DEEP CLEAN & RECOAT

Our Deep Clean and Recoat service is an excellent option if your timber floors look a little tired and worn and you want to freshen them up without a complete sand and polish.

Getting ready to Deep Clean and Recoat a timber floor

Why it's needed…

Over time, all coatings, like the exterior paint on your car and house, wear away.

Your timber floor finish is the same. Dust is abrasive, and as you walk, play, and live on your floors, it slowly wears the protecting finish down. Dirt and dust then get in and your floor starts looking dirty, no matter how much you clean it. This is normal, especially since your hardwood floors are the most used and abused part of any home.

It's important to not wait so long that the finish wears through to the wood. Once bare wood is exposed, a recoat is not an option, you will need to do a complete resand. Every time you sand your floor, another layer of wood gets removed, which brings the floor closer to the end of its life.

Cleaning and recoating your floor before it reaches this stage stops the deterioration. It builds the finish layer back up to its initial thickness, allowing the top layer of wood to keep its original thickness. It gives your floors a fresh look and helps them last much longer.

How does it work?

Our Deep Clean and Recoat service involves the following steps…

Step 1: Deep Clean

We use a deep cleaning scrubber with a specialized aggressive cleaning solution designed to lift and remove all the ground-in dirt and grime.

Step 2: Abrade

Once the floor is thoroughly cleaned (sometimes multiple passes are needed), we abrade it for a mechanical bond. This works in line with the chemical bond of the finish for extra durability.

Step 3: Vacuum & Clean

The entire floor is vacuumed and wiped clean one last time to remove any remaining contaminants and prepare it for the next step.

Step 4: New Finish

We apply your new coat of finish.

*There is an option to have a second coat applied if you wish.

Can you clean my floors without recoating?

Yes. We have an option called Deep Cleaning that is only Step 1 and Step 2 from above. This is an excellent option if your floors have dirty traffic from kids and dogs, or you live in a dusty location but don't want, or need, another coat of finish.

Can this be done on any timber floor?

Unfortunately, no. There are two reasons why:

First, if your finish has deteriorated so much that you can see exposed wood and deep scratches, then a complete sand and polish will need to be done. Recoating the floor won't hide existing bare areas, scratches, or deep marks. It will only result in a nice new topcoat with those areas highlighted even more. I'm guessing that's not the look you want.

Second, some finishes are incompatible with this process, including floors with heavy layers of wax or build-up of incompatible cleaning/sheen-building solutions. If a new finish were applied over the top of such contaminants, it wouldn't adhere properly, and the coating would start to peel and flake. There's a high failure rate with recoats (have a quick search on Google), and this is the most common reason.

How can I know if my floor qualifies?

We will perform a series of tests in various locations to detect contaminates and see if your floor qualifies for a Deep Clean and Recoat. You're good to go if you pass the chemical and adhesion test. If not, we'll talk about some other options with you.

How long will it take?

It can be completed in one day for an average-sized home. The finish will be dry enough to walk on in 2 to 3 hours. You can move back your furniture the next day.

How much does it cost?

It will be about a third of the cost of a complete timber floor restoration, so it's worth looking into and asking us about before considering a full sand and polish.

Some things to be wary of:

Some businesses will do what is called a 'screen and recoat.' It sounds similar, but it's an entirely different process. Instead of using the deep cleaning 4 Step process we do above, they skip the deep cleaning part and just use a sanding screen to abrade the floor and then apply a coat of finish.

Make sure your floor will be thoroughly cleaned before recoating to avoid adhesion issues

This is a recipe for disaster because the sanding screens were not designed to clean. Instead, they were designed to abrade between finish coats. So, if your old finish gets abraded but isn't clean and free of waxes and contaminants, the new coat of finish won't adhere, and you'll have a disaster on your hands.

If you get a quote for a 'screen and recoat' instead of a Deep Clean and Recoat, then make sure you fully understand the procedure they are using and the risks you will be taking.

Who is the Deep Clean and Recoat service perfect for?

It's an excellent choice for homeowners getting their house ready to sell and need their floors freshened up. You will save two-thirds of the cost over a full re-sand, and your floors will look great to potential buyers.

It's also great for new homeowners that want to change the sheen of their floor, or ensure their timber floors are clean and well protected before moving in.

And lastly, it's also perfect for people that have been in their homes for several years. It allows you to revive dull floors and keep them protected, so they last for decades without having to do a full re-sand.

If you're interested in this service, request a quote, and we'll go over your options with you in more detail and see if you qualify.