The Pros and Cons of Different Wood Types of Wood Floors

Throughout history wood has been a very popular flooring option.  In Cambridge, there are many homes with solid wood flooring, it was at one time, one of only a few alternative to stone or brick flooring, and has been used long before cheaper alternatives came along, such as Medium-density Fibreboard (MDF) or Plywood.

So as with any financial commitments, take your time and consider your options and for any flooring, whether its Hardwood and MDF, look at the cost of purchasing and installation, where is it for? And how do you want them finished? Do you want to have them painted or waxed? etc.

But never-the-less, wood is hardwearing and durable, it has been used in almost every house and for every interior design and colour scheme.  Wood is a very en-vogue and an interior designers dream

Here at the Art of Clean, we don't know anyone who has chosen wood flooring and hasn't been pleased with the results.  The only problem is, it can be a difficult choice of what kind of wood flooring is right for you.

This is just a simple guide to the three different types of wood flooring:

SOLID WOOD is the most popular and is considered to be the original wood flooring.    It is cut into planks or blocks from the log and go through a process of kiln drying, which enables the wood to reduce the moisture level.  The net process is to machine cut into various sizes and a profile is given, either square edged or tongue and grooved.  They are then finished in the factory with a coating of lacquer or wax or can be left unfinished and finished later by the installer.

ENGINEERED is basically a veneer applied to a plywood base.  Consider the installation methods as it can be very different to Solid wood flooring.

LAMINATE is not the same as Engineered Flooring.  Laminate is basically a high quality picture of wood.

I just wanted to finish this blog, with a couple of photographs from a pine floor sanding job our Service and Sales Technician, Nathan was sent on this week to a clients home in Cambridge.

Our client was really chuffed with the results and said "that all his floors look fantastic now".

Art of Clean is a specialist cleaning firm in: 

Wood Floor Sanding,

Stone floor Cleaning,

Carpet Cleaning,

Rug Cleaning,

Upholstery Cleaning 

Leather Furniture Cleaning, 

CLEANING PRODUCTS

Working for domestic or commercial clients throughout Cambridgeshire, Essex, Suffolk and Hertfordshire.

For more information on our services contact our friendly team on 01223 863632 or email us at info@artofclean.co.uk

What is the meaning of Parquet?

Parquet is the laying of small blocks of wood in a geometric pattern for the purpose of decoratively covering a floor.

The word is of old French origin, thought to be a derivative of Parchet - meaning Park, ie. a small enclosed space.  Parquet differs from the generic term of wood floor due to its artistic design and use of small pieces of wood to create a pattern.

There are a number of styles of Parquet that range in artistic design and difficulty.  To lay a parquet floor takes craftsmanship and skill which is why even the most simple of designs prove to be quite a challenge to a DIY floor layer. 

The most notable designs are the Herringbone arrangement and the basket design, however there is a huge spectrum of possibilities that people explore that yield absolutely stunning results.

Here are the basic parquet designs

This is an example of herringbone parquet

Here you can see a creative take on herringbone parquet

Below is a beautiful and seemingly simple miss-match of wood blocks of different size and colour, making a truly stunning take on the herringbone design

Another fantastic take on the herringbone style of parquet

A geometric parquet design

This geometric parquet has cleaverly used different colored wood to create a 3D effect

Below is a feat of true parquet artistry

Art of Clean are proud of their team of highly skilled technicians who often perform parquet restoration in beautiful old homes throughout Cambridgeshire.

See our previous blog here of work carried out on a parquet floor in Cambridge: http://artofcleanuk.blogspot.co.uk/2014/12/what-find-beautiful-parquet-floor-found.html

Art of Clean is a specialist cleaning firm in: 

Wood Floor Sanding,

Stone floor Cleaning,

Carpet Cleaning,

Rug Cleaning,

Upholstery Cleaning 

Leather Furniture Cleaning, 

CLEANING PRODUCTS

Working for domestic or commercial clients throughout Cambridgeshire, Essex, Suffolk and Hertfordshire.

For more information on our services contact our friendly team on 01223 863632 or email us at info@artofclean.co.uk

Moths: Invasion of the carpet munchers

Last week, Gavin our Art of Clean Service Technician was sent out on a straight forward carpet cleaning job to Cambridge. Our client didn't want the furniture to be moved, but it was soon apparent to Gavin that there was something different to carpet he was cleaning. As he moved the curtains and cleaned the carpet, large parts of the carpet came away from the edge. This wasn't anything to do with the strength of the vacuum cleaner but on closer inspection it was clear that the carpet had been infested with moths and their larvae.

