If your wooden floor is no longer in the pristine condition it once was, you may ask yourself what you can do to fix it. It may look dull and grotty, have visible scratches and gouges, or be marked by various dents, all of which need some attention.
The answer to the question of what you can do about it will depend on how severe the problem is. In many cases, you can do something yourself, but often it is much wiser to bring in the experts, as amateur efforts at wooden floor restoration may make things worse.
If the floor is merely dirty, it could be easy enough to mop and clean with soap and water, while regular sweeping helps. But if it needs a new varnish coat, experts can apply a more even surface.
Another good example is scratches and dents. Scratches can be fixed using wood filler, but if it is very large you are likely to need a professional, not least as most people do not have the DIY skills to make the scratch vanish.
In some cases, for instance, a floor needs sanding to deal with a large scratch or gouge, which is likely to be beyond the skills of the average householder.
Similarly, small dents can be steamed out using hot water to soak and expand out the compressed wood, but large ones need specialist help.
Another notable problem is when the floors start warping and becoming uneven, which can be caused by various factors, the most common of which in the UK is damp. Creaky floorboards can be the first sign of this, but they can also feel loose and unsteady.
Tackling this can mean taking up floorboards and carrying out extensive inspections for the root cause, which may even be due to leaking pipes below.
In that instance, it makes no sense to do it yourself. Instead, call in the experts who can replace or fix floorboards, while if there is a leaky pipe causing damp, that will need a plumber.