Restoration of the wooden floor in the Bauska Castle Museum

Koka grīdas, tā ir mūsu vērtība

Wooden floors have long been a proven and preferred material in our region when it comes to choosing a reliable underfoot base for a variety of building and indoor applications. Refinishing wood floors is also one of the reasons for the longevity of this material. Wood as a material is reliable and natural, and creates a feeling of cosiness in many types of interiors. Its use in home construction can be both invaluable when wood is used in all layers of the house construction, such as the basic structure, wall, ceiling and floor finishes, interior elements – down to the smallest detail. And the opposite is true when completely different materials are used, replacing wood for different reasons. Of course, there is no one right way to be, but if you choose wood, it has its advantages and its requirements, just like any material.

Choosing a flooring material for today and the future

There are many different historic buildings in Latvia where wood has been used for flooring. For example, churches, chapels, castles and manor houses, farmsteads and museums. Often, it is solid wood plank flooring, made from oak, ash, spruce or pine. Often, the wooden floors in such buildings have been preserved as a testimony to history, creating an authentic environment and historical heritage. But sometimes the flooring is laid in more recent times, with the idea of supporting the historic feel of the interior. The caretakers of these properties not only preserve the historical evidence, but also take responsibility for the proper maintenance of the premises, such as the restoration of the floors.

Refinishing a wooden floor – how important is it?

To preserve and maintain a wooden floor, it needs regular maintenance. Both the day-to-day cleaning and the resurfacing, which would be a bigger investment in long-term use. Floors of different wood materials, whether solid wood, parquet or three-layer parquet, are refinished and refinished according to standard practice and the client’s wishes.

Restoration of the wooden floor of the Bauska Castle Museum

In cooperation with the Bauska Castle Museum, the floors in some of the castle’s halls were restored. The pine flooring was restored. In this case, the client chose to restore the floor using only sanding and polishing of the floorboards, without oil or varnish treatment of the top layer, which would be common practice in wood floor restoration. This was based on the fact that the floor of the Palace Museum is regularly maintained with natural products of their choice and does not need to be treated with oil or varnish. It enhances the authentic and historic environment of Bauska Castle.

History records that Bauska Castle was built in 15. gs. was built by the Livonian Order to consolidate its power over Zemgale, protect the border with Lithuania and control the trade route from Lithuania to Riga. Today, the Bauska Castle Museum is open to visitors with evidence of the history and walls of the time. As part of the museum’s main activities, it is indicated – research, organisation and supervision of restoration projects and restoration works.