The moths had been obviously happy eating away at the carpets, undisturbed for an unspecified amount of time and had they not been discovered, then they would have carried on.

To complete the carpet clean, Gavin used Chemspec for wool fibre treatment spray around the edges of the room, which will stop any reinfestation.

Fortunately, moths are not a health risk, but they can cause enormous amount of damage to clothes, carpets and other fabrics in your home. As soon as you see the tell-tale holes, or spot the larvae, then take action.

There are a number of steps you can take to get rid of moths. Source the root of the problem. Check wardrobes, chest of drawers or cupboard. It will be apparent when you locate the problem as you'll see where most of the damage is. 

Regular vacuuming of the infected area to remove all the larvae. Wash all your clothes and soft furnishings in the infected area, such as blankets and bed sheets.

Art of Clean is a specialist cleaning firm in: 

Wood Floor Sanding,

Stone floor Cleaning,

Carpet Cleaning,

Rug Cleaning,

Upholstery Cleaning 

Leather Furniture Cleaning, 

CLEANING PRODUCTS

Working for domestic or commercial clients throughout Cambridgeshire, Essex, Suffolk and Hertfordshire.

For more information on our services contact our friendly team on 01223 863632 or email us at info@artofclean.co.uk

Why are you waiting to get your rug cleaned?

With the high prices of rugs, they are an investment and I guess you purchased your rug because you liked the look and feel of it and you thought it brightened up your home.  So, like any other financial commitment, they should be taken care off, otherwise your investment becomes dull and lifeless.

So, don't wait to get your rug cleaned.  If you feel the job might be too big to handle then call a reputable cleaning company, as by waiting you could not only be destroying the value but also damaging the rug itself.

Where you have a high volume of traffic, dirt and dust will actually scratch and cut the fibres, until the vibrancy of the rug is worn away.

If you look at like this, the harder materials will always wear out the softer materials, so if you let the dirt build up in your rug over time, your rug will wear out faster and it will lose its beauty and value.

The problem with rugs and carpets is that they attract dirt and dust and keep it locked in the fibres, and without regular and proper cleaning, bacteria can thrive in the carpet fibres.

And now for the horrible bit!

Now I'm not putting blame on our furry four legged friend and I know just how much you love them, but don't let stains caused by pets to dry, this includes pet urine and vomit.  No-one wants to live in unsanitary conditions.

The problem is handmade rugs are made with 'acidic dyes' this means the pet urine essentially 're-dyes' the fibres yellow and then sets itself.

At the Art of Clean, we recommend that this is dealt with immediately, as stains can be permanent, which of cause will most certainly devalue the rug.  And nobody wants that!

For more information: How do I get rid of pet odors in carpets?

Art of Clean is a specialist cleaning firm in: 

Wood Floor Sanding,

Stone floor Cleaning,

Carpet Cleaning,

Rug Cleaning,

Upholstery Cleaning 

Leather Furniture Cleaning, 

CLEANING PRODUCTS

Working for domestic or commercial clients throughout Cambridgeshire, Essex, Suffolk and Hertfordshire.

For more information on our services contact our friendly team on 01223 863632 or email us at info@artofclean.co.uk

What are these strange black fleck marks on my carpet?

Over the previous few weeks, I've been writing about different kinds of stains on carpets and rugs, such as 'pooling' and 'draft marks'.  As we know, no two stains are the same and sometimes, what looks like a stain, isn't!

This is why choosing a reputable cleaning company with prior experience and the knowledge of carpet cleaning, such as the Art of Clean (Cambridge, UK), will understand the importance of assessing the work, as well as carrying out the job.

Recently, one of our technicians had been called out on a job to clean a customers carpet.  Pierre has 10 years’ experience in specialist carpet cleaning and he is a IICRC qualified Journeyman Textile Cleaner. (See www.IICRC.org)

The customer had reported small dark flecks on her cut pile high quality plush wool bedroom carpet.

Stain removal procedure:

During the cleaning of the carpet and in preparation for the handover of the project, some marks did not respond to the normal stain removal treatment.

On closer inspection, it was confirmed the marks are caused by the presence of stray fibers in the wool yarns, which the carpet is made of.

In many cases stray fibers can be a natural occurrence. The best treatment is to carefully remove the stray fibers from within the yarns. This process can be extremely time consuming.

How do the dark stray fibers end up in the carpet?

During the manufacturing process some stray fibers of other colours (usually in very small quantities) mix in with the main fiber the yarns are made of. In the case of the carpet in question – as the carpet is very light and dark stray fiber even in extreme low quantities can be visible and appear as marks on the carpet.

