FAQs

A typical room takes one to two days, including finishing. Bigger floors and any repairs take a little longer, and we set out a clear schedule with your fixed quote.

Very little. Our dust-free sanding systems capture around 99% of dust at source, so there is almost nothing to clean afterwards. We also protect doorways and skirting before we start.

Yes — every job starts with a free survey and a fixed written quote. The price on the quote is the price you pay, unless you ask us to add extra work. You can book a survey online at any time.

Yes, we carry £5m public liability insurance. We can send certificates on request, which facilities managers and landlords often need before work starts.

Our floor restoration comes with a 3-month service guarantee. If something is not right with our workmanship in that time, we come back and put it right. Gap filling is excluded, because wooden floors move with the seasons — see our service guarantee for the full terms.

Not at all. We work room by room, and nearly all our clients stay at home throughout. Our water-based lacquers and low-VOC oils have very little odour, and we plan the order of rooms around you.

You can usually walk on the floor in socks after a few hours. Furniture can go back after 24–48 hours, and rugs are best left off for around a week while the finish fully cures.

Our team works across Epping and the neighbouring towns and villages. Not sure if you are covered?, get in touch — we are often happy to travel for larger jobs.

Parquet runs in several directions, so we sand it in stages at different angles. A final pass with a fine-grit buffer removes swirl marks and leaves an even surface ready for oil or lacquer.

Black bitumen was a common adhesive for parquet laid before the 1970s. It does not stop us restoring the floor, but loose blocks need cleaning back and re-fixing with a compatible adhesive. We look at it at the survey and include it in the quote.

Smaller gaps are filled with resin mixed with fine sanding dust, so the colour matches. Larger gaps are best filled with tapered pine slivers, glued and planed flush. Our gap filling guide compares the two.

Our 3-month guarantee does not cover gap filling. Wooden floors expand and shrink with the seasons and with movement in the building, which can open small cracks in the filler. We use the most suitable method for your floor to keep this to a minimum.

Yes, noticeably. Gaps between floorboards let draughts rise from under the floor. Filling them makes rooms cosier and stops dirt collecting between boards.

We do. After sanding we lay out colour samples on your own floor so you can see how each shade looks in the room before we commit. Find out more about wood floor staining.

Every timber takes stain differently. Sample cards are only a rough guide, so testing on your own boards is the only reliable way to choose.

Yes — we strip paint and old varnish from treads, risers and spindles. Stairs are sanded mostly by hand, and we finish them with a hard-wearing lacquer or oil. See stairs stripping and restoration.

Yes. We work on every other step so you can still get up and down, then complete the rest the following day. We plan this with you before we start.

A standard staircase usually takes two to three days. Lots of paint layers or turned balusters can add a little time, which we include in your quote.

Yes — we plan school and public projects around term dates, events and opening hours. Most halls are finished in a few days, so the space is back in use quickly.

Yes. After sanding we apply sports-grade lacquer and can repaint court markings to your layout between coats so they are sealed in. Read more about our school floor restoration.

Yes — we supply RAMS and insurance certificates for every commercial or public project. We are used to working in schools, churches and offices with strict safety rules.

We can work evenings, nights and weekends so the office stays open. Dust-free sanding and low-odour finishes mean minimal disruption to your team.

Yes — we restore halls, churches and community spaces, often around services and bookings. We take care with historic timber and choose finishes suited to heavy public use. See churches and community halls.

Prices depend on the floor area, condition, repairs needed and the finish you choose. Our price list shows typical starting prices, and the free survey gives you a fixed written quote.

Often, yes. A few clear photos and the room sizes let us give a guide price within a working day. We confirm it with a short visit before work starts, so the final quote is fixed.

Hardwax oil gives a natural, matt look and can be refreshed in patches. Water-based lacquer sits on top as a hard-wearing film that copes well with spills and busy households. We recommend the right one at the survey — or read our guide to oil and lacquer.

Yes. We use low-VOC oils and water-based lacquers that are safe for children and pets once fully dry. We suggest keeping pets out of the room for the first 24 hours, and trim claws to help the finish last.

Oiled floors normally get two coats, and lacquered floors three. Busy hallways and commercial floors can have an extra coat for added protection.

In most cases, yes — as long as the top wear layer is 3 mm or more. We check the wear layer during the free survey, often by lifting a threshold strip or a floor vent. Our engineered floor guide explains more.

A solid wood floor can be sanded many times over its life. Each sand removes only a very thin layer when done properly, which is why period floors are still going strong after a century.

Almost always. We re-glue loose blocks, replace missing ones with matched or reclaimed timber, then sand and finish the whole floor so the repairs disappear. Find out more about parquet floor repairs.

Yes — original boards often hide beautiful timber under old paint and varnish. We punch down nails, replace split boards and sand back to fresh timber. Read our floorboard restoration guide for the full process.

Please clear the room of furniture, rugs and small items before we arrive. We can help move heavy furniture if we know in advance. Our preparation checklist has more tips.

We need access to a standard power socket and, ideally, parking near the property. Our machines run on domestic power, and we bring all tools, materials and dust sheets.

In most cases, yes. We clean, sand and treat the boards with a UV-resistant decking oil that restores the warm timber tone and makes it safer underfoot. See our decking restoration service.

Late spring to early autumn is ideal. The timber needs dry weather so the oil can soak in properly. Our decking guide explains how to prepare.

Once a year is a good rule of thumb. Decks in strong sun or under trees may need it sooner. A yearly coat keeps the timber protected.

Yes — we replace rotten or split boards before sanding. New boards are blended in once the whole deck is oiled.

We match the species, width and age of your boards wherever possible. After sanding and finishing the whole area, repairs are very hard to spot. Learn more about wood floor repairs.

Squeaks usually come from loose boards rubbing against nails or joists. We screw loose boards down into the joists and fix any loose noggins below. Read about causes and fixes.

In many cases. Light marks often sand away, while cupped or blackened boards are replaced and blended in. The floor must be fully dry first, so we take moisture readings before starting.

If the finish is worn but the wood is not damaged, a maintenance coat is often enough. It takes a fraction of the time of a full sand and keeps the floor protected. See re-oiling.

Busy areas like hallways and kitchens usually need a maintenance coat every one to two years. Quieter rooms can go much longer. Our guide to re-oiling and re-coating helps you judge.

Yes — as long as the wear has not reached the bare wood. We screen the surface, clean it and apply a new coat of lacquer, restoring the sheen without a full sand.

Use a soft brush or vacuum, then a barely damp mop with a wood floor soap. Avoid steam mops and bleach or multi-surface sprays. Read our care guide for a simple routine.