Park Avenue Floors – FAQ’s

  • WHAT TO EXPECT

    • That works will be finished to a professional standard
    • Floor finishes we use are guaranteed to be of high standard
    • Nail holes, knot holes and gaps at the end of boards will require filling with an appropriate timber putty
    • Some variation in colour and grain between new and old boards
    • Timber floors will expand and contract according to the environment
    • Floor movement is quite normal
    • Some lighting, particularly down lights will produce a visible, fine, circular scratched effect on the floor – high gloss finishes tend to accentuate this. *There are new downlights available that reduce this.
    • Slight markings on skirting boards from contact with edger machine
    • Any silicone or silicone based products such as hair spray, fly spray, or ironing aids, and some cleaning agents may cause rejection with any subsequent recoats
  • WHAT NOT TO EXPECT

    • Do not expect a completely dust free finish – there will always be some dust particles in the air which may settle on the wet coating and they will walk off quite quickly in traffic areas
    • Do not expect the removal of deep cuts such as those from carpet trimming knives or deep gauges in boards
    • Do not expect removal of all stains – animal urine stains and deep water marks are often impossible to remove
    • Do not expect gaps to be filled between boards as subsequent shrinkage and expansion in the timber will usually cause cracking in the filler
    • Do not expect boards that have been damaged by borers or any other insects to have the same gloss level as those in good condition – the gloss level on affected boards will always be lower
    • Do not expect any area filed with putty to have the same feel after application of coatings

    Whilst the greatest of care is taken, some dust might be present due to the fine, talc like properties of sanded timber and polyurethanes.  The covering of furniture remains the responsibility of the home owner unless it is specifically noted on the quotation as required.


    If skirting and architraves have been recently painted, whilst all care is taken, it is impossible to guarantee they will not be marked or scratched.   Alternatively, if you plan to paint the skirting, we suggest you leave the final coat until after the flooring has been completed. 


    Removal of carpet, furniture, machinery, etc has not been allowed for, unless stated on quotation.


    All quotation prices are subject to all work being carried out during normal working hours.


    Clients will need to call the office the day before the job is booked, to confirm the start time.


    Park Avenue Floors pride ourselves on being punctual and contactable, but should the client be confined by time restraints, we advise the use of a key safe or contact the office to make alternative arrangements for a key.


    When sanding cork or dense timbers such as jarrah, a very fine dust is produced, so we advise that extra precautions are taken to cover furnishing, fittings, etc.


    When staining floors it is impossible to completely avoid minimal splashes to the skirtings.

FLOOR SANDING

  • How long will sanding our floor take?

    Obviously every floor sanding and polishing job is different because of this the time frame will depend on the size and complexity of the job.  Generally most floor polishing and sanding jobs will take between three to four days to complete.  If colouring(staining) or bleaching is happening than an additional 2 to 3 days will be needed.

  • Will there be fumes? And can I live at home while my floors are being sanded?

    Park Avenue Floors prides itself on using mostly low or no VOC products on your floor.


    (V.O.C. stands for Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) which is a large group of chemicals that are found in many products we use to build and maintain our homes. Once these chemicals are in our homes, they are released or “off-gas” into the indoor air we breathe.)

     

    So because of the products we use,  fumes will be minimised as much as possible.  Ideally we would love the house to ourselves, but in some circumstances this is just not possible.  If this is the case with you, we can do some clever scheduling to apply our coatings so that you can remain in your own home during the process

  • What floor finish should we use?

    Depending on the look you are wanting to achieve this answer can be varied.  If you are wanting to achieve a natural look than a hardwax oil might deliver the look you are wanting, in maybe a matt finish.   If you want something that has a nice satin look to it and that is resistant to scratches and tough, then a waterbased polyurethane that uses Ceramic Technologies might be the answer.

    If you want to stain your floor a completely different colour than we would suggest you go with a coloured oil stain base which is buffed into the timber,  with an overcoating of waterbased polyurethane.  All these things can be discussed with our inhouse specialists either over the phone or during your free quote home visit. 

