There is certainly no shortage of historic homes in and around West Sussex, England. And while they can be a huge draw for visitors to the area, the old buildings can lead to more than a few headaches for local hardwood flooring professionals.
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There is certainly no shortage of historic homes in and around West Sussex, England. And while they can be a huge draw for visitors to the area, the old buildings can lead to more than a few headaches for local hardwood flooring professionals.
“The floor leveling is always a challenge here,” says Paul Mcilroy of Dorking, Surrey-based One Wood Floors. “The floors are never level. They sink quite a lot, because they’re all so old.”
The company has made the most of the historic market, however, and has gained a reputation for its work in such homes. It’s not uncommon for the old homes to get new surfaces installed, and one of the latest flooring trends in the historic area is known as the “Mansion Weave” made with European oak, a style they used in this circa-1880 home in Horsham, West Sussex.
“It’s definitely a bit more time consuming,” Mcilroy says of the prefinished weave that One Wood Floors has custom milled. “It’s a bit more fiddly than fitting your herringbone floors.”
But the design matches well with the aesthetic of the old English homes, he adds.
After handling the typical leveling issues on the old concrete subfloor, the glue-down installation of the 345-square-foot weave went smoothly.
“You just work off of that first row,” Mcilroy says of the installation. With a two-person crew, the project wrapped up in five days.
Seeing their completed wood flooring enhance the storied dwellings they work in is well worth any of the headaches, Mcilroy says: “Seeing the customer’s face for the first time when they first walk in, that’s the best part.”
Suppliers:
Leveler: Tilemaster Adhesives | Flooring: Alton Oak | Adhesive: MAPEI
All Things Wood Floor, created by Wood Floor Business magazine, talks to interesting wood flooring pros to share knowledge, stories and tips on everything to do with wood flooring, from installation, sanding and finishing to business management.