Stairs Restoration
Our Service Journey
Most people will most likely overlook potential for restoration that their houses’ staircases have. Restored wooden staircase can really be a very important feature of your interior. With our vast experience in wooden stairs restoration we can help you bring out the full potential of your wooden stairs.
Stairs Stripping
Ever since I was a child, wooden flooring was in my life somewhere in the background. My father was a parquet fitting specialist. Many times I had a chance to see him work, preparing the parquet layout, cutting wood blocks, laying them and finishing. Although he was following predefined patterns and rules when fitting parquet floors, he had to use his experience to make certain design decisions in order to make the pattern to work in a particular space no matter how odd the room was.
This inspired me to start working in the wood flooring trade. This unique profession combines work you would expect from a construction – related trade and design work. And it’s not only about floor colour or what kind of finish is to be applied. It is about the actual floor restoration, picking which plank is to restored and which is not good enough anymore, deciding how to repair damaged floor area, changing colour of the floor t0 make it look completely different.
Unlike my father, I decided to work on all kinds of wooden flooring. I always follow a non-standard approach to any interior work. Wherever I looked I was always trying see to room for improvement or alternative way of approaching a problem. To me every flooring job is a different story. Since there are no two planks of wood that would age the same way in the same conditions, no two jobs are identical.
When I first started working in my own business, I was surprised to discover that most companies in wood floor restoration trade offered their customers very little in terms of up to date floor finished and interesting texturing techniques. Many clients and even interior designers are simply not aware of what can be done with wooden floors and possibilities are endless. I decided it was my mission to go far beyond what anyone else could offer and to exceed my clients’ expectations. We currently offer our services to clients across UK and abroad, creating unique flooring projects.
Stairs Sanding
Once all elements are finally stripped and denailed, we can proceed with sanding the stairs down to expose original wood.
At this crucial stage dust extraction is our priority. All our sanding machines extract dust as a standalone piece of equipment. Smaller power tools are hooked up to external dust extractor to make sure that every stage of sanding is as clean as possible.
In pronciple, stairs sanding process is similar to what we do on floors. We start with the most abrasive sandpaper grit and work our way through finer and finer grits until the surface is smooth and free of any marks.
Stairs Staining
Just like with wooden floors, wooden stairs can be stained to completely change their appearance.
When planning your new interior, you are not limited in terms of wood colour anymore. Wood colour is dictated by wood species, but by applying wood stain, we can change it to any other wood-like colour you wish to achieve. We are still retaining original appearance. All details of wood grain, including growth rings and knots will still be visible regardless of which colour you decide to go ahead with.
Stairs staining is a great solution when you would like to retain your original stairs but the wood does not play very well with rest of your design. Wood staining also helps when you have newer floors in your property and you would like to match original stairs to it. Wooden stairs restoration in general is a great way to modernise your property while still keeping these key original features, that determine real value and quality of your house.
Stairs Sealing
At The Old Flooring Company, we understand that the restoration of wooden stairs is not complete without the application of a protective sealant. To ensure your stairs stand the test of time, it’s crucial to choose the right wood finish. We offer two main options: varnishing and oiling.
Floor varnish is a highly recommended choice for its low maintenance and ease of use. Once applied, it requires minimal attention. Over time, as the varnish wears off due to years of usage, it can be sanded down to bare wood and re-applied. Today’s varnishes are far superior to their traditional counterparts. They are polyurethane-based and water-based, providing a natural wood appearance with a low shine. Gone are the days of orange, glossy varnishes. Most modern and newly purchased floors are sealed with varnish for their aesthetic appeal and ease of care.
Alternatively, we offer hard wax oil as another option for your wooden stairs. It’s important to note that there is a lot of misinformation surrounding oil-related floor finishes. While some recommend waxes or various oils, these products are more suitable for furniture and decorative wood. Only hard wax oil is specifically formulated to withstand heavy foot traffic for years. However, it still requires reapplication every couple of years to prevent wear and maintain its protective qualities.
If you’re interested in learning more about our floor sealing service or have any further questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us.