FAQs2021-11-15T16:52:13+00:00

Frequently asked questions

At FloorBlimey! we do our best to answer all your questions before we start a job. Some of the most frequently asked questions are shown below. If however your question is not listed here please feel free to call on 01934 611442 or click the button below and tell us, and we will be happy to answer your question.

Ask us your question!

Common Questions

Why choose FloorBlimey!2021-11-06T19:54:57+00:00

You can choose us with confidence. With your help we have built a very strong reputation and gain most of our work through recommendation. Our customers remind us to constantly review our systems and training so that we can offer the best customer experience possible and back it all up with our 100% iron-clad guarantee.

Are you insured?2021-11-06T19:46:27+00:00

Yes we are. All businesses are required by law to carry public liability insurance. This protects both the customer and the service provider. Floor Blimey! go one step further and are covered for “goods worked on”. this means protection in the unlikely event of damage to your possessions.

Do you offer a Guarantee?2021-11-06T19:37:29+00:00

Yes a 100% iron clad guarantee! The products we use are from a company called Pallmann, a family run manufacturer of timber floor products. As Pallmann Parkett Profi approved contractors our 100% guarantee is backed up by Pallmann. It really is bullet proof.

Questions specific to carpet cleaning

I have a piano and/or grandfather clock and/or heavy furniture, which we can’t move. Can you help us with this if we have our carpets cleaned?2017-08-24T18:15:14+01:00

Whilst we ask you to remove all items for the room being cleaned, we are happy to assist in moving more bulky pieces of furniture upon request. Every care is taken when doing this but, unfortunately, our insurances do not cover us for any damage as a result of us moving any items. Therefore, in the unlikely event that damage does occur, we would not be able to cover the repair or replacement of the item. Items like pianos and grandfather clocks are generally moved minimally, to avoid disturbing any delicate mechanisms, and we have a process that we use to clean in, around and under these items.

How long does carpet take to dry?2017-08-22T14:52:38+01:00

Big, open of areas of carpet can easily be dry within 30 minutes using our low moisture system but smaller areas will take longer. As a guide, an empty domestic lounge dining room should be dry in 30 minutes. If there is minimal furniture (3 piece and dining table) the drying time may be extended to an hour or two. If ‘steam’ cleaning is used, drying times are extended and will take up to 24 hours to dry fully.

What causes the black lines around the edges?2017-08-22T14:53:25+01:00

These are known as filtration marks and are caused by rising air travelling upwards around the carpet edge, depositing fine airborne deposits of oily dirt, (primarily traffic exhaust such as diesel particulates.) A special process is needed to treat them and usually results in a 90% plus improvement in appearance.

How safe are your cleaning chemicals?2017-08-24T18:02:52+01:00

All general cleaning chemicals used by Floor Blimey! conform to the highest standards of safety and are chosen for their suitability in your home where children or pets are present and not on cost. Unlike ‘one man band’ operations, we also have to consider the safety and welfare of our staff because of their continual exposure to the products we use.

What kind of carpet cleaning system do you use?2017-08-24T18:35:57+01:00

Floor Blimey! uses both hot water extraction ‘steam cleaning’ and low moisture cleaning. Despite many misleading claims, no single system is suitable for all carpets and we will always pick the system that will achieve the best result for you. Our advice to consumers is never to get ‘hung up’ on the system. The operator is far more important and you’re covered by our money back guarantee.

Is it true that once I’ve had my carpets cleaned they will get dirty again very quickly?2017-08-24T18:06:41+01:00

This can happen if a heavy detergent residue is left in the carpet, a mistake commonly made by those using DIY machines and the lower cost end of the market who are looking to speed things up by cutting corners. It is like washing your hair and not rinsing it. Cleaned properly and professionally with either ‘steam’ cleaning or low moisture, your carpets will not re-soil quickly.

Can you clean natural fibre carpets like sisal and coir?2017-08-22T14:58:31+01:00

Sisal, seagrass and coir carpets can be very successfully cleaned using a mixture of steam and low moisture cleaning. This is not for the amateur and must be performed by a professional because if the carpet is over wet, IT WILL SHRINK!!