  • What gloss levels are available?

    The main level of gloss you can expect from our range of products is Matte, Satin and Gloss.

           Most of the floors we are doing these days vary between Matt and Satin with Satin being the most popular choice.

  • What will I have to do to prepare the floor?

    Remove all the furniture and whatever floor coverings you are removing yourself.  You may wish to sweep or clean the floor prior to us starting.

          If you are unsure what to do, just call our office staff and they will be happy to discuss your options.  Also its a good idea to be sure that the power is onsite and available.

  • Once the job is completed, when can I move my furniture back?

    This is the amazing part.  We have finishes that are good to go 24 hours after final coat is applied.  Some of our other finishes need longer to cure, but if time is against you talk to us about it and we will steer you in the right direction.

  • Do you fill the gaps between floor boards?

    It is NOT recommended to fill the gaps between wooden floor boards because natural shrinking and expansion occurs within floor boards and if there is a filler in between these boards, they will eventually wriggle out and become a nuisance to you. 

            But in some instances such as parquetry, filling is part of the process. The options available to you are best discussed at the time of quotation as any extensive filling will be at a cost. 

            If a new floor has been installed properly there shouldn't be enough gap to warrant it being filled.

  • Can I paint prior to floor polishing?

    Yes absolutely you can paint.  We suggest that you leave the final coat off the skirting boards as if the paint is fresh it might bruise if we run our machines up close to it.  We have to get very close to the skirting and we have a special way of tilting our machines to minimise contact with the skirting, but just to be on the safe side we suggest you leave off the final coat.  All other painting is fine as most of our machines have high volume vacuums attached to keep dust to a minimum. 

  • What is the order that we should do our floors in?

    We should be one of the last things you do in your renovation journey.  Just before Carpet and after painting.  Unless you want to move in prior to doing the bulk of your renovations in which case we can suggest that you ask us about doing the floors first and covering the floor with a breathable/waterproof cover so that your floor will stay beautiful and covered while you do everything else in your renovation schedule.

  • Do you leave any rubbish behind?

    We take our rubbish away with us unless arranged with the clients prior to starting to have the use of a skip that may be onsite.

  • My wooden floors are stained and horrible. Should I just cover them over with new wood?

    Our customers are often surprised by how their old timber floors can be transformed into something stunning.  Yes, we've made people cry with how happy and surprised they are with our transformation.  Even if your floor has been damaged by time, timber borers and previous bad renovation we can salvage them with some floor board repairs, replacement and or staining.  Polishing the timber floors that you already have is often a cheaper and healthier option than carpet.  Have a look at some of our before and after photos in our gallery and judge for yourself if you would like to see our expertise applied to your floor.

  • Can stains be removed from timber floors?

    Park Avenue Floors has a reputation for working hard on stains and the majority of stains, with a little bit more hard work can be removed.  However a small number of stains are within the layers of the timber and are therefore impossible to remove.  Water stains where water has been let sit on a surface for years may not be able to be gotten out.  The other culprit is urine stains.  Remember too that we can only sand up to the point where it won't create a dip in the floor.  Our skilled trade people know when a stain can't be removed.

  • I have a lot of allergies, is it healthier for me to have floorboards than it is to have carpet?

    Timber floors have proven to be a healthier choice from allergies to asthma.  When obtaining your quote make sure to mention this to our staff.  We have products that have NO VOC'S which would be a good choice for your floor.

  • Is there much dust residue left behind from the sanding?

    Park Avenue Floors use modern floor sanding equipment with superior dust collection capabilities.  However there will always be a small amount of dust that gets away beyond our equipment.  Bare in mind that when we strip back old solvent based polyurethane that this sands off and looks very similar to fine talc powder.  When sanding a floor we are able to catch most of it, but if we are sanding a staircase with all the different angles, we require to use smaller hand held tools which are not always equipt with dust extraction.  When we are finished your job we will vacuum the dust that is left behind.   Obviously we encourage closing off rooms to other parts of the house will help to contain any dust that occurs. 

  • Do you subcontract out the work?

