A nicely polished floor will always remain a class, no matter what floor trends come and go over the years. Polishing a floor can help give it a fresh, new look that can remove a generally worn out appearance. Timber floors tend to look a little rough over time, which is where a solid floor polishing comes into play. However, how much does having a timber floor polished actually cost? The following guide will take a closer look at the costs associated with timber floor polishing.
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Polishing Vs. Sanding and Refinishing
First, it’s important to understand the difference between polishing and sanding/refinishing. A floor polish is designed to maintain existing floor finishes while filling in small scratches and given the floor a nice, even appearance. Polishing involves applying a polish over existing finish to spruce it up. Polishing is ideal for timber floors that are a bit worse for wear but are not excessively damaged.
Sanding and refinishing, on the other hand, is ideal for floors that have more serious damage and need years and years of wear and tear repaired and replaced. Sanding involves first removing the existing finishing on the floor by sanding it down and then replacing it with a new finish.
Should You Polish a Timber Floor Yourself?
If you are planning on polishing your timber floor, you might be wondering: this is this a job you can do yourself? The answer is–maybe, depending on what exactly needs to be done to your floor.
If your floor simply needs to be polished, then this is something that you can likely do yourself. You will not need fancy equipment, simply polish and a floor polisher. However, if your floor needs to be sanded, refinished and then polished as a finishing touch, you may want to consider hiring a professional team.
The reason why you should consider hiring a professional service if you need to do more than polish a floor is all of the work involved in sanding and refinishing timber floors. Floor sanders can be expensive to rent, and they are known for being hard to use and maneuver, which can create an uneven floor service. This is especially true if your timber floor has plenty of deep scratches and gouges, as it really takes a professional eye and skill to tackle this level of damage to a timber floor.
Another reason to use professional services if you need your floor sanded and refinished before polishing is that many types of finishes, polishes and stains can react to timber floors in different ways. You could purchase a finish that causes uneven splotching or discoloration on your timber floor if you don’t know what you are doing. A professional, on the other hand, will be able to choose the right products for your timber floors.
Types of Timber Floor Finishes
There are a number of timber floor finishes out there; these are the most common timber floor finishes used today.
- Solvent-based polyurethane: This is a hardy finish that has a versatile look and feel, however it contains a high level of volatile organic compounds.
- Water-based polyurethane: This is a good option for an area of the home that gets an average amount of traffic. It dries quickly and is low in volatile organic compound.
- Traditional oil-based varnish: These are slow drying vanishes, but they are great for high traffic areas of the home and they have a popular, traditional look.
Cost of Timber Floor Polishing
The cost of timber floor polishing can be divided into two categories: do-it-yourself and hiring a professional team. You will also need to consider what, exactly, needs to be done to the floor: polishing only? Or sanding, refinishing and polishing as the last step?
If you are doing it yourself and only need to polish the floor, then the price will be relatively low as it only requires you to buy floor polish. You can apply the floor polish with a mop or, if you’d like, floor polishing tool. You must remember that you can’t walk on a freshly polished floor for at least 24 hours; if you need to add another layer, you must also wait 24 hours.
However, if the floor needs to be sanded, refinished and then polished, it is not a task you want to take on yourself. You will need to rent a professional sander on an hourly basis and perform a lengthy, multi-step process that requires plenty of finesse in order to avoid unsightly patches, uneven sanding and uneven finishing application. This project can take ages if you do it on your own, and it will be incredibly inconvenient as you must wait for finishes and polishes to dry even after the floor has been sanded and treated.
A professional timber floor polishing service is surprisingly affordable. A professional company will be able to sand your timber floors, refinish them and then add a polish as the final step in the process. On average, professional services cost around $30 to $50 per square metre depending on the materials needed, the type of tinder floor and the condition of the timber floor. The cost may also be higher if the company needs to remove furniture and floor coverings from your timber floors; if possible, do this yourself to cut costs.
When you are ready to have your floors done, consult with several companies to get quotes for their services. You should have any necessary information ready, including the size of your floors, the type of floors you have, as well as what services you need–only polishing, sanding and refinishing, and so on. The quote you receive can vary depending on these factors, but don’t feel tempted to simply jump on the lowest quote–it’s better to pay for higher quality services that cost a little more than mediocre services at a cheaper price. Your timber floors deserve to look their best, and you want to choose an experienced, professional company to make sure that happens.
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