Wood You Like F.A.Q. & News

Extra Newsletter January 2012: Stock Clearance

2012-01-17T13:04:10+00:00

Now 9 out of 10 times oiled floors are preferred over varnished/lacquered floor finishes - and most Saicos EcoLine care products suitable for both oiled and varnished finishes; we're left with a quantity of maintenance products only suitable for varnish/lacquer finishes.

Hence: Stock Clearance - 25% off normal price

That's right, 25% off the normal retail price (ex VAT), limited quantities in stock, so hurry!

Anti-slip Polish 1 ltr

Anti-slip Polish 1 ltr
Was £ 11.90 - NOW £ 8.95 ex VAT

Mat Polish 1 ltr (V6)

Mat Polish 1 ltr (V6)
Was £ 13.97 ex VAT, NOW £ 10.50 ex VAT

Clean for all finishes 1 ltr

Clean for all finishes 1 ltr
Was £ 9.25 ex VAT, NOW £ 7.00 ex VAT

Wax-Remover 1 ltr

Wax-Remover 1 ltr
Was £ 11.90 ex VAT, NOW £ 8.95 ex VAT

Remember: limited stock

and gone is definitely gone!
For all Stock-Clearance products, see the category Special Offers/Gifts in our secure webshop (or follow any of the links above)

Visit or call

Feel free to drop by, phone (01233 713725) or email us for any enquiry any day of the week, see below for our normal opening hours.

We are looking forward to welcome you in our showroom.
Our opening times are:
Monday: afternoon (times may vary)
Tuesday - Saturday: 9.30am - 4pm
Sunday: closed
Open on most Bank Holidays (except on Sundays)
During British Summer Time we'll be open till 5pm again

Please try to avoid the notorious 'School-run' on School Road between 3.10 and 3.30pm

Introducing: Hattan Range - Multi-layer European Oak

2011-12-28T14:01:35+00:00

manufactured in The Netherlands from European Oak on water-resistant birch plywood, plus 2 American Black Walnut boards
Visual beautiful, always individual (for not two timbers are the same), warm both to the touch and the eye, hard-wearing, long-lasting and easy to clean; wood makes the perfect floor for the way you live, and Hattan load-bearing engineered flooring makes to perfect wooden floor!

Hattan flooring is a 20mm engineered board with a 6mm solid wood wear layer. This is greater than the wear layer of many solid wood floors, enabling it to be sanded down several time, if required, and so extending its lifespan and making it suitable for use in even the most heavily trafficked areas. The exceptional stability provided by the backing layer makes it suitable to use over underfloor heating.

Hattan Construction

A deep (6mm) layer of hardwood bonded to an extremely tough base made from numerous thin strips of birch which are laid in alternating directions and themselves bonded with glue into strong, stable sheets. Hattan boards are so stable that they fit perfectly virtually anywhere.
Just look at the number of layers of water-resistant ply between the hardwood top layer and the superbly routered T&G - increasing the stability of your load-beading floorboards even more.

Specially selected for the beauty of their grain, precision milled and superbly engineered, Hattan boards are also unusually wide (180 to 260mm): a fittingly stunning choice for your home. Stained, smoked, brushed or aged (distressed), the range includes finishes to complement all styles and tastes, from the coolly contemporary to the richly traditional.

It's all in the detail

All Hattan flooring is pre-finished. Your choices of finishes are:

Oiled: smooth finish with a natural finish which is easy to spot repair
Matt lacquered: very natural appearance
Satin lacquered: medium sheen
Textured and oiled: enhanced grain and oiled for a very unique finish
Distressed and oiled with hand-cut bevel: bespoke distressing and hand-cut bevels for a totally commissioned look
Sawn and oiled: saw marks running across the wood grain at 90 degree produce a rustic yet sophisticated finish

Hattan Milton 954/3600

Oak character, oiled natural 20 x 180mm / 20 x 260mm

Hattan Calland 932/3602

Oak character, oiled transparent 20 x 180mm / 20 x 260mm

Hattan Willen 961

Oak Rustic (Mix ABC), oiled white 20 x 180mm

Hattan Caswell 963

Oak Rustic (Mix ABC), oiled black 20 x 180mm

Hattan Rolton 944

Oak character, brushed and limed 20 x 180mm

Hattan Wimble 3606

Oak character, smoked and oiled white 20 x 180mm

Hattan Lindon 3608

Oak character, smoked and oiled black 20 x 180 mm

Hattan Drew 952/3604

Oak character, satin lacquered 20 x 180mm / 20 x 260mm

Hattan Hilsor 1008/1032

Oak character, distressed with hand-cut bevels, smoked and oiled black 20 x 180mm / 20 x 260mm

Hattan Rill 3627

Oak character, sawn effect, smoked and oiled black 20 x 180mm

Hattan Kendro (Walnut) 1012

American Black Walnut Rustic, satin-lacquered 20 x 180mm

Other finishes and species available on request

From the same manufacturer other European Oak finishes (such as burnt, deep brushed and even white or black paint-covered) - example above shows you the Oak character burnt, textured and oiled Old White - and other species (such as Maple, Iroko, Wenge etc) are available on request. Produced to the same high standards as the Hattan range above.

