Colour Repairs
Colour effects on timber floors both onsite and factory-finished have become an increasingly popular concept in recent years as the demand for variety in decorative finishes increases. This has been amplified by an increase in the range of more user-friendly site-applied stains and colouring systems; the general growth in skill level (or blind optimism) of contractors; and the increased volumes of relatively inexpensive imported prefinished flooring available. While this strange new world can provide the canny installer or floor sander with the opportunity to boost the old bank account without too much extra sweat, as always there are going to be some pros and cons that come with the territory.
On the pro side, staining or colouring can add a bit of excitement to the day- why just slap on coats of clear finish when you can roll the dice and have a go at reproducing something from a sample the size of an envelope, a paint swatch or a picture from a magazine? Because hitting the mark (or somewhere near it) can be very rewarding.
Ultimately, modifying the natural surface of the timber may deliver an effect that will enhance the timber character or pop the grain; moderate the natural variances across a parcel of floorboards; tie the flooring appearance into a particular decorative theme; darken or lighten the timber; disguise damages, or just give an existing floor a bit of a visual change-up. As long as you’re somewhere near the bullseye the punter will generally be happy, and you can add to the invoice value without too much of a stretch from the normal daily processes.
On the con side, it can also be a little risky, even after the cheque has cleared. Whether it’s a stain and finish job or a fancy prefinished board, what ends as a pleasing result should likely come with a warning as no matter what the finishing system, site application or factory finished, the adding of a contrasting layer of colour over the timber surface always introduces a new layer of complexity when it comes to dealing with the post- installation period- when general living. inevitable damage or wear and tear and aging occurs in a colour modified floorboard. Your little masterpiece may on occasion trigger the start of an absolute freaking nightmare. Most often this is thanks to the misadventures of other folks- other trades, removalists or the homeowner themselves-but somehow it still remains the flooring contractor’s baby.
The added complexity with these types of finishes, insitu or prefinished. comes from the fact that the natural or original colour of the timber surface will always be omnipresent – ie, it will always be under the stained effect. This will ultimately be the colour most likely presented when any significant scratching or coating damage or deterioration occurs. Better yet, this surface damage will often appear more obvious as the staining process generally involves a lighter timber or base colour under a darker coloured effect-making what can be relatively minor damage appear more visually significant.
In a perfect world we could remember how we made every stain, or every prefinished board of the same name and supplier would be the same colour, and we could provide a little repair kit containing a small amount of the floor colour or a record of the colour formula to bail us out of these inevitable accidents, scrapes and scratches easily and quickly. However, this is rarely the case, and thus any colour repair of a previously finished surface can become very difficult, particularly when you combine colour variance with the natural oxidisation or aging of the timber colour and the coating, which complicates achieving a reasonable result, and is sometimes a job best undertaken by an experienced hand in the field of such repairs.
For these reasons and many others, the outcomes from isolated stain or colour repairs are best measured by degrees of success, or the effectiveness of the camouflage as opposed to an expectation of perfection. It would be great if folks just judged how it looks after a few beers or ‘chardies’ on a particularly dark night, but alas this is unlikely – it’s more likely to be on hands and knees with a torch.
If you are experiencing these sorts of client expectations it’s probably the flooring gods telling you that it may be time to ‘upskill’ or practise doing some repairs instead of otherwise enjoying your life- or maybe even do a course on repairs, as they do exist and can be very helpful.
In the meantime, hopefully this may help the process when faced with a damage situation.
Review the damage
Should a scratch or damage occur on a stained floor treat it a bit like a finger in a saw blade – the first step should be to assess the severity of the damage and the degree to which the damage affects the overall appearance of a floor/finger, as sometimes minor or inevitable damage is just a part of the journey – especially when the works required for a repair of a small blemish (or flesh-wound) may be disproportionate to the severity of the concern – and a poorly completed repair may potentially look worse than the damage. The same goes for the finger.
Initially cleaning the area with a soft dampened cloth or a gentle floor cleaner (not on the finger) may improve the initial appearance of the scratch – the surface may not be as bad as initially observed as damage may not reach or alter the coloured surface (or artery). A superficial scratch may be improved by washing or recoating- this will become evident when the damaged area is wet.
Assess the potential repair requirement
If a scratch is isolated or superficial, a quick fix may suffice and is often the most effective form of repair – a band- aid if you will. No need for stitches as use of a timber stain marker, colourfast texta or artist’s marker that matches the floor’s stain colour can often provide an inexpensive and relatively easy DIY save (with no doctors required). Apply it directly into the scratch, blending and minimising overlap with the surrounding areas. Usually, any mishaps or poor colour choices or wayward application can be wiped/lightened with methylated spirits if attended to quickly.
These types of damages can be considered a relatively simple, quick, effective and inexpensive fix, making it a suitable repair for minor isolated damages/finger wounds.
The other end of the difficulty scale may involve a prefinished engineered oak floor demonstrating a multifaceted feature finish, or maybe a site-applied special effect system. There is no enjoyment in trying to repair damage to a smoked and wire-brushed UV oil finished board that may require a number of colours. wax and a matching finish, when it can likely be more effectively repaired by an experienced well-equipped contractor (aka it may be time to call a doctor).
Wear and tear presents a different type of damage and the repair is more complex than simple scratching and generally well outside the skillset of an untrained or under equipped repairer. However, the correct colours, waxes and stains, and a little know-how, can be employed to extend the life or just improve the appearance of an aging feature timber floor and avoid expensive replacements (much like the doctor and a little physical therapy or plastic surgery – inconvenient but nothing’s getting amputated).
The worst scratches are often those that cross multiple boards and generally occur in the most visually obvious or well-travelled paths through a home or site. The scratch pictured above is relatively isolated but located in an obvious area adjacent to the refrigerator. The damage travels across multiple boards but can be improved with a bit of colour and wax, and a reasonable degree of skill-to repair to a standard such as that pictured (it’s microsurgery but you’re keeping the finger).
More significant repairs where whole boards are stripped of aged colour and finish, or boards are replaced, will require a more involved process. Isolating the repair to a board edge and matching the colour and system (including sheen level) on a separate sample prior to application to the actual repair area is highly recommended. (Ok, so you lost the finger, but you can barely tell that the new one’s not the original!)
Attempting to provide a relatively successful outcome to a colour repair is not something that should be considered quick or simple – it may likely require a number of varied approaches and at bunch more time to eventually arrive at a reasonable result. A well-appointed repair kit and an understanding of stain types and colour mixing are required for an effective repair. An appropriately proportioned invoice (big and fat) will provide suitable reward.