Welcome issue 8 of our Journal, The Know-How Issue. This issue sets out to deliver inspiration, knowledge, and insights into our floors, their characteristics, and essential know-how to help you specify the perfect floor for your project.
Issue 8 | tedtodd.co.uk THE KNOW-HOW ISSUE JOURNAL
MEET THE MAKER
What do you love most about your job? Product development is really where the magic happens! Combining customer trends, new design ideas, modern technology and sustainability all go into developing our Ted Todd and Woodworks offering. It’s a big job - I’m calm enough to take this responsibility but also have a great team behind me. I also enjoy sourcing the very best raw materials from all over the world - I have been to some incredible places and had some memorable journeys.
Like a wood floor that gets better with age, Jon Ashbrook, Head of Product Development, has been an integral member of the team since the beginning. We caught up with Jon to get an insight into his day, learn more about how product development shapes the floors you use in your projects and shine a light on his 27 years at Ted Todd.
How long have you worked at Ted Todd? 27 Years and 5 months - I was 19 when I started, I turned 47 just before Christmas.
How did you get into product development and buying? It was a natural progression. Throughout my years at Ted Todd I have worked in many different roles, spending time working closely with all of our different departments. Ultimately, this wealth of experience has equipped me with the knowledge of exactly what our customers want and how they want us to work with them. Working in product development gives me the scope to shape our offering to cater to our customer’s needs – and I find that so rewarding.
What is one of your superpowers as Head of Product Development?
Tell us something that you’re particularly proud of from your time at Ted Todd?
Definitely not invisibility, I can’t hide anywhere! I would say the ability to be calm and think the situation through. Also, longevity – I have been here so long that I must be doing something right.
It is incredibly rewarding to get to do my bit for the planet. One of my big responsibilities is ensuring that we are always using sustainably sourced timber and although 90% of our products are already FSC TM and PEFC certified, it’s my goal to get this to 100% in the next few years. When Ted Todd first started sourcing new raw material in 1997,we were one of the very first companies in Europe to be FSC TM -certified. We have had our certifications renewed successfully ever since! I am so proud of my team for leading the way in this area and for working for a business that truly lives their brand values.
You have a great reputation in the business for taking on and nurturing apprentices, why is this so important to you? As an insight into my own background, I had few formal qualifications and wasn’t experienced coming into this job. Over the years I have learned many things and almost self- taught myself with the help of Robert Walsh (Founder, Ted Todd), who guided me to become who I am today. This is why I feel it’s so important to give young people a chance even if they don’t have the experience or qualifications to see what they can achieve, and I think the results speak for themselves. Matt Lee is now our Woodworks Manager and Alyce Cross is now a crucial part of our Product Development Team, having both started as apprentices.
How do you like to unwind? Cruising – what else?
What have you found to be the biggest change in product trends over the years? The biggest change has been the shift in demand from solid flooring to engineered flooring. This change was extremely swift in the late 2000s, and before we knew it engineered had become the dominant construction.
Read the full interview at tedtodd.co.uk/journal
REGENT’S CRESCENT
A MODERN MASTERPIECE OF REGENCY GRANDEUR London, W1 Development manager: CIT Architect: PDP London
Interior architect/designer: Millier London Floor: Bespoke select grade engineered oak John Nash’s iconic structure Regent’s Crescent recently started a new chapter in its history. PDP’s vision was to reconstruct the heritage façade and convert the magnificent Grade I listed building into a high specification development of sixty-eight crescent apartments and nine garden villas. Behind the terrace, the scheme may be new but its carefully planned design complements the sweeping curve through architectural lines, ornate detail and precise material choices. Inside, the magnificent interiors were designed by Millier to ‘capture the grandeur of the Regency period’ whilst adding exquisite modern touches to suit discerning contemporary living. Regency proportions are complemented by bronze and black accents that have been used to deliver sophistication and set off the exquisite stone and durable 20mm wood floors.
To read more visit tedtodd.co.uk/projects Image credit: Julian Abrams and Adam Parker
In the Regent’s Crescent apartments, bespoke oak flooring was chosen for the reception rooms and bedrooms. ‘ Great care was taken over the specification – the grading report specified 13 characters including the size of knots and tones, with the oak needing to be virtually knot-free’. Pamela Buxton, RIBA Journal To learn more about the importance of wood floor grading turn the page.
Contact us to begin your bespoke collaboration
PRIME The cleanest grade that gives the most uniform appearance. It allows for a small number of knots, but has minimal amounts of sapwood and the smallest amount of tonal variation.
If shoes say it all about a person, floors certainly do that in buildings.
