As Woca distributors we are regularly asked questions on the best finishes for both softwood flooring such as Pine or Larch and for hardwoods including Oak and Ash. The market is now full of products promising the perfect finish for your floor however you must ensure that you use the correct finish for the type of floor you have and the environment you are in.

Softwoods such as Larch and Pine whether solid or engineered, are much paler in colour and have a tendency to yellow over time.  If you are wanting to keep the floor light the best product to use is the Woca softwood Lye. The Softwood Lye is a chemical which bleaches the floor and stops the yellowing process over the years.  It also contains white pigments to keep the pale white effect.  It is applied using a cloth or a mop and can then be finished with a white oil which will seal the floor and protect it.  A natural oil can also be applied to the floor if you are happy with the effect from the Softwood lye.  This finish will give a pale whitewashed look – it will not completely whiten the floor, it will just be a subtle pale white effect on the floor which will stay over the years.

Hardwood floors – especially oak floors, have a tendency to yellow to a honey colour once sealed.   The products which keep hardwood flooring pale are the Hardwood Lye which comes in a White or a Grey.  As with the softwood lye, the Lye bleaches the floor to stop the golden tones coming through.  The hardwood lye can come in a White finish to give a pale whitewashed look or a Grey finish which will make the floor look more ashen and antique.  The hardwood lye is applied in the same way as the softwood lye and again the wooden floor will need to be finished with either the natural or white oil to seal it.  Again, this can be a matter of preference and choice on how white you want the floor.  It will not give a painted white effect, simply a whitewashed, bleached floor look.

For both the softwood and hardwood Lye, it is not recommended to lacquer over the top.

Colour Oils are now abundant and the choice of colours is fantastic.  The colours range from a completely white floor to an almost black floor, with nearly every colour in between.  The colours have recently become bolder offering a green, pink and blue wooden floor which can certainly give an original look!  The depth of colour can also depend on whether you have a sanded wood floor or if the flooring is brushed – as this will deepen the colour that is applied.

There are a number of very reputable manufacturers of wood floor colour oils including Osmo, Saicos and Woca.  These are a stain and finish in one and no separate coat is needed to seal the floor.  Stains are also available which then require a finish once applied.  Water bourne stains create an ideal installation choice due to the low solvents.  The stains are suitable for sealing with either oil or lacquer once applied.  The Bona stains and lacquers work well together and have a good choice of  colours and finishes available.

Distressed flooring is design to give you that 100 year old look while still suitable to use anywhere. It is especially sought after for older dwellings and older style properties in general. What makes is extra convenient is that it can be placed on top of both solid and engineered boards.

Distressed flooring has a uniqueness that can only come from the process of making it. Each board is made by hand, including the hand carved edges. There are ten different processes involved in the creation before it is oiled five times, this can be UV oil or natural oil. Varnish or lacquer is however not recommended.

Distressed flooring is available in a number of different finishes such as light of heavy rustic, in sizes from 90mm right up to 450mm wide, the board face can be distressed or aged for wall appearance. A rough sawn look is also available.

We have distressed flooring available in our creative , majestic , massif , and burgundy ranges.
 

In Mississippi the rain, or more the lack of has caused major problems for owners of timber land. Butch Bailey, the extension forester for Mississippi State has said that wildfire is the biggest threat to timber. There is currently a ban on burning but there are still incidents where fire is proving destructive.

"We do see trees die, and we are seeing trees die from this," said Bailey

While wildfires are of great concern there is another pressing issue caused by the heat and dryness. A small insect – the Southern Pine Beetle is tiny, it is about one third the size of a grain of rice. They become a lot more active in such droughts and the trees suffer. The way it causes damage is by actually killing the tree from the inside out.

The beetle gets underneath the bark, between that and the wood and that’s where the damage is caused.

There is no way to control what is going on with the rain but we can help the trees. If the trees are thinned effectively and have plenty of growing room the Southern Pine Beetle can usually be fought off.