Prices etc

For up to date prices and availability give us a call on 01233 - 713725 now to discuss your requirements and accessories (such as suitable underlayment).

Alternatively: visit our showroom in Charing (Kent) where we can show you large samples of this quality range.

Problems with your floor?

2011-12-12T15:06:56+00:00

One frequent occurring matter landing in our inbox or phoned about seems to be encountering a quality problem with the wood flooring bought.

Product of nature

Some online retailers pride themselves on sending out free samples of wooden flooring. We on the other hand know a tiny sample can and will never show you the rich natural variety any wooden floor has. The tiny sample sent out to you by others could be pre-selected on appearance - for instance one tiny knot when you select a rustic grade.
Basing your purchase decision on just such a tiny sample is asking for problems. When your rustic grade floor arrives, it contains large knots and colour variations between the boards. Not at all like the tiny sample you received. Some can feel disappointed, but to be honest, you should only rate a tiny sample on the quality of the construction, not on the natural appearance of the wood floor itself. Only high resolution images of interior designs are able to give you at least a better impression of the true natural look your preferred wooden floor eventual has.

Therefore, if you find yourself in the possession of a natural wooden floor that does not resemble the sample your supplier sent out to you, ask yourself the following questions:

what was the description of the product, did it mention the grade and the characteristics of this grade?
does your floor at least resemble the image the seller listed with this article?
the sample sent, did it mention not to take it "at face value"? Most samples will carry a label stating it is indicative only, the natural structures and colours of genuine wood may vary.
is the quality of the floor, including the T&G or click-system, conform the sample received?
if your supplier has a showroom, did you see a large sample of the floor - containing at least parts of 2 or 3 different boards - bought there?

If in any doubt, contact your supplier immediately with your complaint - every supplier should inform you how to contact them and what their terms and conditions of trading are. If bought strictly online, based on the little sample received and not seen a larger sample in situ, you might be in for a struggle getting a decent answer quickly (as many disappointed clients of strictly online sellers keep telling us).
After receiving your ordered floor, you have 7 days to log your complaint, based on the standard terms and condition of "distant selling" purchases. So, always check at least a few packs on contents the day your order arrives, to see if the floor received is of the grade and quality you thought you bought.

Prevent problems

At the risk of stating the obvious: the best way to prevent the above problem is to visit an independent specialised retailer in natural wooden flooring. They have large real samples in their showroom, can advice you face to face on all things related to the product of your choice and - if you plan to install the floor yourself - are often more than happy to give you tips on the best installation method and products for your situation.

Does this come at a higher price than wooden floors you can find online? It often appears so.
Does this come with more and better guarantees you definitely will receive the wooden floor you selected? Always.

(logo links to the Independent Retailer Month Facebook page - discover how and why you should support Local independent retailers in the UK)

Introducing: Wood You Like's Unique Gift Vouchers

2011-12-09T11:27:31+00:00

Running up to Christmas - problem 1

When the Mid Winter Deals were announced last week, a lady ventured into our Charing showroom, eager to take advantage of this deal. The natural wooden floor she had her heart set on - Prime Oak small plait, one of the design parquet patterns we do - would suit her plans for redecorating one of the larger "drawing rooms" in her property.

The problem she encountered was an absent husband, who - as we all can guess - had to give his "approval" on the decision by at least having seen the large sample in our showroom too. His busy diary, specially during this busy "running up to Christmas rather quickly" period, did not seem to give him the opportunity to do so before the New Year, when the Mid Winter Deal would have been expired.

Running up to Christmas - problem 2

We also received a phone call from a excited DIY-er who suddenly realised Christmas is only two weeks away. His problem: having promised "her who must be obeyed" - his expression, not ours - to have the new natural wooden floor sorted before the festivities started. That promise had been made 4 months ago, before he had started his various projects on the house, estimating he got plenty of time to have everything ready for the floor to be bought and installed way before then.

And as we all know, projects do tend to fill up more time than originally estimated, so he is now running out of time and running out of excuses for the "misses".
She'd study our Online Full Colour Natural Wooden Flooring Brochures for months now and knows exactly what wood-species and finish she wants, but her DIY husband still can't tell her which floor type (15 or 20mm) he prefers to have. That depends on some issues with the underfloor he has to sort out before that decision can be made.
Could we help out? To keep in her good books, he has to show he's definitely "on the case" and hasn't forgotten his promise to her.

Problem 3 - what products?

An elderly dad, recently retired, called us also in regards of a problem, this time nothing to do with Christmas.

His son had recently moved into a small council house and after ripping out the old carpets, he - helping his son with some decoration - had discovered an original mosaic floor in rather good nick underneath. Searching the Internet had brought them to our "7 Easy Steps" guide to repair and restore any original parquet floor.

Plans to do so are afoot and dad wants to be involved with the preparations for this, but does not know what products his son needs or wants. Dad is adamant he should at least contribute to the costs, since the move has already cost his son more than originally planned (as they do, Murphy's Law at work).

One simple and stress-free solution: Unique Gift Vouchers

If Mrs C, with her very busy husband, purchases the £250.00 Unique Gift Voucher for him before the end of this month, the Mid Winter Deal will extend till 31.01.2012 for them. That's a whole calender month longer to take advantage of these unique deals.

