Have a read of the typical process's we like to follow for different types of jobs
METHOD
STATEMENT
The floor, depending on the condition and evenness, would have a number of passes with an industrial floor sander, starting with a rough grit sand paper. With each pass a smoother paper is used, usually in 3 passes to a finishing grit of 80 until the previous treatments / seal has been removed.
When the main body of the floor has been sanded the edges would then go through the same treatment with a rotary edging sander. Usually within two passes finishing with a 60 grit disc.
Once the whole floor has been cleaned to a desirable finish a multi disc floor sander will be used to remove any sanding marks and discolouration in the wood left by the different direction of the belt sander and rotary edging sander, usually in two passes to a finishing grit of 120.
After the floor has been sanded, an industrial vacuum would be used to remove any dust leaving the floor dust free and all previous treatments removed.
The first coat of seal is then applied using a single sweeping motion keeping a wet edge to the seal. On contact the seal will raise the grain of the floor; to remove this roughness a minimum of 12 hours (overnight) must pass before any further treatment is undertaken.
The remaining coats of seal can be applied as per manufacturers recommendations after a screening of the floor with a fine grit mesh disc under a buffing machine to remove the roughness and to key the surface. A further vacuuming of the floor to remove the dust is carried out, then the remaining coats of seal can be applied (the amount of coats applied will be determined by the usage of the floor and the type of seal used).
As a rule when working on a GRANWOOD floor we do not finish off to the same grit as these floors need a rougher finish to aid the keying of the new seal.
To sand and reseal Wood and Granwood floors
A screen mesh is placed under a suitable buffing machine to remove any roughness and to key the floors surface to allow the coats of seal to be applied. Any dirt / dust will be vacuumed off the floor, and then the remaining coats of seal can be applied as the manufacturers recommendations (a minimum of two coats as a rule).
To scrub off any polish / dirt and reseal Wood & Granwood floors
To remove any polish / floor maintainer / dirt or grease, a solution of stripper & water would be applied to the floor. The manufacturers guide lines would indicate the right dilution of stripper & water to be used on the different floor conditions.
The solution would be left to work as manufacturers recommendations, after a while it would be agitated with a black stripping pad under a suitable buffer machine, this process may have to be undertaken a number of times to remove all dirt or previous polish / maintainer. The resulting solution would then be picked up using a suitable wet pick up. As with manufacturers recommendations, a neutraliser should be mopped on to the floor. The floor has to be left a minimum of 12 hours (overnight) to allow the floor to dry, as any dampness would not allow the seal to adhere to the floor.
If only a screening of the floor is needed to remove any imperfections and then resealing is to take place:
A suitable grit mesh disc should be placed under a suitable buffering machine and the light screening of the floor should be undertaken.
To screen (mesh disc) and reseal the floor
This process may have to be undertaken (with a number of different grit discs) to give the floor surface a smooth even finish. A vacuuming of the floor to remove the dust will be done, then the coats of seal can be applied as the manufacturers recommendations (a minimum of two coats as a rule).
To scrub off any polish / dirt and re-polish any sealed floors
A screen mesh is placed under a suitable buffing machine to remove any roughness and to key the floors surface to allow the coats of polish to be applied. Any dirt / dust will be vacuumed off the floor, and then two coats of emulsion polish should be applied as the manufactures recommendations.
No polish should ever be applied to a floor which any sport activities are undertaken.
To remove any polish / floor maintainer / dirt or grease, a solution of stripper & water would be applied to the floor. The manufacturers guide lines would indicate the right dilution of stripper & water to be used on the different floor conditions.
The solution would be left to work as manufacturers recommendations, after a while it would be agitated with a black stripping pad under a suitable buffer machine, this process may have to be undertaken a number of times to remove all dirt or previous polish / maintainer. The resulting solution would then be picked up using a suitable wet pick up. As with manufacturers recommendations, a neutraliser should be mopped on to the floor. The floor has to be left a minimum of 12 hours (overnight) to allow the floor to dry, as any dampness would not allow the polish to adhere to the floor.
If any court markings are required, a light screening of the floor should be undertaken with suitable mesh discs. This process may have to be undertaken (with a number of different grit disc) to give the floor surface a smooth even finish.
A vacuuming of the floor to remove the dust will be carried out, then the marking out of the courts can be done.
​To apply court markings to Sport floors
Tape will be used to mark out the courts and then the paint applied between the tape. Once the paint is dry (minimum of 12 hours, overnight) the lines need to be keyed off with a suitable disc.
It is recommended to apply at least one, preferably two coats of seal on top of the lines.
Any small gaps would be filled in using old dust from the floor mixed with a resin to match the colour of the wood. A smoothing mesh disc under a suitable buffer would remove any roughness.
This would then need to be sealed as manufacturers recommendations.
Granwood floors can be repaired by cutting around the defected area and then chiselling out the area within the cuts. A suitable fixing would be used to glue in the Granwood bricks, once set (after a period of time as given by the manufacturers of the fixing adhesive) the floor could be sanded to the desired level and smoothness.
This would then need to be sealed as manufacturers recommendations.
To repair any damaged wood
If any repairs are needed, the procedure would be different depending on the way the floor is laid. If the floor is laid directly on to the sub floor, after removal of the old split / rotten wood the new wood would be glued to the sub floor using suitable wood glue as manufacturers recommendations.
If the floor is fixed to a joist, after the old split / rotten wood is removed, the new planks will be nailed down to the joist.
There is other ways that the wooden floor could be fixed to a sub floor, (but these are the two most common) whichever way the wood has been laid, new wood would be laid in the same way.
After replacing the wood, it would need a sanding to remove any excess. This would be the same process as fully sanding and resealing a wood floor.