flooring can be laid in a number of patterns with the most popular being ‘herringbone’ so called because the blocks are laid diagonal to each other like the bones of a fish. Another popular pattern is ‘basket weave’ where the blocks are laid in rows of 3-5 in one direction then 3-5 at a 90 degree angle creating ‘baskets’.
If the hall floor is not a parquet floor then it will be a wood strip floor which will likely be laid on battens to give a bit of bounce. The most popular type of wood strip flooring is 57mm maple or more recently beech is used, both maple and beech have good flexing qualities so they do not break very easily on impact.
Whichever type of floor you have our school floor sanding process is pretty much the same. We may have to remove 20 years of floor varnish or the top layer of damaged wood, but once we get down to the clean untouched timber it is just a case of smoothing the floor off by repeating the sanding process with finer sand paper. Once the floor is clean and smooth it is ready for the final finish to be applied. For school hall floor restorations we use very hard wearing floor lacquers, the two most common lacquers are Bona Traffic HD and Junckers HP Commercial. Both of these floor lacquers are 2 component water based polyurethane seals and are designed to take a lot of traffic making them ideal for schools.
Once the school hall floor restoration is complete it is recommended to set up a good maintenance regime. We recommend having the floor resealed every 1-2 years depending on the amount of use the floor gets. Secondary schools that have lots of after school activities or lettings will likely need the hall resealed yearly but primary schools might only need resealing every 2 years. School floor maintenance is important as it reduces the need for sanding, if the reseals are completed at the right time then the floor should only need sanding approximately every 10 years. Reseals are a fraction of the price of a full sand and seal and can be completed in 2 days, using this regime also means the floor will always look good.
So why use Forrest Flooring
- Bona certified contractors
- Experienced professional staff
- Full public liability insurance
- Dust free sanding service
- Professional commercial seals used
- Aftercare advice given
If you have a school hall floor in need of some attention get in contact and we will arrange a no obligation site visit where we can advise you on the best treatment for you floor.
Located in Bromley, this beautiful high end Turkish restaurant recently undertook some refurbishment work. Forrest Flooring where tasked with transforming the tired and worn oak floor into something modern, stylish and durable. The floor was sanded back to bare wood before being stained with Bona Craft Oil 2K. To achieve the desired colour, we mixed Craft Oil Clay with Craft Oil Lava. The result was a nice warm, rich dark tone which perfectly complemented the stylish décor. Finaly the floor has been finished with 3 coats of Bona Traffic HD Satin, which enhances the colour and offers the best protection for the busy restaurant.
Forrest Flooring have recently fully renovated the floor at the prestigious Claridges Bar in Mayfair, London. As you can imagine anything other than complete perfection on the finish for the David Collins art deco inspired interior would not do. Needless to say we matched up to the challenge and have since been back to restore many of the £1000 plus per night rooms, including the famous Brook Penthouse Suite. Our unique ‘dust free’ floor sanding process was one of the many reasons Claridges decided to use our service. Although we took care to cover the expensive fixtures and fittings, the fact that there was no need for a big clean-up operation once we were finished ensured the minimum amount of time the bar needed to be closed. We also used the premium, hard wearing Bona Traffic HD for the finish which is fully cured in 12 hours, meaning they could open to the public the following day. Minimal disruption to the paying guests is understandably of up most importance to an establishment like Claridges, again they were very impressed with our professionalism. The floor was looking quite distressed when we arrived with a number of very deep scratches that the managers where particularly concerned about. We assured them that they could be sanded out as we remove deep scratches regularly; clients are often surprised by this. Once the premium grade French oak was sanded and smoothed we applied Bona Prime Classic followed by 3 coats of Bona Traffic HD, giving the floor a new lease of life, enhancing the beautiful interior. Not surprisingly we used the opportunity to take lots of pictures.