For Further confirmation on carpet defects contact the National Carpet Cleaners Association – www.ncca.co.uk

Art of Clean is a specialist cleaning firm in: 

Wood Floor Sanding,

Stone floor Cleaning,

Carpet Cleaning,

Rug Cleaning,

Upholstery Cleaning 

Leather Furniture Cleaning, 

CLEANING PRODUCTS

Working for domestic or commercial clients throughout Cambridgeshire, Essex, Suffolk and Hertfordshire.

For more information on our services contact our friendly team on 01223 863632 or email us at info@artofclean.co.uk

Soft white pine floorboards - an interior designers dream

At the Art of Clean, one of our biggest accolades is the feedback we receive from our clients, telling us what a wonderful job we have done.  It feels good to be able to make a difference in the lives of our customers by offering the best cleaning service in Cambridge, Hertfordshire and Essex.

On Tuesday, Nathan, our Sales and Service Technician, had been sent out on a job to a customers house in Cambridge.  As we know from previous blogs, Cambridge has it fair share of traditional artisan terraced homes with architectural and historical features such as cast iron fireplaces, stain glass windows and pine stripped doors.  An interior designers dream!

The job Nathan had been sent on was to sand clients white soft pine floor.  On closer inspection of the current state of the floor, Nathan was greeted with what could only be described as a bit of a bodge job.  The floor was full of chatter marks and drum marks.

Sanding the wrong way and some of the edging was terrible.  Let alone the actual lacquer job on it! The room was not very big but was a challenge getting everything flat and back to how it should.  

After oiling the floor, the warm rich colour of the pine floor, sprang back in life.

Art of Clean is a specialist cleaning firm in: 

Wood Floor Sanding,

Stone floor Cleaning,

Carpet Cleaning,

Rug Cleaning,

Upholstery Cleaning 

Leather Furniture Cleaning, 

CLEANING PRODUCTS

Working for domestic or commercial clients throughout Cambridgeshire, Essex, Suffolk and Hertfordshire.

For more information on our services contact our friendly team on 01223 863632 or email us at info@artofclean.co.uk

Loose blocks on a parquet floor! What should I do?

 A few days ago, I took a call from a carpet cleaner friend yesterday. He has over 32 years experience and always does a super job ... He cleaned this commercial carpet and a few days later the client phoned to say all the blocs are lose and it is uneven and a trip hazard

What has gone wrong? Too much water left in the carpet? Too strong vacuum from his machine

None of the above!

The problem is down to the age of the floor and how the wood blocks are kept in place

The old way to secure the wood floor blocks was with bitumen

Over time the bitumen that holds the wood block floor down dries out - yes that's right the bitumen contain some moisture - that is what keeps it somewhat flexible

Once it gets dry and start to break down after many years anything can push it over the edge

In this case the carpet on top of it was cleaned and the sudden increase in moisture  (even so little) made the floor let go off the wood blocs

Now, no one could foresee this happen.

As we are full on busy at the moment and we could not travel all the way to the other side (near the sea!)  of Essex so we put him in touch with a great Ultimate Floor Sanding Affiliate (also a good friend of mine) in his local area

What can you learn from this?

As a client it is good to check  the credentials of a company and their track record so that they can put things right if they go wrong - even if they could not foresee this or even if it was not their fault (he might charge a little extra to repair the sub floor - I'm not sure).

As a carpet cleaner ... It is god to have the number of a good floor sanding professional like a Ultimate floor sanding Affiliate to hand as you never know when you might need to make that call

As a floor sanding expert - its good to have the number of a good carpet cleaner as you never know when the shoe might be on the other foot.

Art of Clean is a specialist cleaning firm in: 

Wood Floor Sanding,

Stone floor Cleaning,

Carpet Cleaning,

Rug Cleaning,

Upholstery Cleaning 

Leather Furniture Cleaning, 

CLEANING PRODUCTS

Working for domestic or commercial clients throughout Cambridgeshire, Essex, Suffolk and Hertfordshire.

For more information on our services contact our friendly team on 01223 863632 or email us at info@artofclean.co.uk

Flood damaged floor - remarkable transformation

However old your house is, whether it's a contemporary build or something a little bit more classic, as with fashion, our tastes and styles change over time.  One year we like particular decorating techniques and architectural features, such as cast-iron fireplaces, but one mainstay in fashion is the humble floorboards, which has transcended the generations of house building and Cambridge city has its fair-share.

So when Art of Clean, had been called out on their latest job, they new just what was needed to restore and bring new life into the flood damaged pine floorboards.