    The majority of our work is undertaken by the owner and operator of Park Avenue Floors.  However if you are in a hurry to get your job done and are not prepared to wait longterm for our main team, we may be able to arrange to have one of skilled sub contractor undertake your job.  Remember though that you still have the Park Avenue Floors quality guarantee and all of our jobs are quality tested and inspected by the owner of Park Avenue Floors. 

  • Can I organise to get my floors done during the school holidays?

    Yes many of our clients that plan ahead and organise the floor sanding and polishing to be done whilst they are away on holidays.  With this in mind, please don't leave it to the last minute to book as these times are often booked up well in advance.

  • Should I sand the timber floors before or after installing a new kitchen?

    The answer to that question is varied.  We often suggest to owners that once they have removed the old kitchen they give us a call and we will sand the area where the new kitchen will be installed, that way a completely flat floor is preferred by the kitchen installers. Sometimes we can even coat underneath where the dishwasher and fridge is being put so that you can put these appliances in place so that you don't have to mark the floor when putting your fridge or dishwasher back in its place.  And then when your kitchen is fully installed we can come back and sand and polish the area around the kitchen.  

  • How do I prepare an existing kitchen for sanding and polishing?

    Generally clients move their refrigerator out however not the dishwasher.  When we are quoting your floor make sure to ask our quoter what he thinks will be the better option for your kitchen.  In some kitchens the fridge is plumbed into the water system and it is not feasible to move it out.  Provided the fridge is in a snug cavity, we may not need to remove it to sand the floor.

  • Do you remove carpet, lino and other floor coverings?

    Carpet and floor covering removal can be organized prior to the start of your floor sanding and polishing job.  This will incur an extra fee.  If you are undertaking this yourself, ask our staff for the handy tips on how to approach this task more easily. Pulling up the coverings yourself will often save you a good deal of money.

  • Do you carry out repairs to timber floors?

    Yes.  We offer a range of timber floor repair services.  With our unique timber expertise we can remove and replace timbers and stagger timbers where necessary to the point where you will hardly be able to tell where the repair was made.  We are able to source replacement timbers from our supplier of older timbers of the same species that also helps to match in to your existing timbers.

  • Before our floors are sanded, what do we need to do?

    You will need to remove your furniture.  You may also need to remove vehicles from under the house if the floorboards are exposed underneath.  Some people choose to take down curtains, but often scooping them up into a large garbage bag to secure them away from the floor is an easier option. 

  • How do I know if my floors can be polished?

    Most timber floors can be polished.  Even if your floor only has a veneer of timber of 3 or 4 ml, we can sand these (provided they haven't been sanded too many times before)  The other thing we check for is if the floor is structurally sound.  Borer might look unattractive but if its not always necessary to replace these boards if the borer has been treated and the board is still sound.  Some people like the character it brings to a floor.

  • Can I sand my own floors?

    At first glance, it may seem an attractive option if you are on a tight budget.  It can be compared to a handman performing car body/paint work.  There are some pitfalls involved when sanding and polishing timber floors, and in reflected light, all imperfections will be obvious in the end result.  If you are desperate to give it a go to either sand the floor yourself or coat it yourself,  maybe talk to us first, we may have a couple of cost saving tips for you.  But don't be fooled, floor sanding is hard work, especially if you want a good job.  

  • How much wood is removed during the sanding process?

    The amount of wood removed when you have your floorboards sanded back will depend on the amount of damage you have - if you have a lot of deep damage, more will be needed to be removed.  However generally only around 1 mm of wood is sanded back during the process.  This means that if you have good quality engineered flooring with a thick top layer, it can be sanded back a number of times throughout its lifespan.

  • Do you need access to other parts of my house during the sanding process?

    Your privacy is very important to us and we do not need to go into any other part of your house except for the following reasons.  To access a toilet if needed.  To access a electrical box should we cause the safety power switch to turn off the power. Or to sand across a doorway we may have to open a door to allow the machine room to maneuver.  Apart from those reasons we are very strict on anyone involved in the process of installing or sanding your floor to not enter anywhere but the immediate vicinity of the work.