Pamela Buxton, quoted in RIBA Journal, “Perfect flooring sets the tone at super-prime Regent’s Crescent”
SELECT A mix of prime and cleaner nature grade boards. Most planks will be sap free, with some irregular grain and a limited number of knots allowed. Select grade flooring was specified for Regent’s Crescent.
Wood grades indicate how many natural features a wood floor has, and they are graded according to the number and size of the features on each board, such as knots, sap and tonal variation. We take grading seriously and hold ourselves to a higher standard than you’ll find elsewhere in the industry – you could even say that we set the grade. Choosing the grade of your floor is an important part of the specification process and one that many people often overlook. Think about whether you want a super-clean look in your project, or whether you want something that has lots of natural features in it. You may even want something that sits in the middle of the two. Our easy to use grading scale (shown on the left) demonstrates the spectrum of natural features you’ll get in our wood floors, whether you choose a uniform looking Prime floor, or a more characterful Genuine Reclaimed floor. SETTING THE GRADE
NATURE Up to 30% of the board can include sapwood and heartwood which has a wider tonal variation. Irregular grain, knots up to 50mm, and complementary filler will be used.
CHARACTER Characterful wood that includes some larger knots with checks across growth rings, wider tonal variation across boards, heartwood, sapwood, and filler.
RUSTIC A heavier grade than nature which allows a virtually limitless size and number of knots, heartwood and tonal variation throughout the boards. There is no minimum amount of sapwood or filler.
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GENUINE RECLAIMED
The following 4 pages are designed to be kept to refer back to later. They will come in handy when specifying a Ted Todd or Woodworks floor.
Characterful features can include nail holes, restoration features, and weather cracks, as well as filler, limitless knots, checks, sap, and tonal variation.
Bespoke select grade herringbone
FEELING THE TEXTURE
FINISHING ON A HIGH NOTE
Nothing better represents Woodworks than our Worn & Restored or Undulating textures. These textures are considered part of the Woodworks ‘house style’ and have been designed by us to introduce natural movement and undulations into your project. Our artisans work the wood by hand to accentuate the shape of the surface, bringing out the texture and paying homage to centuries-old original wooden floorboards. Feeling the texture is the only true way to understand what makes these woods so extraordinary, so we recommend ordering a sample box to experience our woods under your fingertips. Email hello@woodworksbytedtodd.com for a free consultation. Worn & Restored (1) and Undulating (2) are two of our most textured surfaces, and you can find all our Woodworks and Ted Todd textures here, from most undulant to Smooth (7).
With 12 different finishes available across the Ted Todd and Woodworks portfolio, we have a floor finish that’s right for every project. From lacquer or oil based, matt to satin sheen, our finishes help protect your hardwood floor from damage.
1
WORN & RESTORED Patina Antique Historical imperfections
Matt Lacquer
Hardened Oil
Naked Skin Lacquer
Satin Lacquer
Restoration Oil
Pearl Lacquer
Burnished Hardwax Oil
4
2
3
HEAVILY BRUSHED Intricate Added movement Grooves
Unfinished
Oil Wood Traffic
UNDULATING Organic surface Movement Centuries-old look
SAWN Wear and tear Reclaimed look Delicately rustic
Hand Painted
Original Polished Patina
Natural Oil
6
Whilst many of our floors are created complete with a finish to save you time and effort later, we have many unfinished options which you may decide to finish on site in line with your specifications. There are important aesthetic outcomes to consider however. Almost all our finishes will change the tone of our floors in some way, and understanding the colour change when picking your most appropriate finish is very important. Hardwax Oil, Natural Oil and Oil Wood Traffic will give the floor a much darker look, whereas water-based finishes such as our Naked Skin Lacquer and Satin Lacquer give a more medium-to-dark tone. We can provide samples of our different finishes if you wish to view them as part of your specification process. To order a finishes sample box, please email sales@tedtodd.co.uk
5
7
LIGHTLY BRUSHED Careful Delicate Light strokes
MEDIUM BRUSHED Authentic look Characterful Hand brushed
SMOOTH Hand sanded Contemporary Uniform
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CARING FOR A NATURAL WOOD FLOOR
JUDGE THE WHOLE FLOOR, NOT EACH BOARD
Don’t get drawn into judging individual boards, it’s the overall look and feel of your floor that’s important. If there are some boards that you like less, ask the installer to locate these in a less prominent place. Also, wood is a natural product and there is always some batch-to-batch variation, so mix the batches from the start and not just at the end.
There are lots of myths about caring for wood floors, however they are no different or more arduous than caring for any other floor covering. Whilst this may not seem like information you need to know at specification stage, arming yourself with this know-how could help you sell your wood floor design idea to your client. Aside from the basics – like hoover on a regular basis - it’s the finish of your floor that determines how it should be cared for!
