FAQ's - Floor Sander Hire
Q: Do you deliver and collect?
A: No, All machines must be collected and returned by the customer.
Q: Can anybody use a floor sander?
A: Yes. Anybody who is fit, healthy (and reasonably intelligent!) can, with a small amount of instruction fromwww.winchesterfloorsandinghire.co.uk (given on collection of the machine) get a good result with the right professional floor sanders.
Q: Can a lady use these machines?
A: Absolutely, In fact we hire as many sanders to ladies as we do to men. The 21st century housewife has just raised the bar in housekeeping.
Q: My floor is in a terrible condition. I think it may be too bad to sand.
A: The majority of floors we see have been hidden under carpets for years. They have never seen the light of day and look like they have been painted with black bitumen. With a bit of time, effort and elbow grease you can strip 2-3mm off the surface to reveal beautifully  clean wood.
Q: Dust-free? Really
A: A Hummel belt sander is 95-98% dust-free. About a teaspoonful of dust off a 40sqm floor escapes into the environment. The Trio finishing machine when used to polish the floor is practically dust free. Taping doorways, cupboards etc can be done as a precaution if you wish to do so.
Q: What benefits do sanded floors have?
A: Finished Floors are hygienic, practical and very stylish. They do not harbour parasites like carpets and are virtually maintenance free. Very easy to clean, they do not hold smelly odours from the previous occupants pets or tobacco. Wood is also a great heat conductor, cool in the summer and warm in the winter.
Q: Filling gaps between the boards, good idea?
A: Filling gaps is an effective way of eliminating draughts. 98% of houses have airbricks at ground level. There will be a continuous amount of air passing under the house when you take up the carpet. That air will create a vacuum and suck warm air from your room and pass it out the house through the airbricks. Filling gaps stops the warm air leaving the room maintaining the temperature of the room as you remember it was with carpet. Above ground level rooms; this stream of air is not present so it would be purely a decorative reason. Gap filling actually look great on most floors.
Q: How do you fill gaps?
A: This is probably the most asked question we’re hit with - we fill gaps with a mixture of two methods, strips of wood that are glued in to position. This method is with out doubt the best for look and for reliability. We use gap filler for really small gaps where stripes of wood can’t be used and also for fine line repairs in the boards.
Q: What colour will the floor be after sanding?
A: Aged pine floorboards have nice warmth to them. Its hard to say as every floor is slightly different, golden brown is common, antique honey pine is also common, you cant tell until you start sanding. The colour depends on the age of the wood and its acclimatisation with oxygen. Block or strip floors are usually oak, beech, ash, maple, cedar, or dark hardwoods mixed together and laid in herringbone patterns or basket weave or in the case of strips length ways.
Q: How long will it take to sand my floor?
A: A trained professional floor sander can sand up to 50sqm a day, if the floor is prepared and doesn't require repairs. Somebody sanding a floor for the first time might not achieve this area, but you can reckon on 25 sqm relatively easily.
Q: How do your floor sanders differ from other floor sanders for hire?
A: Most hire companies hire out drum sanders to sand floors with. This wouldn't be used by a professional since it is very hard to control, leaves a terrible finish and creates large amounts of dust. Continual belt sanders, such as the floor sanders we hire, are in an altogether different league. They are highly precise, efficient, easy to operate and use less abrasive, as well as being mostly dust-free.
Q: What finish should we use on our floors?
A: This depends on the type of wood, area and your personal choice of appearance. For light traffic areas we recommend Bona Mega or Treatex Hardwax Oil. Please click to find out more on each product. Hallways and kitchens should be sealed with a Bona Traffic or Treatex with the added hardener. They are highly durable against spillage, scuffing and abrasion. Oils can be used anywhere but will require a strict maintenance programme and over coating from time to time. An oiled finish has the advantage of local and patch repairing which is slightly more difficult with a lacquer.
Q: How long does the seal last?
A: It depends on the amount of traffic, the footwear and the quality of the sanding work. A spare bedroom for example, which receives little traffic will obviously last much longer than a floor in a busy kitchen. If the floor is not cleaned or maintained correctly then a floor will not last as long as it should, and deteriorate pretty quickly. As with most things in life prevention is the best cure.
Q: Can we change the colour of our floor?
A: Staining a floor a different colour is a popular choice by many customers. However, it is not as easy to get a good finish as it may sound. When you colour a floor all the surface marks are likely to show up under the seal when the light falls on it. If you are not sure how to do it make sure you seek advice before you colour the floor.
Q: Do you give instructions on how to use floor sanders?
A: Yes. Included in the cost of the hire is a detailed demonstration of how strip and put the machine together in our workshop.
Q: How do I get rid of the black paint around the edges?
A: Many period properties have a tar-like substance around the edge of the floor. Our floor sanding edgers will remove this with a coarse abrasive. Hand scraping first will reduce the amount of abrasives you use.
Q: When will I be able to use the floor?
A: Our fast drying Waterborne finish takes 1-2hrs to dry per coat. After 24hrs the floor is ready to receive light traffic, ideally wearing just socks. Please see data sheet for more details. Click here. Treatex Hardwax Oil takes a little longer to dry, 3-6hrs depending on wood type and ventilation. For application tips please see this Bona Information sheet
Q: When should I change the abrasive?
A: When the abrasive is not cutting easily it is time to use a new belt or disc. NEVER STRAIN the machines. The machines will sand back the wood without stress if you let them.
Q: How much will it cost?
A: If you require the services of one of our recommended floor-finishing specialist, prices range from £20-30per sq m2. All prices include labour and materials and are plus Vat. A site survey will be required to price accordingly.
Q: Do I have to leave a deposit?
A: We will ask for a holding deposit while our sanders are out on hire. Please see our hire contract agreement for more details.
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