Can you get all marks out of carpets and upholstery?2017-08-24T18:08:01+01:00

Unfortunately, we can’t. There are a few things that can cause permanent staining that we are unable to deal with. The most common are pet urine, (which has dried in) and dyes, whether hair dye, food colourings or fake tan. Most other marks can be removed inc blood, oil and many ink and paint marks.

Will my carpet shrink?2017-08-22T14:59:39+01:00

Carpets usually only shrink if the backing gets wet. This is exacerbated if it is badly fitted too. Where possible, we prefer to use our low moisture system which completely eliminates the possibility of shrinkage and split seams through over wetting.

Questions specific to timber floor restoration

Is there any dust?2017-08-24T18:31:38+01:00

All our floor sanding is dust free, however, if your floor requires more brutal floor sanding to remove stubborn areas, then other machinery may need to be used and in this case, slight dust should be expected. We suggest that provisions are made regardless.

We are a 24hr business wanting floor sanding. How do you deal with the need for customers and staff to continually walk on the floor?2017-08-24T18:12:36+01:00

We are able, by arrangement, to work weekends and/or overnight and, if need be, we can separate sections of a floor and barrier tape off, to avoid any footfall whilst the floor is being renovated. This applies to most commercial public environments. We are more than happy to discuss your individual requirements in more detail.

Will you remove my carpets?2017-08-22T15:39:05+01:00

Yes, we can arrange carpet removal upon request. Commercially, we are charged at refuse sites for disposing of trade waste and, therefore, a minimal charge is made for this service.

There are staples in the floor and nails protruding on the surface. What should I do with these?2017-08-22T15:38:33+01:00

Staples can normally be removed as part of the floor sanding process. Any protruding nails need to be counter sunk and we are able to do this for you when sanding a floor.

I have a concrete hearth. Can you do anything with this?2017-08-22T15:37:54+01:00

Yes, we are able to remove a top section of the concrete and prepare it to have reclaimed boards installed. There is an additional cost for this. Please mention this when requesting a quote.

I have a piano and/or grandfather clock and/or heavy furniture, which we can’t move. Can you help us with this if we have our floor sanded?2017-08-22T15:46:18+01:00

Whilst we ask you to remove all items for the room being sanded, we are happy to assist in moving more bulky pieces of furniture upon request. Every care is taken when doing this but, unfortunately, our insurances do not cover us for any damage as a result of us moving any items. Therefore, in the unlikely event that damage does occur, we would not be able to cover the repair or replacement of the item. Items like pianos and grandfather clocks are generally moved minimally, to avoid disturbing any delicate mechanisms, and we have a process that we use to floor sand and varnish in, around and under these items.

I have asthma. Is it better to have sanded wooden floors?2024-02-22T15:12:56+00:00

Yes. Dust mites are responsible for many asthma related conditions and allergies and they obviously live in carpets and soft furnishings. Dust mites are significantly reduced by having wooden floors and are, therefore, ideal for asthma sufferers, as well as providing a far healthier environment. Rugs etc. can be washed or dry cleaned to kill any dust mites.

Dust mites are not visible to the naked eye but under a microscope they look like this:

Dust mites in carpet

Sanded wooden floors do not provide the environment to harbour dust mites and therefore provides a far healthier living area.

What about badly damaged or rotten floorboards?2017-08-22T15:30:16+01:00

So long as we are aware of these, we will come to site with reclaimed boards to suit and will replace these at our standard hourly labour charge.

I’m having my floor sanded and my room(s) decorated as well, what should I have done first?2017-08-24T18:20:40+01:00

If you have the luxury of choice, we would recommend that you have your floors renovated prior to decorating and then to protect your sanded floors sufficiently to avoid any damage, when your room is going to be decorated. When protecting your wooden floor, we would recommend a plastic cover to prevent paint spillages from seeping and a cloth dust sheet also. (Cloth and plastic dust sheets are now available as one sheet). You may also want to consider using some form of wood ply cover (say 6mm) to prevent any damage as a result of decorators’ ladders etc. We can arrange to do this for you at an additional cost or ask your decorator to ensure they practice due care and cover their ladder feet appropriately. In fairness, most decent decorators are familiar with the process when floors have been sanded. If you prefer to have the decorating done first, then we’d ask to at least ventilate the room with open windows whilst the work is taking place. We have dust free sanding machines, however if a stubborn area requires more brutal sanding, then minimal light dust can occur and should be expelled through open windows.