For one of our recent projects, we were contacted by a high end art gallery in Mayfair. They had previously had the floor restored 8 years ago and it was in pretty bad condition. Due to the fact the gallery is constantly displaying exhibitions by some of the worlds most renowned artists, there is little opportunity to have the floor maintained. Their previous experience of floor restoration was not a very good one, and had left them with a big clean up operation to deal with the amount of dust created. I reassured them that this would not happen this time with our dust free machinery, and they were not disappointed. The previous company had also not finished the floor to our high standards, leaving the floor full of dips, gouges and scratches from their machinery. So the client was very happy with our exceptionally smooth finish. We had a limited time to complete the work so worked through the night to finish the 100 square meter oak floor in 48 hours. After all the damage was sanded out and a smooth finish achieved, the floor was sealed with 2 coats of Osmo PolyX Hard Waxoil leaving us with another very happy customer. As you can see the white backdrop and exhibition lighting made for some great pictures.
Many properties require a floor sanding service in Hitchin, Hertfordshire for a variety of different types of wood flooring. Forrest Flooring have been floor sanding in Hitchin and the surrounding areas for many years. Here is a brief description of one of our recent floor sanding Hitchin projects. The client had recently taken on the redecoration of a bedroom and they contacted me for advice on their flooring options. The bedroom had been carpeted for many years but the client wanted wood flooring to give the room a fresher feel. We removed the old carpet and found the original pine floor boards to be in fairly good condition. We could have covered the pine boards with a fitted wood flooring option, but a less expensive and more environmentally friendly option was for wood floor restoration in Hitchin. It works out less expensive as the materials are already there and just need some attention. We started off by fixing down any loose boards and making good any damaged boards caused by plumbers and electricians. Then as with all floor sanding Hitchin projects we punched down all the nail heads to ensure the best final result. Then using our dust free floor sanding service, we sanded off the surface to ensure the floor was clean and level, after this we spend some time making the boards nice and smooth. Then we proceeded to fill the gaps with an epoxy resin mixed with the fine sanding dust off the floor, not all our floor sanding Hitchin projects have the gaps filled as it depends on the overall look you want to achieve. After the gaps have been filled and allowed to dry, we lightly sand the floor again to remove any excess filler. For this particular floor restoration in Hitchin, the client did not want to stain the floor and wanted the lighter natural look. Finally we needed to apply the final finish to the floor, there are a number of different options available and we would advise differently depending on the environment and desired look. For this particular floor sanding Hitchin project we opted for 3 coats of matt floor lacquer. We use floor lacquers from Bona Kemi as they give a superior finish and are very hard wearing. For this floor restoration in Hitchin the client was very pleased with the final outcome.
One question I have been asked time and again over the years working in the wood flooring industry is; can my old fitted wooden floor be sanded and refurbished? Many people have a wooden floor in their house that has been down for 6-10 years that is looking tired, dull, has scratches or stains in and has definitely seen better days. Most people know that parquet floors or original floor boards can be sanded back to make a lovely finished floor, but what to do with a fitted wooden floor is a bit more confusing. Well hopefully this little guide can shed some light on the problem. Firstly you need to determine what type of floor you have, and most importantly that it is wood. If your floor is a wood effect laminate then I’m afraid the only option is to replace it. Laminate flooring comes in varying degree of quality, but most of the time it is essentially a wood effect print stuck to either an MDF or plywood board with a lacquer on top, sanding it would only sand off the print and ruin the floor. Also be sure that your floor is not a wood effect vinyl, they have become very popular in recent years because of their seemingly low maintenance qualities, they are very easy to clean but once they are looking old and dull or scratched, unfortunately the only option is to replace. There are two types of fitted wooden flooring; engineered and solid wood flooring and the good news is, both can be sanded and refurbished to look as new as the day they were fitted. Engineered wooden flooring can sometimes be mistaken for laminate as it has a similar construction. Engineered wood flooring has a thin layer of real wood, usually between 3-8 mm bonded to a base of either MDF or ply board, because of its construction and that it is fitted together with a tongue and groove, it also stays very flat. This means if sanded correctly you should only have to sand off less than a millimetre, so the floor can usually be sanded up to 3 times. If your floor is solid wood flooring it will have a very similar appearance of engineered on the surface, but it will be constructed entirely of one piece of wood from the surface to the base. Solid wood flooring is more expensive to make and will inventively cost more to buy, but in my opinion it is not as good a product as engineered as it is more prone to warping. Never the less and most importantly it can be sanded and refurbished many