Parquet floor sanding is a skilled job and one which requires attention to detail and a broad skill base to coax out the best of a wood floor restoration. Unlike regular flooring material including but not limited to brick, tiles or concrete screed, wood is softer and more susceptible to damage and/or staining if it isn't prepared and treated with the correct lacquering and sealant. Different wood reacts in different ways with different lacquering and protective media; wood such as beech, oak, ash, pine and mahogany all have different grain patterns and some are oily where others have no oil content as such.

These differences not only affect the way in which they clean up and smooth down during the sanding process, but also how they react to different protective media. Wood staining, gap filling and sealing with varnish, hard wax or oil are processes which are applied to the timber after the entire smoothing process has taken place. Unless the finish which is applied is compatible with the timber the end result will be nowhere near as impressive as it could be.

Combined with the less than impressive finish, the floor will in no way be protected as efficiently and effectively as it might be and this can result in the timber floor being more susceptible to damage from water and fluid spillage, as well as potential cracking and/or staining. Wooden floors will last a lifetime if they are sanded and prepared using the time honoured skills of the artisan; unlike other types of flooring materials, wood is a living breathing material and one which will deepen in colour and richness of texture over time.

Obtaining the longest possible lifecycle form a wooden floor means the preparation has to be expertly applied and indeed the material used has to be compatible with the timber, the grain and the absorption factor of the wood. Softer wood species will absorb more of the protective media than hard woods species and will require a thicker coat applied several times compared to that of a hard, tight grained wood.

There are so many potential things which can go wrong with a do it yourself floor sanding job, and although at the time of the work it appears to be okay it is later the issues will start to crop up. Cracking, flaking and/or fading are just a few examples of what can happen to the protective coating, the timber and/or the jointing material used.

Parquet floor sanding or any form of wood floor restoration work is best left to an expert, one who understands wood and how it responds to treatment, and of course offers a service which is fully insured should anything go awry. For more information and to obtain an expert service log on to the website of Flooring First, the address of which is http://flooringfirst.co.uk