Longevity and upkeep

• Wood flooring - the essential guide
• Types of timber flooring
• Styles and grades of wood flooring
• Longevity and upkeep
• Wood flooring directory
• Find the right wood flooring for you

Solid-hardwood flooring is incredibly hard-wearing, and will last for many years. It can be sanded down and resurfaced every five to seven years. Engineered flooring will normally withstand one or two sandings, but no more than that. Real wood flooring will age gracefully, and the signs of wear and tear are an acceptable feature – as timber furniture ages and picks up the occasional dent or mark, so will timber flooring. Laminate flooring cannot be sanded when chipped, damaged or scratched, although the best quality ones are very hardwearing and scratch resistant in the first place.

Save timber floors from getting scratched by grit, dust and dirt by regularly sweeping with a soft brush or vacuuming them. Also mop the floor once a week or so with a well-wrung mop. A detergent can be added to the water, depending on whether the floor has a hard (varnished or lacquered) or soft (waxed or oiled) finish. Hard finishes provide a protective barrier for the wood, and offer a high level of protection, but are more difficult to repair if damaged.

A serious scratch or dent in a lacquered finish usually means the whole floor has to be sanded back and then relacquered or revarnished. Waxed or oiled finishes are softer, and protect the surface by sinking into the wood itself. They're most successful if you want to nurture an aged, worn look for your wooden floor. If waxed or oiled woods get damaged, the whole florr will not need to be redone, as it is possible to sand back and re-wax or re-oil an isolated area.

Vinyl wood-look flooring is easy to clean; regular sweeping and mopping is all it needs, and scuff marks can be removed by applying a little white spirit using a soft cloth.

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