Mr Z, fearing the wrath of his "Misses" can purchase any of the vouchers, which will be printed on quality paper and show her - leaving the Unique gift Voucher underneath the Christmas tree - he's definitely on the case.
(Royal Mail's "Beat the Christmas Rush" promises to delivery any 1 st class mail UK main land posted on or before Tuesday 20.12.11 on or before Christmas Eve.)

And Mr L's son would be very happy to receive an Unique Gift Voucher of £ 75.00 for the restoration materials of his own choice, which he can use when ordering the quality products in Wood You Like's secure online shop.

The Vouchers come in 3 values: £ 75.00 - £ 125.00 and £ 250.00
Each has an Unique Voucher Reference and an Unique Code. The latter is a one-off discount code to be used in our online showroom. Each voucher keeps its value for 6 months after the date of issue, but is not redeemable against cash. The vouchers can either be printed on high quality paper and posted - mind the Christmas cut-off point of Royal Mail - or emailed as PDF file.

Make someones Christmas even more special, gift them one of Wood You Like's Unique Gift Vouchers! Call 01233 - 713725 today or purchase the voucher(s) of your choice in our secure online shop now.

Hurry, order before 20.12.11 1pm to have your voucher posted first class in time for Christmas!

Mid Winter Deals

2011-12-01T15:09:43+00:00

We end this year with very special Mid Winter Deals on all the Unique Natural Wooden Flooring types: Design Parquet, Grigio load-bearing aged floorboards, Hattan 20mm European Oak load-bearing range, FSC Tropical Duoplank, FSC Tropical Commercial and Vertical Parquet, and three very special SolidFloor (TM) ranges - Earth & Fire, Black & White, Gold & Silver.

No matter if you choose supply & install or supply only and no matter how many sq meters you need - we have a Unique Mid Winter Deal for you!

The Unique Ranges

Unique, because

manufacturers only select specialist retailers, assuring you of dedicated professionals who know what product would suit your circumstances and interior design wishes best and why
products are of the highest quality, with a lifespan of at least 30 - 40 years, assuring you of long lasting value for money
most, if not all, are produced in Europe and where Oak is the wood-species of your choice, made from European Oak
from guaranteed FSC or PEFC certified sources, even from one manufacturer's own FSC certified forest and sustainable projects in South America
with finishes, wood-species or in shapes you will find nowhere else, assuring you an individual natural wooden floor, a true "one of its kind" only
your selected floor always comes with extra services, from specified order confirmations, delivery dates suited to your schedule, to advice (and 6 monthly reminders) on maintenance and after care

Mid Winter Deals on Supply and Install orders

3 Unique deals for you, depending on the sq meters ordered:

Orders below 25 sq meters:

Saicos Ecoline Wax-Care Spray (covers 100 sq meters)
4-seasons guarantee on labour
50% refund Survey fee (*1)
2.5% discount on installation costs

Orders below 50 sq meters:

1 years worth of maintenance products
2 E-fit images for Design Parquet, Grigio and SolidFloor (TM) range for the price of 1 - upload an image of your room and have it E-fitted with the floor of your choice
4-seasons guarantee on labour
100% refund Survey fee (*1)
5% discount on installation costs

Orders over 50 sq meters:

lifelong supply of maintenance products (*2)
2 E-fit images for free
4-seasons guarantee on labour
100% refund Survey fee (*1)
10% discount on installation costs

Mid Winter Deals on Supply Only - anywhere in mainland UK

Again, 3 Unique deals for you, depending on the sq meters ordered:

Orders below 25 sq meters:

50% discount on Wooden Floor Installation Manual - 160 page paperback
Saicos Ecoline Wax-Care Spray (covers 100 sq m)

Orders below 50 sq meters:

100% discount on Wooden Floor Installation Manual
50% discount on delivery charges
1 years worth of maintenance products

Orders over 50 sq meters:

100% discount on Wooden Floor Installation Manual
100% discount on delivery charges
lifelong supply of maintenance products (*2)

The Conditions, without any small print

Survey fees apply for addresses 50 miles or more away from Charing, Kent and have a minimum charge of £ 75.00 ex VAT (= *1). We normally restrict our working area to Kent and the borders of the surrounding counties Surrey and Sussex. Do enquire about options further afield.
Lifelong supply applies as long as you own the property the wooden floor is installed in and is based on the normal regime of maintenance you should treat your floor with (= *2)

For all Unique Mid Winter Deals the following applies:

New orders placed and first payment received on or before 31 December 2011 4pm,
and delivered (and/or installed by Wood You Like for Supply & Install orders) on or before 31 March 2012
scheduling of delivery and/or works on your preferred delivery/installation date will be based on first come, first served
applicable for Design Parquet, Grigio load-bearing wood-engineered floorboards, Hattan (European Oak load-bearing floorboards), FSC Tropical Duoplank floorboards (load-bearing and 15mm), FSC Tropical Commercial and Vertical Parquet, SolidFloor (TM) Earth & Fire, SolidFloor (TM) Black & White and SolidFloor (TM) Gold & Silver range
In total the "Unique Range" contains over 107 different floors, your unique choice definitely among them

Drop by, view the samples, browse the online brochures

Why not drop by when you are in the neighbourhood of Charing, fresh (Dutch) coffee served if you like. You can discuss your options, your wishes for specific flooring there and then with us and receive an "on-the-spot" best quotation. If you select installation by Wood You Like's professional team we schedule a survey date with you, after which you will receive (by email or post) the specified quotation, detailing all materials and works involved.