  • What guarantee do I have on my floor?

    Park Avenue Floors are an accredited floor sanding company through ATFA.  This is your guarantee of a quality finish.  All our products are of the highest standard and have their own guarantee of quality.  We never mix up our coating using different suppliers products because we feel that if something goes wrong with a product you miss out on the warranty of the product from the supplier.  For this reason we will only stick with one make of product all the way through.

  • How long does it take for the floor to dry after each surface coat is applied?

    Most waterbased polyurethane are dried off within 4 hours.  We would suggest that you leave it for longer before walking on it, perhaps overnight. 

  • If I can't remove the furniture myself, what options do I have?

    We don't allow our workers to move heavy furniture because that's not what they are trained for.  However if you need furniture to be removed before we start, if you let us know when we are quoting we can help you to arrange furniture removals.  We have trusted companies that we can book for you and then after when the floor is finished they can come back and put your furniture back where you need it to be.  If it is only small items maybe one or two then our team will be able to arrange that for you.

  • I have a large piano. What should I do with it during sanding?

    We highly recommend hiring a professional piano removalist to move the piano out, and especially back in after the floor is dry.  They use proper piano removal systems which will be safer for the new floor.

  • My timber is too dark, do I need to replace the timber or what are my options?

    Bleaching timbers to lighten them is a very successful way of changing a timber floor dramatically without having to replace it.

FLOOR POLISHING

  • What type of finishes are you experienced in using?

    The list of finishes we can use is endless, but the top main ones that we use are the following.


    For example in waterbased finishes, we can use, Berger Siedler - Ceramic Star which uses Ceramic Technology and is able to be used normally 24 hours after final coat.  This cuts down the time significantly for the product to cure.  Some products take up to a month to reach their hardest point, so this shorter timeline is a very attractive option.  Plus it's so tough.

     

    Peerless also has a product that uses Ceramic Technology and we have found this product to be very effective.  Peerless also has an anti stain product which is perfect for application such as Hair Dressing Salons because as long as the stain is wiped up within about 30 minutes, it won't penetrate and permanently stain the floor finish.  We have used this numerous times with clients being extremely pleased with the product. 


    Osmo makes a beautiful Oil which is hard wearing and very usable.  There's a real sincerity in using a good quality oil and our clients have always been extremely impressed with this product.


    Choosing our favourite product is like picking a favourite child.  We could but it would be so wrong.  Lets just suggest to you the product that might better suit your needs. 


    We can show you an extensive collection of jobs that we have done over the years and help to make the decision so much easier.


    These are some of the other products we can use.


    Loba, Bono, Urethane Coatings, Fiddes Hard Wax Oils, Rubio Monocoat.


    And countless other products.

FLOOR RESTORATION

  • Do you repair timber floors?

    Yes we offer an IN-HOUSE CARPENTER


    Park Avenue Floors is experienced in all aspects of flooring including replacing and or repairing of timber floors. 


    Whether it’s that you have removed a wall or damaged the floor boards from renovation or borers, we can assist you in the repair, including sourcing the matching timbers whether they are old or new.


    Our in house Carpenter will do such a good job, you will find it hard to pick where the repair was.

FLOOR STAINING

  • FLOOR STAINING

    Coming Soon...

FLOOR BLEACHING

  • FLOOR BLEACHING

    Bleaching can result in a significant transformation, turning dark or unevenly colored timber into a fresh, lighter, blonde appearance. This process allows the product to stand alone with a lighter, fresher finish, coated with water-based polyurethane or sealed with a base oil to maintain the new look.


    It’s a great look if you want to achieve a lighter theme to a room.  Clients wanting to achieve a lighter “hamptons look” make this there choice.


    Once bleached, this method provides an ideal palette if you wish to stain your timber a different color, without the overpowering tones of the original wood.


    Bleaching adds approximately 2 – 3 days extra to the sanding and polishing process for your floor (depending on the size of area), should you choose to proceed with this method.

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