ARCHITECTURAL DETAILS These are made to complement and coordinate with your floor, (not to exactly match it). We finish these by hand, and due to variations in natural wood and the differences in how we make profiles to how we make floors, you will see some noticeable differences.
Get the know-how on how to care for some of our most popular reclaimed wood floor finishes.
BURNISHED PATINA For original patina floors use our Floor Care Soft Clean. This will remove excess dirt and provide a diluted wax to the surface of the floor each time you clean it. To give the floor a deeper clean buff with a purple abrasive pad. HARDWAX OIL, NATURAL OIL & OIL WOOD TRAFFIC Use our Floor Care Soft Clean and apply Oil Replenish if your floor starts to look dry. This a quick drying natural oil and it will feed your floor with waxes and oils that fill the pores in your floor.
OXIDISATION Wood is natural, so it will slowly change tone as it grows older. During this oxidisation process different woods oxidise in different ways, most woods turn darker, and a very small number turn lighter.
DIRECT SUNLIGHT Rooms that get direct sunlight may sometimes need blinds or screens to protect the floor from fading. This is from both direct heat as this can cause over 27°c surfaces temperatures & also from Ultraviolet Rays as this can affect the pigments in the wood.
MAINTENANCE MADE EASY We have designed simple & easy floorcare systems for each type of floor finish. CARE SYSTEM ONE Lacquers, Naked Skin Lacquers, Hardened Oils & UV Oils
NAKED SKIN LACQUER & SATIN LACQUER
KEEP EXTRA If you have some material over, keep these in a safe place as you don’t know when you might need them. Any unused flooring can be easily recycled when it’s no longer needed or stored in a material library for future reference. So don’t worry about the potential environmental impact of having a little too much flooring. RESTORE DON’T REPLACE The trick with your floor is not to let it get to the point where it looks very worn (unless that is what you are aiming for). Once our floors have been deep cleaned with the correct deep cleaner, they can be re-lacquered or oiled. It’s important to do this before your floor becomes too tired as this is when your floor will need to be sanded and then newly finished.
As with all other finishes, use our Floor Care Soft Clean, plus use one of our floor polishes to keep your floor looking fresh and to protect the floors finish. Our Intensive Polishes provide the highest protection and are available in a matt or gloss option. You can also mix them if you require.
CARE SYSTEM TWO Natural Oils, Restoration Oils & Hardwax Oils
CARE SYSTEM THREE White Toned Lacquers, Naked Skin Lacquers, Hardened Oils & UV Oils
CARE SYSTEM FOUR White Toned Natural Oils, Restoration Oils & Hardwax Oils
To find out which floor care system is best for your floor please check the product details on our website.
We send out a pre-and post-installation document with every Ted Todd and Woodworks floor, which is full of valuable information that can be referred to time and time again. If you would like to receive a copy so you can find out more, please email info@tedtodd.co.uk
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LAYING IT OUT: PARQUET PATTERNS
Pattern: Brick bond take the blocks and runs them parallel to each other but overlaps them by half the length to create the brickwork pattern traditionally associated with masonry. Result: This brickwork pattern is effective in a room that is longer than it is wide. You could also use plank flooring to achieve this look as long as all the planks are the same length.
Traditional herringbone wood flooring is known and loved for its distinctive pattern and uniformity created by its characteristic V-shaped weave. Herringbone blocks are versatile and symmetrical as the length is a multiple of the width with our block edge length ratios typically 4:1 or 5:1 but it doesn’t necessarily have to be an even number.
A traditional herringbone installation is most successful when the length of the floor is easily divisible by the width of the block. The symmetry of parquet means different laying patterns offer an extensive range of possibilities to fit the style, purpose and size of a room.
FOR BLOCK AND SQUARE LAYING PATTERNS…
There are so many different types of laying patterns to consider. Some use herringbone blocks on their own, while others are combined with squares and planks. Our Create ® collection contains components that have been carefully designed to work seamlessly together, allowing you to mix colours and formats to create precision designs and over 40,000 unique patterns. Choose from ten tones in planks, herringbone and squares.
We all know the most popular way to install herringbone, but here’s some know-how on some alternative herringbone patterns.
Pattern: Double herringbone is a simple-but-effective take on the classic herringbone. It is laid in the traditional side-to- end fashion and can be used for greater overall impact. Result: With the ‘V’ pattern, the eye is drawn outwards so if you have a narrow room or corridor this parquet will create the illusion of space. Using herringbone in a double formation will give a more squared off look.