Not able to visit? Request access to the Online Wooden Floor Range brochures and browse all available options in the comfort or your own home (or office). Email us your preferred Unique floor, and some details on the rooms (type of underfloor, UFH involved etc) and we will send you our best quotation in the shortest time possible.

PS - Remember: the last day of the year is last day to take advantage of the unique Mid Winter Deals!

call us now on 01233 - 713725, drop by or drop us an email on info@wood-you-like.co.uk

Did you know there are three main types of Design Parquet Patterns?

2011-11-12T14:52:01+00:00

One of the most valuable and grand natural wooden flooring is still an original Design Parquet floor. Installed block by block or tile by tile in your own home.

If it's good enough for Kings and Queens, is it good enough for you!

Design tiles often consists of 10 up to 23! individual wood pieces, very precisely cut to eliminate gaps between the pieces. Some tiles have their own border, either square or in an angle to add to the look of the pattern. One single individual tile only shows you a first impression of the actual pattern, you'll have to see at least 4 or 8 tiles next to each other to fully appreciate the dynamics.

Dedicated website for all patterns

The title of this article - did you know there are three main types of Design Parquet Pattern - is answered in depth on Wood You Like's dedicated to unique natural wooden flooring website. Answered not just with words, all patterns in all three types are present in large high resolution images.

To give you a "pre-view"

Loose blocks/strip patterns

Vienna Point in 60 degrees (Oak Prime wood used)

Pattern Tiles

Zuilichem #21 - also in Oak Prime

Enclosed Tiles

Kernhem #18 - again in the most popular wood species for Design Parquet: Oak Prime

Browse all patterns on your leisure, then give us a call on 01233 713725 - or shoot us an email using the special email links underneath every pattern - to discuss options, prices and lead times

Did you also know some people are still amazed such a design parquet floor, supplid and installed in an average sized room, can cost less than £ 4,000.00

Restoration - with a knitting problem

2011-10-31T15:27:24+00:00

If you thought our restoration team's skills were limited to sanding and applying a new finish to your existing original parquet floor, we've got news for you. They can knit too!

Abrupt end to pattern

When the layout in one room was changed to increase the space our client asked if we would be able to fill the "new space" with original blocks - lifted from another room in the house - in such a way the pattern would continue to and around the wall. The left picture shows where the original border was - with the last row of cut herringbone blocks. Both border and last row were carefully removed from the floor - you can still see their "print" on the old bitumen layer - and the "reclaimed" blocks were waiting to be "knitted" in.

Only to discover those blocks, although from the same house, were slightly wider and longer than the blocks in this room! A carpenter - already on site with his work bench - was set to work to cut 3 sq meters of blocks to their new size.

Snug area

The original plan had been to continue the herringbone pattern around the wall, where a "snug" had been created. It was then decided, due to limited blocks available, to add a border between the "snug" and the main area, instead of cutting all the "reclaimed" blocks to new size.

Pleasing result

The end result - before applying the finish layer. One continues herringbone pattern in the main area, with help from very precise cutting by the carpenter and the knitting skills of our team. And behind it, the "snug" with its very own pattern - and if you can tell they are a different size blocks you must have got laser-eyes ;-)

The pitch-pine floor was finished - on time for the planned moving home date - with an colour oil.
(And no, our team won't be taking orders for knitting shawls or sweaters next.)

Winter time: new opening times showroom

2011-10-29T11:09:36+01:00

During Winter Time (GMT) our showroom will be open during the following days and hours:

Mon: noon to 4 pm
Tue - Sat: 9.30am - 4pm
Sun: closed
Open during most Bank Holidays (except Sundays)

Winter time (GMT): from Monday 31 October 2011 to Saturday 24 March 2012
Summer Time (BST): closing time 5pm

Restore hidden treasures - without sanding

2011-10-20T14:40:47+01:00

More and more we receive phone calls, emails and visitors in our showroom who recently discovered their new home has a hidden treasure: an original mosaic or parquet floor (herringbone or basket weave) hiding underneath the inherited carpets!

Don't sand if you can avoid it

Since our company is well know for its parquet restoration service, the first thing on everyone's mind is: how much dust and hassle would sanding down our rediscovered parquet floor bring with it?

However, in most cases sanding is not even needed to bring this hidden treasure back to its original lustre! With careful removing of old carpet grippers, thorough cleaning (with special products - now eco-friendly!) to remove old dirt, grime and even old wax layers, most mosaic and parquet floors will sparkle again - and keep their authentic appearance (something to could be lost when sanding equipment is let loose on it).

Giving your parquet floor a treatment as described above will never go amiss, it's well worth the effort (byu yourself or professional parquet restorer if you don't have the time), won't costs the earth and the moon. The result is 9 times out of 10 a sparkling, again valuable beautiful solid wooden floor - adding not just grandeur but value to your home.

