HS Flooring FAQ's

 I’m not very strong, do you move furniture?

To conduct sanding work on your wooden floor, we require all furniture within the workspace to be removed from the area (this includes any items in wardrobes that you intend on having sanded).

If it is requested that we move some heavy furniture to do your job, we will strive to take upmost care with your belongings however we aren’t professional movers so we take no responsibility if there is any damage to you or your property. It is best to get professional movers to do this service for you.

 Who will be doing my floor?

At HS Flooring we aim to provide specialised services that meet the highest of standards within the flooring industry. We identify that the key in achieving this is by having staff that strive for high quality workmanship and share our expectations.

Our staff have been trained and mentored by experienced members within the flooring trade. We ensure our staff are professional and care about their work and our customers’ homes. Any issues with communication should be passed on to Senior Management to find a reasonable solution for all.

Our on the floor team members are Joe, Tee, Walter, Eugene, Tuwhare, Torrin and Dean. Their experience spans more than 75years collectively. Our admin staff are Jody, Catherine and Dale.

 Do I have to move out, and what about my pet?

We strongly recommend that you find alternative accommodation during the floor sanding and coating process as access to the floors will be restricted while we prepare and finish your floors to our professional standard. Walking on the floor can result in foot marks coming through the coats that were not visible in the sanding process.

Also, if you chose moisture cured polyurethane, this produces strong toxic fumes during the application and curing (drying) process. Because doors and windows must be open to allow for drying, an outdoor pet may think its ok to come inside and ruin your new coating, so sending them to a pet hotel would be best. It may be possible to stay in the house if a water-based polyurethane is applied as it is faster drying and less fumes but at all times, the manufacturers specifications should be followed to ensure you meet their warranty requirements.

 Can you tell me what the floor sanders will do?

FYI, here is our general standard process. There may be slight variations for specialised coatings: Every floor is different, therefore our process to make your floor look amazing may be different. Here is a guide on the general process

• Nail holes are punched
• First cut of the floor using our sanding machines is undertaken
• Our team will then fill the nail holes that have been punched using a suited colour and variant wood filler
•  Second cut of the floor is completed
• Third and final cut of the floor, undertaking a fine sand of the area
• A full sweep vacuuming the whole floor area before coating
• Application of the first coat, using the chosen variant of polyurethane
• Then the second coat will be applied straight after if it is a straight polyurethane coat.
• Once dry, another scuff of the floor and vacuum will be undertaken before applying the third and final coat. For oiling it is a slightly different process: Sanding is the same as above but before application we use the product manufacturers cleaner to prep for the floor for their oil product to be applied to the floor
• Allow the floor to dry
• Apply oil by trowel and buffing in as per manufacturers specifications. Some oil can be 1 or 2 coat systems. If two coat system, a further coat is applied to manufacturers specifications. Some oil curing can be 2-5 days to cure.

At all times we follow manufacturers specifications.

 I have other tradies onsite, is that ok?

Its best to make sure that all other tradesmen have finished their work or are away from the floor before the floor sanding begins.

If a tradie does not need to access the area where we are working in order for them to do their work, it shouldn’t be a problem for them to tend to their tasks, however, we require full use of the floor area that we are assigned to and cannot risk foot prints being left in our coating by other tradesmen.

Having other tradies onsite at the same time can create chain of responsibility issues down the track, any issues that are found after the fact will be on the customer as no-one will know who is responsible.

That is why we recommend keeping tradies separated. If it is necessary to have other tradies onsite while we are working then it is best to have an onsite project manager who is monitoring, opening and closing the site daily.

 Can I come and sneak a peak during the job?

You won’t really get the full effect of the job until its finished and you may think that your floors do not look the best mid process. It’s not that exciting and there isn’t much to see in between plus it can be very noisy. We suggest waiting till the next day after the final coat goes down before having a look-see.

Remember to take care not to open the door up too soon to avoid dust blowing into the house and putting dust in the coating that may not be fully dry yet. If the coating isn’t quite what you thought it would look like at first, remember it is still curing and will flatten out over the curing process and even more once the furniture is back in and you’ve been living on the floor for a bit.

It is best to give the process some time before trying to fix “problems” that are simply the curing and settling in time for the floor.

 So, when can I walk on my floors again?

Any coating system we apply should be dry 24 hours after our final coat, but it will not be fully cured yet. While the floor is curing, we recommend that you remove shoes and only walk on your floors in dry socks or dry bare feet for the first couple of weeks or to the manufacturers curing recommendations (could be more, could be less).

If you must move furniture back before the floor is fully cured, we recommend placing the items on the floor. Do not drag anything on the floor at ANY stage. If you do drag items on the floor i.e., a vacuum cleaner, and it leaves runner marks, these may lift out over time.

Put soft felt pads or carpet squares under the feet of furniture to avoid indentations. Chairs that will be dragged in and out with a heavy point load would do well to have felt pads and regular assessment of the floors and the feet to ensure they are not marking the floor. Dragging items over the floor that results in gouging the protective coating will need addressing immediately to avoid bigger issue down the track, such as further delamination and adhesion issues.

 Should I get my new kitchen or bathroom installed before or after the floors?

New kitchens and bathrooms can be very expensive and have surfaces and items that are beautiful new and shiny and made to be on display. They can be the piece-de-resistance of your project and your pride and joy. The floors should be completed before the kitchen or bathroom fixtures are installed.

All contractors take as much care as possible when we do our jobs but accidents can happen and are unavoidable. Your kitchen and bathroom installers will be aware of the hazards and risks they may face when installing. A simple fix to avoid damage to your floors is to cover with drop sheets or ram board. This can often be the saving grace to an accidentally dropped hammer.

Communication is key, and if you are managing your project yourself, make sure all of your contractors are aware of all factors of your job so they can plan to minimise hazards when it comes time for installing. If your installers are aware that the floors and walls have been completed, they will take care to avoid marking these completed surfaces.