times, depending in the construction there is usually between 7-10 mm above the tongue and groove and as long as you don’t sand down to this the floor will be fine. Engineered and solid wood flooring can be fitted in a number of ways usually determined by the type of sub-floor. If the flooring is fitted directly onto the floor joists, then it will probably be secret nailed. A floor nailer is used to drive a nail just above the tongue and into the joist, this creates a very solid floor and will feel like original floor boards. This method is also sometimes used on a chipboard subfloor. If the flooring is to be fitted to a concrete or screeded sub-base then the floor may be glued down, again this creates a very solid and acoustically sound floor as there is no void between the wood and base. Lastly and more commonly nowadays because of ease and speed, you could have a floating floor, an underlay is laid down and the boards are joined together on the tongue and groove either by a click system similar to laminate or by glue. The weight of the floor and the fact that it is fitted from wall to wall means it cannot move anywhere. If you have a floating floor you will likely be able to notice a very slight spring in the floor when walked on. Luckily in all situations the floor can be sanded the same. Here are some pointers to help you work out what type of flooring you have. Firstly check if you had any of the boards left over when the floor was fitted, quite often the fitter will advise to keep some of the left over flooring in the loft in case you need to repair a section. Or you could find an area of the floor where you can see the edge, possibly pulling up a door threshold, air vent or a small piece of scotia or skirting board. By doing this you should be able to tell from the construction what type of floor it is. So hopefully this will help you decide if your floor can be sanded and refurbished or if it is time to replace it. If you are still unsure then any experienced wood flooring contractor should be able to help you, here at Forrest Flooring we offer free no obligation quotes to everyone.
At Forrest Flooring we offer a dust free floor sanding service. We use the Bona sanding system which is renowned in the industry as being of the highest standard. Most floor sanders come with a cloth bag which collects the dust, but finer dust can escape also not all of the dust is collected as a small amount will stay on the floor and end up airborne. With the Bona System we attach the Bona DCS to the Bona Belt Sander, Bona Edger or Bona Buffer creating a complete dust free sanding service. The Bona DCS is a unique powerful dust extractor designed specifically for floor sanding, we attach the hose to the belt sander and the DCS collects 99.8% of the dust into the completely sealed unit. This means there is no need to seal off the area, no need to clear shelves, no need to remove pictures and most importantly it is much better for your health! At Forrest Flooring we find that a lot of customers are put off of having there floors sanded because of a fear that there will be lots of dust and mess. This is true of inferior machinery or inexperienced tradesmen, but with our unique dust free floor sanding service there really is no need to worry. If you are considering having your wood floor sanding then call or email for a free no obligation quote.
Forrest Flooring are a floor sanding company in Stevenage, Hertfordshire but we serve all the surrounding areas including Welwyn Garden City. Welwyn Garden City is a new town like Stevenage and the types of property are very similar. There has always been a higher demand for floor sanding in Hitchin and Hertford because of the older properties, but the demand for the restoration of pine floor boards in modern houses is on the increase. Pine floor sanding in Welwyn Garden City is more popular than ever, as the trend for carpets is on the incline. Laminate flooring has had its day and customers want something with a natural look and feel, so floor sanding in Welwyn Garden City is an excellent alternative. The techniques and machinery used by a professional floor sanding company in Welwyn Garden City and the surrounding areas has come on leaps and bounds in recent years. Forrest Flooring have invested in the latest dust free floor sanding machinery, so having your floors sanded no longer means having a house full of dust, all the dust is extracted in our top of the range dust extraction units from Bona, the world leaders in the production of floor sanding machinery and products in the world. The increase of the popularity for a floor sanding service in Welwyn Garden City and the surrounding areas means we have been able to dedicate our time to floor sanding and the final result is always amazing, this popularity also means that the products available to finish a floor are also better than ever. As you can see from the before and after pictures, pine floor sanding in Welwyn can really create a durable, low maintenance attractive floor. We can also stain the floor in a variety of colours to match any décor. Staining pine floorboards after floor sanding in Welwyn is very popular as the colour of a sanded pine floor is not always to everyone’s taste. There are also a variety of properties in Welwyn with more traditional flooring such as parquet that we can refurbish to a beautiful standard. Reasons for a floor sanding service in Welwyn Garden City; Restoring floor boards costs less than having a fitted wood floor Restoring original boards is more environmentally friendly Refurbishing original floors has a more natural feel and look We now offer a dust free floor sanding service in Welwyn Garden City Floor sanding in Welwyn can give a fresh feel to a room Forrest Flooring offer free no obligation quotes in Welwyn Garden City and the surrounding areas.