If you want to find out if your original parquet floor can be brought back to its grandeur without sanding, request our free guide here

Magic Cleanser - VOC free

One of the eco friendly products to help you with the "restoration" of your mosaic or parquet floor is Magic Cleanser from Saicos. No bleach, no biocides and complying with the latest VOC regulations (and it smells lovely).
Dilute the Cleanser 1 :10 in water, apply it with a damp cloth and let the solution do its work on stains, dirt, grime and old finish layers for about 10 - 30 minutes before you wipe it off twice with clean water (with a damp cloth, no buckets!). Wipe it dry with a new clean cloth and apply a maintenance product (Saicoc EcoLine Wax-Care Spray for instance, also VOC free) once the floor has fully dried.
Really bare floors, from which the original oil, wax or varnish layer has truly been worn off, can be finished with one or two coats of Saicos Premium HardWaxOil after the Magic Cleanser treatment. All of this is explained in our new free guide

You'll be amazed of the result! And you wouldn't be the first one to discover how easy and hassle free it often is to bring back the sparkle in your original parquet floor.

(In the event sanding is needed, don't use a drum sander - as pictured above. These machines, although available from many standard hire-centers, are not up for the task. Too light and the metal rod to hold the coarse sanding paper around the drum more often than not leave shatter marks all over your valuable parquet floor. Hire a professional with professional sanding equipment, such as a heavy belt sander, edge sander and finishing sander.
And no, it is not very dusty or a big hassle when you do have to have your parquet floor sanded.)

When patience is a virtue: extreme DIY project

2011-10-18T11:36:24+01:00

DIY conversation in our email inbox: (do you have a question yourself - use this form to ask us)

Last year, around Christmas, we received the following email:

Hello, We are going to extend our floor area of basket woven wooden tiles, size 2x11.5 cm, 5 strips make one square. We can only find second hand matching tiles. After cleaning the the edges of the strips, can they be glued good side down, making a patterned square, onto a base, which then can be glued to the cement floor. The top will then be sanded smooth to remove bitumen/cement. The cleaned floor will then be fine sanded and sealed.

What kind of adhesive can be used to preglue the tiles on some kind of a base. What kind of base can we use for this? Surely each strip does not have to be glued individually onto the cement floor? One should be able to make a larger square first, for easier laying. Thank you so much for giving us advice on this. Looking forward to hear from you. Kind regards and Merry Christmas.

Hi Jack

Thank you for your question. These mosaic floors normally come in tile-form with either "mesh (string) backing" or felt-backing.

Would the mahogany we have available not suit you?

Otherwise, cleaned "fingers" can be glued individually to the concrete (and you'll be surprised how quickly you can do this once you get the "rhythm"). Often works better than trying for form a blocks of fingers first and installing the 5 fingers together.
If fingers and floor is clean of bitumen, F.Ball B91 is the adhesive to use

Hope this helps and Merry Christmas to you too.

Hi, So impressed to have got an answer so instantaneously!!
We most likely will try to lay the "fingers' one by one, as you suggested. What will our old knees look like? We will let you know about the end result!
We are in South Africa, close to Cape Town, so we won't buy anything from you! Thought we let you know.
Kind regards,
Jack

Hi Jack

Thanks for the reply. Knees will no doubt hold firm
Looking forward to an update (with images if possible!)

And that is exactly what our South African friends did last month: pictures which tell their own story of this extreme DIY project":

We would like to give you an update of our flooring.
We had an extension done to our house and this needed a matching continuation of our parquet flooring.
The kind of parquet we needed was the ' basket weave ' pattern. We got hold of second hand pieces ( 5"x1"), dirty looking ones in bags. We bought them with a rather reluctant feeling.
The wood is Kiaat/wild teak/Pterocarpus angolensis.
They were all cleaned, fumigated and sorted into different colours and placed into bundles of 5 'fingers' with an elastic band put around them.
The concrete floor got a 2 layer water proofing laid by a roller brush.
We were fortunate to get hold of a man, Henry, who knew the trick of laying/glueing the parquet.
The glue used was Pekay's wood block adhesive.
The tiles were laid with the old glued side up, showing the cement still attached to the tiles.
The floor was sanded.
The floor was treated with 3 coats of Bona Novia.
Have a look at the photos we have attached. We are happy with the matching floors. The end result looks very good.

All of them went over the "sand bench"

Then they were "bundled" per 5 fingers, ready to be installed.

Bundle by bundle - with the "concrete side up" the mosaic is installed

After the floor is sanded to remove the concrete/screed and level the pattern, the manual filling of the gaps starts.

The end result and a very great result it is

Exterior Wood Care

2011-10-14T14:56:46+01:00

Introducing a new product range - exterior wood care

Wood Care

Wood is a beautiful and versatile product, used in a large variety of products for both in as outside your home. From furniture, natural wooden flooring, internal and external beams and supports to wall/roof cladding and decking.

It breaths, shows its natural character and is one of the rare products that - if treated correctly - becomes even more beautiful with time.

Clear Oil Finish

For all exterior wood you want to show/keep its true natural character, Saicos Clear Oil Finish is The Perfect Option for you.

It is a colourless oil based wood finish for all wood species and many purposes. It's transparent, slightly satin-mat, water and dirt repellent, durable and non-slip (produced in accordance with the latest results of scientific research and based on natural vegetable oils - environmental friendly with no biocides or preservations).