Hopefully we will be able to see some rain soon and put and end to the major problems.

Both solid and engineered floors can be installed using adhesive.  There are two main techniques for installing using adhesive which will both be explained.  Please remember that solid floors are always recommended to be glued down, not using the floating method.

Floating Floor Method
The floating floor method of fixing the floor is done by gluing the tongues and grooves of the floor together.  This creates a new floor which is “floating” over the original floor.
Floors can be floated over any solid subfloor and it is the preferred method for laying engineered floors.
It is a good option when the subfloor moisture content is unknown as a damp proof membrane can be used between the floor and subfloor to prevent moisture rising into the new flooring. 
When floating a floor, an underlay must be used to dampen any echo and extra noise.  This echo is caused by two hard surfaces together which have a space between them.  The noise echoes in this void.  The underlay is used to prevent any echo as the two hard surfaces will not be touching.
There is a wide range of underlays for use when floating the floor – all of which are adequate.  The more dense the underlay is the less sound echo there will be from foot traffic.
To float the floor:
Lay out the damp proof membrane (if required) ensuring that the edges of the membrane continue up the side of the skirting.

Lay out the underlay ensuring all areas of the floor are covered.  Any areas left uncovered with the underlay will cause a bounce in the new floor and will be noisier.
A PVA adhesive is used to glue the boards together.
Fit the floor by placing two beads of adhesive along the upper and lower sides of the “groove” joint. (It is a common mistake to think that the boards need to be glued along the “tongue” – this will simply push the adhesive too far into the joint and not create a firm bond between the boards.)  You must ensure that the beads of glue are constant and not intermittent as this can cause the boards to creak if the joint is not constant.

Leave the joints and glue to dry before walking on the floor.  Any PVA glue which has spilled onto the boards can easily be wiped off a lacquered or oiled board, or sanded off an unfinished floor.
It must be noted that thermo treated solid oak has less density therefore water based pva will not adhere to the timber as well as normal oak.  When using solid thermo treated oak it is best to use another fitting option, however if the boards are engineered this is not a problem as the tongue and grooves are made from the softwood base.



Glue Down Method
The glue down method of fitting a floor consists of using a strong, thick floor specific adhesive applied directly to the subfloor enabling the new floor to stick directly to the original floor. This is a very sturdy method which is the recommended option for solid boards and parquet floors.  To fit a floor using the glue down method you must ensure that the subfloor is dry, level and structurally sound.  When fitting onto concrete it is best to prime the area first using a PVA based primer to ensure a good bond to the floor.  Any old concrete is recommended to be checked for moisture before the boards are laid.
Both engineered and solid boards can be laid using the glue down method.
To glue the floor down:
Firstly, ensure the subfloor is flat, free from dust and dirt and if necessary has been primed.
Working at an area just large enough to complete within 20 minutes, apply the adhesive to the floor using a notched trowel ensuring the whole surface has an even amount of glue.
Fit the new floor boards ensuring all boards have been pulled tight and have not been moved out of place as other boards have been fitted.
Leave the adhesive to dry for 12 hours and do not walk on the floor until it is fully dry.
Unlike the PVA adhesive, the flooring adhesive is very difficult to remove from the surface of the boards so ensure that any spills on the boards are wiped off immediately before the boards have dried.

Other Adhesive based fitting methods:
There are other adhesive based fitting options used to fit flooring:
1. Adhesive backed underlay
A foam underlay backed with 1 side adhesive.  The underlay has a sticky side covered in a plastic film which is peeled back as the floor is laid.  Envoy multi, Elastilon and Acoustalay adhesive 300/1000 are all types of adhesive backed underlay.

2. Slatted Underlay for use with adhesive
This underlay comes with narrow slats cut out – this enables the underlay to be used in conjunction with adhesive as the glue is applied in the cut-outs.  The floor benefits from being glued down directly with the added advantage of having an underlay in between.  This option is used when the floor is to be glued down directly but the sub floor is not completely flat.