Cobweb patterns issues
As interest in timber flooring has increased a surprising number of people are discovering aspects of flooring that we, as an industry have been familiar with for decades. One of these is the 'cobweb' or 'spider' effect. Few people understand that the sanding process involves rotary sanding between coats. This is a key part of the finishing process.The side effect of this is an effect of light marking between the last coats. This effect shows up as 'spider webbing' or 'cobweb' design effect between coats under certain lighting conditions. Because rotary sanding is required there is no effective way to avoid the effect. Actually, with good lighting selection this effect may not be visible. For example, under normal lighting conditions the effect is rarely seen; down lights are an exception - downlights will always show up some stage of the sanding process. For about 15 years we have recommended that where timber is used, lights such as downlights are very carefully placed. Knowledgeable sanders often advise the customer of this up-front and some architects are familiar with this concern and so use discreet artificial lighting to maximise the warmth and colour of the timber without highlighting the 'man-made' aspect of the floor.