This oil penetrates into the wood, keeping it healthy and elastic, and protects the surface against weather influences and moisture. Swelling and shrinking of the wood is reduced.
It becomes a permanent part of the wood, the finish will not crack, flake, peel or blister. Therefore no sanding or scraping in case of renovation - just apply another coat.

Let nature take its course, naturally

Red Cedar cladding on Scobe Place - 3 years after installation (image courtesy of Vincent Timber)

The Clear Oil Finish, being colourless, does not offer any UV protection. Your exterior wood will, according to its unique nature, darken or bleach normally by the influence of sunlight. It is therefore a perfect product for those wood species where natural "greying" is appreciated, such as Red Cedar which over time develops a special uniform silver-grey surface. This also happens with various European wood species - larch, sweet chestnut etc.

Non-slip

Another big advantage of the Clear Oil Finish, especially for outdoor floors, wooden decks etc: it is absolutely non-slip!

Fields of application:

A clear (colourless) finish for all wood you like to keep as natural as possible: for instance undersides of roofs, wooden decking, grills (1 - 2 coats)
A clear finish on all outdoor wood where natural greying is part of the appeal (2 coats)
A top-coat and additional protection against weathering over microporous, oil-based finishes on for instance wooden deckings, garden furniture, shutters, doors etc (1 coat)
A priming coat on soft woods to prepare it for a coloured finish (1 coat)
An well proven product for boat equipment such as wooden planks, sun-decks and railings - instead of varnished (1 - 2 coats)

Coverage per liter:

approx 13 sq m 2 for 2 coats on smooth wood
approx 17 sq m for 1 coat on smooth wood
approx 9 sq m for 2 coats on stratiated wood
approx 12 sq m for 1 coat on stratiated wood
(all depending on wood species and surface structure)

Available in 0.75 ltr tins (approx 10 sq m for 2 coats on smooth wood) and 2.5 ltr tins (approx 32 sq m for 2 coats on smooth wood).

Delivery times might apply.

More exteriors wood care products will follow in the very near future, so stay tuned!

Felt Pads

2011-10-13T12:55:46+01:00

The most simple way to protect your wooden floor from scratches when moving furniture around is to stick Felt Pads underneath the legs.

Using self-adhesive pre-cut rounds couldn't be easier: bursh any dirt or dust from the leg, peel of a suitable sized round from the sheet and press on. Job done.
It is not needed to cover the whole botom of large or shunky legs - think tables, bookcases etc. Two or three (medium or large) rounds will do the job to protect your floor from scratches when moving furniture around.

Normally you only need Felt Pads underneath furniture pieces which are moved frequently - think dining chairs - but these pads also come in handy for heavy pieces you only occasionally move from their spot. With Felt Pads attached, it will take the brunt out of this job.

In our secure webshop you will find 4 sizes:

19mm (pack contains 32 rounds)
26mm (pack contains 16 rounds)
38mm (apcks contains 8 rounds)
90 x 164mm (pack contains one sheet)

Purchase now:

Care/Repair kits - everything you need in one box

2011-10-11T16:18:00+01:00

When you are (re)searching products to care or repair your wooden floor, you could be forgiven for becoming overwhelmed by all the products available. Which one, or combination of products, would do everything you want it to do, AND is suitable for it?

Do I need an oil when my floor has been oiled before to bring back its lustre, do I need a cleaning product first and what wax or polish can I apply and how often?
What products do I need when I only have to add a few blocks to our existing parquet floor, and want to sand and re-finish the whole area of flooring?

The list of questions can go on and on.

Restoration packs

Since long, Wood You Like's secure webshop has presented you with 3 different Restoration Packs when you're in the process of restoring your original parquet floor:

Oak pack - with HardWaxOil, among other products
Tropical - with the Tropical Combo as finish
Pine - with a thin colour oil to prevent the pine turning ugly orange

All three packs also contain parquet adhesive, notched trowel and trowel knife, wood-filler, oil/polish applicator and the "7 easy steps" guide.
For some "restoration" jobs the above packs contain more products than needed. For instance, when you don't have any missing or loose blocks the adhesive is not needed.
And sometimes there is even no need to sand your floor, making the wood-filler superfluous too.

New: Care/Repair Kits

If that's the case we have make life easier for you by creating 2 brands new Care/Repair Kits - more Kits might follow in the near future, see below.

We had a close look at our sales statistics to see which products were frequently combined in orders through our secure webshop, and simply put them in one box - to make it easier for you if you are planning a sort like DIY-Repair project.

The Care/Repair Kit contains a small tin of Premium HardWaxOil (if you only need to re-finish the tiniest of areas), handy small application brush and all the required cleaning and maintenance products to treat the rest of the your wooden floor and bring back its lustre.

The Intensive Cleaning/Repair Kit are ideal for those floors which have been covered with carpets for a long time. The Magic Cleanser - dilute with water - will remove all the dirt, grime and even old wax/oil layers. Once this application has dried - do read and follow the instructions of use - it is simply a matter of applying Premium HardWaxOil on your floor. No need for sanding at all!

In the Care/Repair Kits category you will also find the Floor Care Set: 1 ltr Wax-Care and 1 ltr Wash-care for regular maintenance for your wooden floor to keep it healthy, durable and beautiful.

