How to restore a wooden floor

Wood is the only type of flooring that can be refinished. This allows many wooden floors to stay in place year after year – just take a look at grand homes and castles all around the world! That said, old wood flooring can be given a modern twist with just a bit of elbow grease... and some imagination!

If you do decide to freshen up an aged floor, you have a wide range of different stains, paints and varnishes to choose from. In any case, wooden floors should be preciously conserved: it's not something you can just throw away when it starts to wear (which is why it's so expensive in the first place)!

If you've got some wear and tear to deal with, you'll have to carry out some repairs. Certain cracks, holes or natural knots in the wood can be filled in with wood filler, along with any large gaps between boards.

This step allows you to perfect your surface before you get started on refinishing the wood, no matter which method you choose. Simply apply the filler using a specially designed spreading tool. You don't need to be very precise as any excess will be removed by sanding.

If you want to refinish a wooden floor, you'll need to start with a stripped surface. It will therefore be necessary to remove any existing layers of product. Varnish, oil, stain... it all has to go before you attempt to apply anything else!

As such, at least a millimetre of wood will be removed. Once you're done, the wood should be returned to its original raw state.

Wooden floors can become misshapen over time and can start to lift slightly. Sanding should correct this to a certain extent. It should also help to even out your surface.

Don't attempt to sand by hand: you'll soon find out you've taken on an impossible task!

Invest in a sander or rent one to complete the job.

For larger surfaces, you should be able to rent a professional drum sander fitted with the right type of sanding sleeve for your surface.

Sanding is the first step in renovating any type of wooden floor.

Varnish is the most commonly used product on wooden floors and is applied after sanding. Raw wood is not a suitable material for floors: it is much too delicate and will gather a lot of dust.

Once your floor has been sanded and repaired, you are ready to apply the varnish. Start by applying a primer to give the varnish something to adhere to. You will usually have to apply two coats of varnish, allowing the surface to dry between coats.

In terms of application, simply apply the varnish as though you were painting a wall! Start with the edges and work your way across the floor, overlapping your roller strokes. Finish off by working the roller in the direction of the wood for an more even colour. Varnish may be lightly coloured or clear.

Your wooden floor will appear as new and will be protected from future damage. However, you cannot refinish small areas of varnished surfaces. It's important to keep this in mind because in the event of any accidents, you will have to resand the entire surface.

Wood oil is becoming an increasingly popular choice for floors. It provides protection and retains the natural appearance of the wood. Wood oil creates less of a 'film' over the surface and it is possible to refinish small areas, if required.

However, it has very different care needs: you will have to apply a maintenance oil for time to time to ensure that your floor is protected. This is fairly straightforward to do: a spray-on oil and a microfibre mop should do the job.

Apply the oil to a small area using a paint brush after sanding down the floor. The oil should penetrate into the wood. Leave to dry for 15 to 20 minutes and wipe down the area with a cloth to remove any excess oil. You can then move onto the rest of the surface.

If you're looking to bring a wooden floor more up-to-date, it is possible to switch out its natural colour for something more contemporary. Between sanding and varnishing, there's nothing stopping you from applying a wood stain in the colour of your choice.

Be sure to test out the colour on a small area to be sure you'll like the final look. Wood stains may be composed of a two-part formula meaning you may have to mix the stain with a hardener before application according to the manufacturer's instructions. Be careful: this mixture will have a very limited life so do not mix the product too far in advance (1 to 2 hours maximum).

Start by painting the edges with a paint brush, just as you would when painting, before covering the whole surface evenly working with the grain of the wood. After application, you will have to wipe the stain with a finishing pad or cotton cloth.

You can then varnish the floor with a clear varnish to protect it; be sure to respect the drying times. You can also find coloured oils which allow you to change the colour of the floor and protect it in one go. You will still have to apply a maintenance oil from time to time to ensure the material is protected.

Once you have finished refinishing your floor, ask yourself one question: are you happy with how it looks? If so, be sure to apply a metallised floor polish to make sure your finish lasts as long as possible!

Choose between a matte and glossy effect and apply the product right after you have finished restoring your floors. Metallised floor polish is fairly straightforward to apply but may require two coats (check the manufacturer's guidelines on the tin).