Updating your interior timber floors

An area of the home that can sometimes be overlooked but overused is your timber floor. It can be a daunting task even thinking about updating or changing the style of your floor. There are many ways you can update your timber floors and Cabot’s can offer you a wide selection of flooring products to help you no matter the project.

Note: this advice is for updating timber floors that are already coated. If you have a new timber floor please follow the label instructions or for proper preparation and application steps.

Repair and recoat your scratched timber floors

Your timber floors may be looking a bit worse for wear from everyday life. To refresh excessively scratched floors, we recommend a maintenance coat. Cabot’s CFP Floor is available in both water based and oil based formulations and will provide durable protection while enhancing the natural look of timber as well as showing off the unique timber grain.

CFP Floor Water Based will maintain the natural colour of the timber and will not yellow over time. The water based formula offers fast recoat time, is low odour and… no sanding is required on pre-coated flooring.

CFP Floor Oil Based Whilst taking a little bit longer to dry, the oil based formula offers a beautiful clarity of colour. It adds warmth to the timber, which means that a wider variety of colours will be highlighted in the timber, bringing blushes of pink and gold to the surface, while adding depth to the darker timber features.

CFP Floor Water Based

If currently coated with CFP Floor Water Based, you do not have to sand before recoating.

We recommend giving the floor a thorough clean using Cabot’s Floor Clean to remove any dirt, wax or oil.

1. Let it dry and conduct an adhesion test to make sure the current coating is still in good condition
2. Find a small inconspicuous test area and apply one coat. Allow to dry for 3 hours. Press sticky tape firmly to the surface and pull off quickly.
3. If the coating stays intact to the floor, you are ready for coating!
4. If the coating comes off, sand the entire area back to bare timber.

Oil based coating

If your timber flooring currently has an oil based coating, sanding is required.

1. Thoroughly clean the surface with Cabot’s Floor Clean following label instructions and allow to dry.
2. Sand with 180 – 240 grit sandpaper and remove all traces of sanding dust.
3. Conduct an adhesion test; find a small inconspicuous test area and apply one coat. Allow to dry for 12 hours. Press sticky tape firmly to the surface and pull off quickly.
4. If the coating stays intact to the floor, sand the entire area with 180 – 240 grit paper for good adhesion, remove dust, then follow application instructions.

If the coatings comes off, sand the entire area back to bare timber.

Application

Note: Do not shake can.

1. Stir thoroughly with a broad flat paddle before and during use.
2. Apply product with a pad applicator, good quality brush or 6 – 10mm nap roller.
3. Use a brush to cut in. Apply 2 coats working along the length of the boards. Sand between coats with 240 grit paper.

Maintenance

We recommend regularly cleaning with Cabot’s Floor Clean. Cabot’s Floor Clean will clean your timber floors of everyday mess from foot traffic, spilt food and drink and, of course, pets.