More Kits? Tell us!

The above Kits came to be after researching our own data, but of course it is possible we are overlooking something you are in need of.

That's why we said: more Kits might follow.
If you think there is a specific combination of products to care/repair/restore your wooden floor which is now missing in our secure webshop - simply tell us now!

For this purpose we've created a short survey, and everyone who takes the time to tell us what in their opinion is missing (and fills in their name and email address) will be placed in a Thank You Draw. In two weeks time we will close the survey, draw one name out of the "hat" (or box more likely) and reward this person with a unique, one-off coupon-code with the value of £ 15.00 to be used in our secure webshop.

Keep it in style - conservatories have their value

2011-10-07T12:52:40+01:00

Homeowners who are looking to vamp up their home should know adding a conservatory can up the value of their property, according to idealproperty.co.uk.

Stephen Dyer, managing director at idealproperty.co.uk, explained that so long as they are appropriately built to reflect the character of the home, conservatories are a welcome additional.

They also create more space in the home, as does relocating excess items from the home into a self storage unit.

"If they are of sufficient quality, carefully planned and properly funded and well constructed they [conservatories] can add significant value," said Mr Dyer.

"They should blend in and be part of the main property, not a room that's too cold in the winter or too hot in the summer."

He stressed that good planning is needed to ensure the ultimate outcome of a conservatory is positive to the home's character.

Integrate by same floor covering

If your living room has a wooden floor, adding this type of floor covering in the conservatory too will give this new room a more integrated feel.

Wood-Engineered boards are highly suitable to be installed here, due to their construction they can tackle changes in temperature and humidity much better than solid floor boards.

The ease of applying Saicos Premium HardWaxOil

2011-10-06T13:04:50+01:00

Now more and more original floors are being rediscovered and restored, the question of what should be applied as new finish to really bring out the authentic character of the floor is popping up (in?) regularly in our inbox.

Natural oil for natural look

Since long we are "oil" people, the natural finish which brings out the true character of your wooden floor., is easy to maintain and if needed easily repaired locally without having to resand your whole floor all over again.

Plus, as the short video below will show you, is very easy to apply:

(In between sanding only needed if too long a time had been left between the two coats, oil can also be applied with polish applicator instead of roller)

You can find all 4 sheens of Saicos HardWaxOil here (plus other floor oils by Saicos, such as the Tropical Combo for - as you would expect - tropical floors)

Quick fix before restoration can start

2011-09-26T15:56:44+01:00

DIY conversation in our email inbox: (do you have a question yourself - use this form to ask us)

Hello,
We have a 1950's-1970's parquet flooring in the kitchen and dining room which is in need of some tlc, however as we plan to lift it and re-lay it at a later date when we knock the two rooms into one, for now we would like a 'quick fix' for the kitchen area which is damaged.
The floor has a small area which has been covered by furniture which appears to be bare wood, small areas of grey wood where the current surface (wax, polish or oil, i'm not sure) has worn and small areas of water damage.
We do not want to sand it at this stage and were planning on using white spirit and wire wool to remove the existing surface coating. What would be the best product to then apply to match the original surface coating?
Many thanks in advance.
Kay

Hi Kay

Nice floor! And worth restoring - when the time is there.
For the time being you could treat the floor with a suitable maintenance product to keep the wood protected against more water spillages. Wire-wool etc will not completely shift the original finish so there might be colour differences until you can sand everything back to its bare wood again.

The best product to use for now - which does mean "hand and knees" work - would be the Power Wax (Solid wax). In the olden days this was used to treat bare wood (a coat of 4 - 5 applied), but in this circumstances you could apply 1 coat over areas still "covered" by the existing oil/wax finish and 2 coats (at least) on the bare areas.

Available in small tins or in 2.5 kg tins.

Hope this helps

Kind Regards
Karin Hermans - Wood You Like Ltd

Many thanks Karin.

Kay

Duo/Venture Plank unfinished Oak Prime and Rustic

2011-09-15T14:01:56+01:00

By some called the "Rolls Royce" among the multi-layered wood-engineered floors. Duoplank, produced in Europe from European Oak, 6mm top layer on 14mm water-resistant-plywood (birch) and one of the few, if not the only one, tested by TNO on UFH (on shrinkage and delaminating). Came through the tests with flying colours and therefore guaranteed on UFH - as long, of course, you treat your UFH system according to the instructions.

In the UK also know as Venture Plank, therefore on our webpages you will frequently find the name Duo/Venture Plank mentioned.

Select/apply your own finish

For those who cannot find their preferred finish in the load-bearing 20/6 range from SolidFloor (TM), the unfinished Duo/Venture Plank in Oak Prime or Oak Rustic/Character could well be the best solutions.

Select your own finish, be it oiled or varnished/lacquered, install your robust load-bearing Duo/Venture Plank and apply the finish. One excellent way to establish your floor is truly unique.

Prime

This grade of quality Oak does not contain knots (or only tiny specks) and can have boards full of medullary rays (mirrors). Available in 3 widths: 100mm, 180mm and 220mm

Rustic/Character

For that Country feel: knots, colour variations for a "natural" wooden floor. Available in 3 widths too: 180mm, 220mm and 260mm
The 180mm has also the option of square edges, meaning no bevels.