As with most Victorian towns and cities, there is a big demand for floor sanding in St. Albans. The vast range of Victorian houses in the city means there is also a vast range of Victorian floors from Victorian Pine to a variety of parquet floors. Forrest Flooring have taken on many floor sanding projects in and around the city of St. Albans using our unique dust free floor sanding service, ranging from schools and community centres to domestic properties. If you have a wooden floor in need of some attention then we can visit you at your convenience to advise you on the best service for your floor. With Forrest Flooring all our quotes are no obligation and completely free of charge, we will use our experience and your needs to decide what is best for you and your wood floor. With our St. Albans floor sanding service we can carefully romove the top surface of the floor to remove any old seal and scratches, from there we can stain, oil or lacquer the floor leaving you with the perfect high end finish that’s right for you. So if you’re in need of floor sanding St. Albans service then why not give us a try.
Here here is an example of a floor sanding project of a wood floor restoration project in Hitchin,Hertfordshire. The original enquiry was to have a new wood floor fitted to create a modern fresh feel to the room. I noticed that there where pine floorboards under the carpet and suggested the possibility of refurbishing them. The cost of having the pine floorboards refurbished is less than half the price of having a new floor fitted, so naturally the client was happy to go ahead with the floor sanding. The popularity of wood floor restoration in Hitchin is growing as people are becoming more aware that they have a perfectly solid floor under their old carpets and restoring pine floorboards is not only cheaper than a new wooden floor, it is also more environmentally friendly. Pine floorboard restoration in Hitchin also creates a fresh Nordic feel. The client was so pleased with the result of the wood floor restoration that we are just about to start work on the room number 4 in this Hitchin property. So to sum it up, Wood floor restoration Hitchin is not only cheaper than having a new floor fitted, it has been proven to create a modern fresh look that is hardwearing and easy to maintain. If you feel you may be in need of wood floor restoration in Hitchin or anywhere in Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire or London, get in touch for a free no obligation Quote
The demand for parquet floor restoration is increasing all the time. Many parquet floors have been carpeted over in the past, but our floor sanding techniques and modern machinery mean we can achieve amazing things no matter how bad the floor may look to begin with. This parquet floor in Hertford was in pretty bad condition, the client had considered having it restored in the past but didn’t think it was possible to get it looking as good as she wanted so always decided against it. The thing she didn’t like the most was the large gaps between the blocks and thought this was the way it had to be, but filling the gaps is a simple process and something we do as standard with every parquet floor. Once I reassured her of this shed decided to go ahead and have the work done, needless to say as you can see from the pictures, she was delighted with the result. The first thing we had to do was sand the blocks with a rough grit sanding belt to level the floor and remove all the old seal and engrained dirt. Then it was a case of repeating the process two more times with a slightly lighter grade of sand paper each time to gradually smooth off the floor. Once we get to this stage we use the nice clean fine dust from the last sand we just finished and mix it with an epoxy resin, we then work the mixture into the gaps with a trowel (hard work but worth it!). When the mixture is dry we sand over the floor again with a finer paper and remove any excess resin and dust mixture, as the mixture is made from the dust off the floor it will have an exact colour match. Now it is a case of getting the floor to be as smooth as possible and this has to be done with a buffing machine, the circular motion is much easier on the floor and will start to polish the surface. Finishing with a circular motion is imperative on a parquet floor as the grain of the blocks runs in different directions, so it is impossible run in the direction of the grain with the belt sander. Once the floor is nice and smooth and all the scratch marks are gone we can finish the floor with our desired products. For this parquet floor in Hertford we decided to use 1 coat of Bona Prime Classic and two coats of Bona Mega Matt. The matt lacquer gives a nice natural finish to the floor and in my opinion works very well with light woods such as pine and oak. The house now has a much lighter airy feel, is easier to clean and the client is very happy.