DOUBLE HERRINGBONE (with square insert)
ARTS & CRAFT BASKETWEAVE (with square insert)
Pattern: A classic and the simple design involving laying herringbone blocks completely side-by-side to create a brick like effect across the entire floor. Adding horizontal blocks cuts though the straight lay formation to create the ‘rungs’ of the ladder found in the pattern. Result: Brings a sense of uniformity and balance to your design and a great way to create a visual pathway using multiple length blocks.
STRAIGHT LAY / LADDER PATTERN (with square insert)
Pattern: Versaille is a traditional French style that has become synonymous with parquet flooring. Here each element is individually created and assembled on site to form a never-ending Versailles Weave effect across the entirety of the floor. Unlike a classic Parquet de Versailles design panel, continuous weave does not have a border. Result: This is an elegant design that can unify uneven spaces or join together rooms of varying shapes and sizes creating a seamless flow-through.
Pattern: A classic basket weave herringbone pattern uses a ratio of 4 by 4 blocks laid together in a square. These squares are then laid in alternating directions – either horizontally or vertically. Block basketweave can be laid square to the room or diagonally. You can also add a square for a more traditional basket weave pattern. Result: Reminiscent of parquet flooring often found in 1960s and 1970s, basketweave is actually very traditional and works work well in large open spaces. Accentuate the pattern further by mixing tones, wood species and textures.
Scan to view our full herringbone range and order free samples
WILTON WAY
THE MISSION We aim to use only independently certified new woods and have a target of supplying 100% certified new woods over the next few years because we want to ensure we only make floors that have a positive environmental impact.
As featured in RIBA Residential Architect/Designer: Freehaus Floor: Santi herringbone, Strada collection
Freehaus architecture practice were recently appointed to renovate and extend this traditional Victorian terraced house located in a conservation area of London. Home to a young family who had a clear vision from the start, the design included a modern wrap-around extension at the rear of the property. Whilst pine was a common flooring in many Victorian homes, oak parquet floors were also used in more upper-class residences. Fitting then that Santi, an FSC TM -certified, hardwearing, oak herringbone floor was specified for the project. With a 6mm wear layer this floor can be re-sanded and refinished when the time comes making it part of the fabric of the building, exactly like the existing floorboards and period features. Freehaus said ‘We created a design with an inherent common language to the existing, where brick meets brick and timber to timber, but each time ensuring a clear distinction between old and new, whilst
maintaining a shared celebration of craft.’ To read more visit tedtodd.co.uk/projects Images credit: Agnese Sanvito
RESPONSIBLE
Santi herringbone, Strada collection
RETROFITTING
FACT There are around 10,000 conservation areas in the UK – 49% of these are in urban areas. historicengland.org.uk
Modernising a property, particularly in a conservation area, can undoubtedly pose some challenges. But retrofitting is a great opportunity to improve the building’s fabric by adopting a whole-building approach, even in historic environments. Additionally, there’s significant opportunity to deliver a healthier building for the occupants and reduce energy consumption too. One way to achieve this is by opting for low environmental impact products at specification stage. Certified timber offers all these things and more. That’s because timber sourced from sustainable forests to make wood products like our floors and cladding can…
1. Help fight global heating
2. Capture CO 2 from the atmosphere and store it long term
3. Create a healthier indoor environment
4. Protect the lives and livelihoods of billions of people
5. Promote a circular economy
To find out more about the benefits of specifying sustainable wood flooring and the importance of certification turn to the back page…
Order your free certified wood floor samples today
EXPAND YOUR KNOW-HOW
HELPING YOU ACHIEVE YOUR CPD ACTIVITY REQUIREMENT We presented our CPD’s as “lunch and learns” before the pandemic and now we’re keen to meet people again! Even if that means virtually. So, we’ve enhanced our CPD offering adding 2 new presentations and have created a brand-new knowledge hub on our website where you can access some of our most recent blogs, latest content, videos, and details of how to book your next lunch and learn at a time and place to suit you.
LATEST CPD’S • The benefits of specifying sustainable wood flooring • The wonder of reclaimed woods FIND OUT MORE Visit: tedtodd.co.uk/knowledgehub Email: info@tedtodd.co.uk
INTRODUCING KIRAN KHAN
Would you like to find out more about the newest flooring innovation for your workspace project?
Book a consultation with Kiran, our National Karta Specialist. Call: 07738 412 262
Email: kiran.khan@kartafloors.com Scan QR code
kartafloors.com
London Design Centre 79 Margaret Street, London, W1W 8TA
Cheshire Design Centre 18 Chesford Grange, Warrington, WA1 4RQ
For your home 020 8629 3057
For commercial 020 8629 3056
tedtodd.co.uk info@tedtodd.co.uk @tedtoddfloors
tedtodd.co.uk/woodworks hello@woodworksbytedtodd.com @woodworksbytedtodd
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