I have heard a lot of different replies to my question about gap filling. Some floor sanding companies I asked, promote filling gaps on wooden floors, while others are completely against the idea!?2017-08-24T18:21:36+01:00

Successful gap filling on wooden floors is one of the skilled parts of floor finishing – a lot of floor sanding companies can’t or won’t do this. The most successful way despite taking longer is, (for gaps less than 4mm or so), to use a mixture of polyvinyl resin and the finest grade sawdust from the floor that is being sanded, (we use a wood floor resin specifically for this job). The mixed resin is spread accross the wooden floor at a specific time of sanding the floor and when dried, is sanded off leaving the remaining residual filler held within the gaps. For floor gaps larger than 4mm, slivers of wood (of the same type) are glued on both sides and carefully secured in,- if it is a pine floor, we use reclaimed pine slivers so they blend in and oak slivers for oak floors and so on.

Please note that, when choosing any of these methods, this does not create a ‘perfect floor’. There could be some degree of compromise on the final finish, as both floor filling and slivers filleting, do require adding third party separate pieces and/or filling with an artificial resin filler. Wood floors will naturally continue to expand and contract with temperature and age and, whilst the resin product is designed to expand and contract to a point, higher levels of movement can result in gaps re-appearing, (albeit usually to a lesser degree).

How long does the job take?2017-08-22T15:19:37+01:00

It depends on the amount of rooms and the size. Usually 1 day for 1-2 standard sized room, 2 days for 3-4 rooms. However, we have multiple sanding machines and floor sanders (manpower), so please enquire – for example, if all rooms are available and free of furniture, we could floor sand 3 or 4 rooms simultaneously and effectively have 3 or 4 rooms floor sanded in one day! This is only done by specific prior arrangement and shouldn’t be expected as the standard work completion times. Our ‘Online Quotation Form’ (go to ‘Floor Sand Services’ dropdown, on the Home page) will automatically work out how many days it will take to do the work and reserve these days from the strat date that you specify on the schedule calendar. In commercial environments where there are larger single areas to be sanded, i.e. halls, gyms, dance floors, reception areas etc., we would carry out the floor sanding works with several floor sanding machines as we have the space available to do so. We can agree a time period specifically to your job.

Does the price quoted include staining as well as varnishing?2017-08-24T18:34:47+01:00

Unless staining/colouring is specifically requested, the price that you will have been given is for the sanding and varnishing of your floor with a clear varnish. The staining process is a separate application and will be quoted for in addition to the standard price.

What colour will my wooden floor be after you’ve completed the floor sanding and varnished?2017-08-24T18:26:14+01:00

The colour that your wooden floor will end up is hugely dependent upon the age of the floorboards / wooden floor and an indication of this is by the width of the planks. Narrower boards of, say, 5 inches are comparatively newer than wider floorboards and, therefore, lighter when varnished and the older floor boards of, say, 6-8 inches and over, are generally older and, therefore, darker when varnished, even with a clear varnish. This refers more to pine, which is the most common form of wood used as floor boards in houses across the UK . Of course, in instances where you have oak or mahogany etc., then your boards will turn out according to the relevant type of wood. Coloured varnishes are definitely not recommended.

Should you wish to darken your floors then you will have to have a floor staining process and we will advise you on your specific requirements. Please be aware not to go too dark in colour, as the only way to go lighter afterwards is to re-sand, attracting additional cost to yourself. Also, please note, that a stain is only a representation of the chosen colour, be it oak or mahogany etc. For example, you cannot CHANGE your pine floorboards to oak floorboards merely by staining the floor boards. You would need to have oak floor boards fitted, to have the floor boards look EXACTLY the way oak looks. Stains are, in the most, not opaque, the stains have transparency and with that, the grain and even a representation of the original colour of the wood is likely to show through.