On  first call-out to assess the situation.  As the floor had been flooded and left to dry out, the edges of the boards had cupped very badly.  A moisture metre reading was taken and a normal reading, should be between 7-11%.  When our technicians took the reading, the result was 25-35%, which was far too wet to start any work.


It was decided the floor needed to be left to dry out further.  And for an additional two weeks, our client was given a dehumidifier, to advance the process of drying.

On our second visit to the clients home, our service technicians, Nathan and Ben had to use several specialist sanding tools, including a belted edged and rotex sanding machine, followed by flexi sander, to smooth out the edges and strip the boards back to their original colour.  This can make the boards look very pale and even colourless. But don't worry.  As soon as you add a clear wood finishing product like a stain or varnish, that warm golden colour will come flooding through.  Our client had requested a dark brown oil, to seal the floor.  We used Pellman Magic Oil 2K Colour, which we carry as on board stock.

As the pine floorboards were modern, possibly laid down in the 1980s, this age of pine is acceptable to apply stains.

The floor had also been 'water popped' before we left to accept more colour into the grain before the final application.

Art of Clean is a specialist cleaning firm in: 

Wood Floor Sanding,

Stone floor Cleaning,

Carpet Cleaning,

Rug Cleaning,

Upholstery Cleaning 

Leather Furniture Cleaning, 

CLEANING PRODUCTS

Working for domestic or commercial clients throughout Cambridgeshire, Essex, Suffolk and Hertfordshire.

For more information on our services contact our friendly team on 01223 863632 or email us at info@artofclean.co.uk

History Of The Great British Pub Carpet

The Great British Public House is renowned the world over, not just a place to drink beers, ales, wine or something slightly stronger but it's a unique social centre and has been for about 2,000 years, ever since the Romans invaded Britain.

It wasn't until the 20th century, when the saloon or lounge bar had become a middle class room that carpet was introduced on the floor, while the remainder of the public house kept the bare boards.

On a recent commercial carpet cleaning job, the Art of Clean team had been instructed to clean the pubs Axminster carpet.  

During the past 100 years, there have been only two contenders of carpet manufacturers for a such a public thoroughfare.  Wilton or Axminster became the choice of most landlords because of the easy to keep clean and hard-wearing nature of the pile.

History of the carpet

The knotted pile carpet probably originated in the 3rd or 2nd millennium BC in West Asia, perhaps the Caspian Sea area (Northern Iran) or the Eastern Anatolia, although there is evidence of goats and sheep being sheared for wool and hair which was spun and woven as far back at the 7th millennium. (source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carpet)

Axminster carpets Ltd was founded in 1755 in Axminster, Devon by Thomas Whitty.  These original Axminster Carpets could be found in Chatsworth House and Brighton Pavilion as well as being bought by King George III and Queen Charlotte, who visited the factory.

(Source: http://www.axminster-carpets.co.uk/about-us/inside-axminster/our-story/).  

Wilton Carpets Commercial is also a proud British manufacturer with a long heritage.  Their first weaving sheds were based at their Wiltshire site almost 300 years ago.

Machine woven carpets like Axminster and Wilton are made by massive looms that weave together 'bobbins' of carpet yarn and backing.  The finished result, which can be intricately patterned, creates a floor that provides supreme underfoot luxury with high performance. tufted carpets are also popular in the home.

Art of Clean is a specialist cleaning firm in: 

Wood Floor Sanding,

Stone floor Cleaning,

Carpet Cleaning,

Rug Cleaning,

Upholstery Cleaning 

Leather Furniture Cleaning, 

CLEANING PRODUCTS

Working for domestic or commercial clients throughout Cambridgeshire, Essex, Suffolk and Hertfordshire.

For more information on our services contact our friendly team on 01223 863632 or email us at info@artofclean.co.uk

Art of Clean Christmas party 2015!

It's been a busy couple of days back in the office after returning from the festive holidays but I've just been reminded to post the (only) photograph from the Art of Clean Christmas party which took place at the Huntingdon Marriott Hotel (https://www.facebook.com/HuntingdonMarriottHotel), just before Christmas.

Another great year with a wonderful team! Thanks to all for your hard work over the past year.

Next year, more photographs!! :-)

Art of Clean is a specialist cleaning firm in: 

Wood Floor Sanding,

Stone floor Cleaning,

Carpet Cleaning,

Rug Cleaning,

Upholstery Cleaning 

Leather Furniture Cleaning, 

CLEANING PRODUCTS

Working for domestic or commercial clients throughout Cambridgeshire, Essex, Suffolk and Hertfordshire.

For more information on our services contact our friendly team on 01223 863632 or email us at info@artofclean.co.uk