Due to the precise routering of the T&G construction you can easily combine 2 or even 3 widths in the same floor for even more authenticity.

As for finishes to select, we are oil people ourselves and can highly recommend the oil products from Saicos (HardWaxOil natural in 4 sheens, Colour Wax Classic in 19 different colours - which needs one coat of HardWaxOil as wear and tear layer) or Blanchon HardWaxOil in 12 colours (all Satin Mat)

The Duo/Venture Plank Oak Prime and Rustic/Character are ready to order in our secure webshop now!

Installation Manual as training manual

2011-09-07T15:53:31+01:00

Receiving feedback on our Wooden Floor Installation Manual always gives us a buzz, the feedback we received this week from a professional colleague certainly did:

From Ron Bacon / RC Bacon Ltd

I am a flooring contractor with over 40 years experience in all types of carpet and flooring.

I have an improver (Steve Glen) who is excellent at laying certain types of wood floors, but who lacks confidence.

So I decided to increase his knowledge to handle this, on the premise that knowledge (when gained) = willingness to be cause, thus responsibility which brings about increased ability to control. Then I noticed your book and decided to get it for him to save time in providing him with data for his training. It didn’t matter that the data was not necessarily relevant to his current work for it was helping to clear up misunderstoods and false data he had accumulated from verbal technology given to him by others, who also had obviously suffered from dissemination of false data by others in the past.

Recently he completed a splendid herringbone parquet installation with a tramline inset border, of which he is rightly very proud and so am I. Pictures attached.

So thank you for providing the data in your book, it is of tremendous value.

Kind regards

Ron Bacon

RC Bacon Ltd
T/as RC Bacon Carpets & Flooring

This result definitively deserves its rightful place in our "Hall of Fame"!

All images provided by RC Bacon Ltd

Rather tired and in need of revitalisation parquet floor

2011-08-27T15:39:28+01:00

DIY conversation in our email inbox: (do you have a question yourself - use this form to ask us)

Old wear pattern is now a "feature"of the floor

Question:

Hello, we have a parquet floor in our hallway that was sanded and varnished 10/12 years ago and is now rather tired and in need of revitalisation, especially since we have rearranged the furniture and the old wear pattern is now a "feature"of the floor.

Obviously we could just sand it down and do the same again, but I would like to know whether we could apply a wax finish instead once we have stripped it back - it is a 1950s house and I think the flooring is oak; I am planning on doing the job myself, but would appreciate some expert guidance as to whether a change of finish will produce good (or hopefully even better!) results.

Many thanks, Sandra A

The 7 Steps

Hi Sandra

Thank you for your question. We are "oil" people ourselves and know from experience an HardWaxOil finish will bring out your floor's character much better than varnish, plus will be easier to keep beautiful without too much trouble.
Have you read through our 7 Easy Steps?:

What materials?

Yes, I have read the Easy Steps - I think I would probably join in on step 5 as our floor is perfectly sound, just worn.
I really wanted to check that the varnish can be sufficiently removed by sanding and that it hasn't penetrated deep down in the wood in a way that would stop oil soaking in should we decide to change the finish. It as a relatively small area - about 14 sq m - what tools and materials (apart from hiring sanders) would you recommend we use?

Recommended products

Varnish can normally be sanded off rather easy - you could even decide to start with grit 80 instead of 40. Try this out, it will save you time and sanding belts.

Saicos HardWaxOil is a very good product, and comes in 4 sheens (Satin-mat the most popular one still)

To apply the two coats of HWO you can use our polish applicator

If there are obvious gaps between individual blocks you could decide to fill these, using a wood-filler:

Hope this helps?

Solidfloor (TM) - now available online

2011-08-26T13:36:30+01:00

The complete Solidfloor (TM) wood-engineered floor range (over 77 different floor-types) are now added to Wood You Like's secure webshop.

Forever yours

A floor for every style and situation, from 10mm to load-bearing 20mm thick T&G boards. All pre-oiled and of the highest quality, lasting you years and years to come: Solidfloor ... forever yours

The categories - as displayed in the online shop:
10/3 Basic (covering Warrant and LifeStyle ranges)
15/4 Basic (covering Warrant and LifeStyle ranges)
20/6 Multi-layer (covering Warrant and LifeStyle ranges)
10/3 Aged (Vintage range)
15/4 Aged (Vintage range)
20/6 Aged (Vintage range)
15/4 Unique floors (covering New Classics, Black & White, Earth & Fire and Silver & Gold ranges)

All prices are ex VAT per pack - packs range from 1.3834 sq m to 2.28 sq m. And every order will receive a Free Saicos Floor Care Set.
Delivery charges: only £30.00 ex VAT - no minimum order.

Examples:

15/4 New Classic - Basket Weave Notre Dame - distressed, smoked,brushed and oiled natural

20/6 Multi-layer - Oak Nature white-washed and oiled natural - Nile

15/4 Aged - Vintage Oak Rustic FSC, hand-scraped, smoked and oiled white - Alaska

10/3 Basic - Walnut Nature, oiled natural - Cleveland

15/4 Basic - Oak Rustic, brushed and oiled natural - Seattle

Solidfloor (TM) has definitely a floor for every taste, style and circumstances.