5 Essential Steps to Restore Your Wooden Floor: A DIY Guide

Date: 28th October 2024
Categories: Barrettine, Products


Wooden floors are a timeless feature in many homes, adding warmth and character to any space. However, over time, these beautiful surfaces can become worn, scratched, or dull. If you're a homeowner looking to breathe new life into your wooden flooring, we can help.

At Barrettine, we have the ideal solutions needed for those looking to restore wooden floors. By using premium solutions such as our Armourflex® Hardwax Oil, homeowners and DIYers can bring their beautiful wooden floors back to life.

This DIY guide will walk you through five essential steps to help you restore your wooden floor to its former glory and maintain its beauty for years to come.

Step 1: Assess and prepare

Before diving into the restoration process, it's important to assess the condition of your wood flooring. Look for signs of wear, dents, or water damage. If there are any loose or damaged old wooden floorboards, these should be repaired or replaced before proceeding.

Next, prepare the area by removing all furniture and thoroughly sweeping or vacuuming the floor to remove loose dirt and debris.

Step 2: Sand the floor

Once you’ve cleared away any furniture and swept away any dirt, it’s important to apply any new coating to clean, bare timber and ensure all old finishes or coatings on the wood are removed. This ensures that any new product you apply will adhere properly and the final finish colour is achieved.

Sanding is a necessary step in the restoration process, as it removes the old finish from the surface of the floor and smooths out any imperfections in the wood. Here's how to approach this step:

Start with a coarse-grit sandpaper (e.g., 36-60 grit) to remove the old finish and level the floor. Don't forget to wear a dust mask during this process to protect yourself from fine particles.

Progress to medium-grit sandpaper (80-100 grit) to smooth out any remaining roughness, then finish with fine-grit sandpaper (120-150 grit) for a smooth surface.

Always make sure you are standing in the direction of the grain for a professional finish. To speed up this process, you can use a sander machine for larger areas of flooring and hand-sand in corners and hard-to-reach spots.

Vacuum thoroughly between each sanding to remove dust and any residual dirt.

After sanding, your floor should feel smooth to the touch and have a uniform appearance.

Step 3: Repair and fill

Now that you've sanded the floor, any imperfections will be more visible. This is the time to address them.

Use a wood filler to repair any cracks, gaps, or small holes in the floorboards. Make sure you choose a filler that matches the colour of your wood and the rest of the floor. Apply the filler with a putty knife, overfilling slightly as it may shrink when dry.

Once dry, sand the filled areas smooth with fine-grit sandpaper. Remember to vacuum thoroughly after this step to remove all dust and wipe the entire surface with Barrettine Methylated Spirits to pick up any remaining dust particles before moving on to the final and most crucial step!

Step 4: Apply Barrettine Armourflex® Hardwax Oil

The final (and perhaps most important!) step in restoring your wooden floor is to apply a protective finish to the surface of your floor. The perfect finishing touch, this product will not only beautify your wooden flooring, but also provide ongoing protection from scratches, scuffs and spills.

Barrettine's Armourflex® Hardwax Oil is an excellent choice for homeowners looking to restore the beauty of their wooden floor. This high-performance surface coating offers a natural and elegant finish while providing exceptional resistance against everyday wear and tear.  

Better still, this finish is crafted from a blend of natural ingredients like soya oils, linseed oil, and carnauba wax, and it offers protection of your wooden floor without compromising on aesthetics. Its microporous, breathable nature prevents cracking, peeling, flaking, or blistering, ensuring a long-lasting and beautiful result.

The natural finish enhances the wood grain, adding warmth and character to your space. Choose from Natural Matt or Natural Satin finishes for the perfect finished result.

How to apply Armourflex® Hardwax Oil:

It's essential to conduct a test patch to assess the product's compatibility and desired finish. For newly laid wood, allow it to acclimatise in the room for several days to adjust to the ambient conditions.

Additionally, verify that the moisture content of the wood is below 15% to ensure proper absorption of the treatment and prevent potential issues.

Make sure you stir the tin well before use. Once stirred, use a short pile roller, good quality brush or lint-free cloth to apply a thin coat of Armourflex® Hardwax Oil to the floor.

Make sure that you are working in the direction of the wood grain for the best finish, and be careful not to over-apply, as this can reduce the finish quality and prolong drying time. Any excess should be wiped with a lint free cloth after application for best results.

Allow the whole floor to dry for at least 4 hours (preferably overnight) under average climatic conditions. Ensure adequate ventilation throughout the application and drying process.

Typically, one coat will be sufficient, but if a second coat is required, lightly key the surface with 120-150 grit sandpaper before application. Apply the second coat sparingly, wiping off any excess that's not absorbed.

Why choose Armourflex® Hardwax Oil?

Armourflex® Hardwax Oil is a child and pet-friendly product to use to protect or restore your wooden flooring. Unlike other similar products, it's certified Food & Toy Safe (EN 1186:2002 & EN71:3) when dry and also accredited with Liquid & Abrasion Resistance (ISO 2812-1 & ISO 7786), ensuring your home's surfaces are safe and resilient. It’s also incredibly versatile – use on flooring, countertops, bannisters and more!

Step 5: Ongoing maintenance to protect your restored flooring

Once your floor is restored with Armourflex® Hardwax Oil, it's important to maintain your flooring to ensure longevity.

Regular, deep cleaning is essential to remove ingrained dirt and prepare the surface for further treatment.

Over time, if scuffs or scratches occur, they can be touched up without the need for sanding. For larger areas, a light sand and single, thin coat of Armourflex® Hardwax Oil will restore the finish.

Restore wooden flooring with Barrettine

Restoring your wooden floor is a rewarding DIY project that can dramatically improve the look of your home. By following these five steps and using high-quality Barrettine products, you can achieve professional-looking results and enjoy a beautiful, protected wooden floor for years to come.

If you have any questions about restoring your wooden floor or using Barrettine products, don't hesitate to get in touch. Our team of experts is always happy to help you achieve the best results for your wooden floor restoration project.

You can purchase Armourflex® Hardwax Oil from a range of selected stockists, like Wickes, Next Day Paint and Oakcrafts.


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