In instances where liming or whitening is desired, it is advised to be very careful. Some home renovation/interior design magazines illustrate these types of floors as part of room sets. In most cases, these floors have been laid specifically for these room sets, using new or hand picked floorboards. They are subjected to various photographic re-touching techniques and have been optimised by use of photographic lighting effects etc. In most real cases, floorboards are not as perfect as this and, therefore, do not turn out as refined as this.

Can all stains be removed sanding a floor?2017-08-24T18:27:04+01:00

Mostly. This all depends on the type of stain, the level of saturation and the time that’s elapsed since the stain was made. Water stains on wooden floors can be problematic as there is a high saturation level. This is also true with ink, however there is usually a lesser quantity and therefore the saturation levels are normally minimal and removable as part of the floor sanding process.

There’s black (or brown) paint round the edges of the floor – what is this, and can it be removed?2017-08-22T15:14:10+01:00

Before the days of fitted carpets, it was customary to have a central rug and to paint an insulated bitumen type product around the edges of the room. This was usually in black or brown. When sanded, this immediately turns into a liquid tar-like product and, in doing this, quickly clogs the sanding belts/discs. The bitumen can be removed but there may be a small premium payable to cover the additional cost of materials. Please be aware that, in some cases, there may be a very slight difference in tone. This is because the wood underneath the bitumen has not been exposed to the same levels of air/moisture as the remaining floor has.

I’ve got paint splashes on the wooden floor, can you remove this when floor sanding?2017-08-22T15:13:25+01:00

Yes, don’t worry about this, the floor sanding machines are able to lift this as part of the sanding process. The same applies with staples on the wooden floor. Nails or screws are best removed or hammered in and perhaps countersunk. We will check your wooden floor before proceeding with the work.

How much does your floor sanding cost, I’ve heard floor finishing costs a lot?2017-08-24T18:23:41+01:00

Sanding an existing wooden floor is usually the cheapest and most cost effective option! Go to our online quotation section for more information. Usually, we can also give you an accurate idea of the cost for sanding a wooden floor over the phone, and discuss the choice of finish etc. We will always give you a written fixed price quote before starting any work; this quote is completely free of charge, as is the manager’s site visit (if req) and advice.

We’re not sure whether to have sanded floors or carpets. What’s the most cost effective?2017-08-24T18:28:37+01:00

Wooden floors have become extremely popular in domestic environments in recent years, but they’ve obviously always been around. Apart from the general look and the warmth, this is predominantly down to the durability aspect of a floor, hence floor sanding in Hotels, floor sanding in churches, floor sanded dance floors, floor sanding in schools and school halls, gyms etc etc always have had wooden floors. Since double glazing, insulation and central heating, wooden floors have soared even more in popularity and because of their durability, offer a far more cost effective option to carpets.

Does the varnish/lacquer smell?2017-08-22T15:07:06+01:00

Water bourne and Oil based products have low levels of odour and clear as the varnish dries. Solvent based varnishes can be quite strong and this is exaggerated with the catalysed versions that have a rapid drying time, because of the accelerated evaporation, so be aware of this and ventilate the room with open windows/vents as much as possible and close off to the rest of the property. At the same time we suggest that the heating is on to accelerate the drying time and speed up the evaporation and the extraction.

How soon after can I walk on a newly sanded and varnished floor?2023-12-06T14:19:20+00:00

This depends on the type of finish used and the weather conditions on the day. Some finishes will dry in less than four hours on a dry clear day but could take up to eight hours on a humid damp day (although this is rare).

How long will the sanded wooden floor last?2017-08-22T15:02:51+01:00

This depends on the general footfall, the type of footfall, cleaning and the general maintenance of the wooden floor. On average, domestic sanded and varnished wooden floors should last 5-10 years and commercial areas 3-5 years, however in all environments, we highly recommend that a maintenance contract is in place with an appropriate daily or deep clean process and a periodic ‘buff’n’Coat’ revive regime, which should create a lifelong finish to the floor.

Email info@floorblimey.co.uk or call us on 01934 611442