Expert Tips To Ensure Your Flooring Lasts for Decades
Vacuum Regularly
“Keeping debris off the floor is key,” says Brett. “If there’s a piece of debris on a wood floor and you walk across, it’s like sandpaper on the bottom of your shoe. It can ruin or scratch that surface.” All you need to do is sweep daily, if possible, and regularly vacuum with the hard floor setting, which turns off the brush roll to avoid scratching, or the flat attachment that will protect the floor from bristles. Strong suction is extra useful to pull up dust and debris in cracks and crevices and between planks.
Identify the Right Cleaning Product
When it comes to choosing a product for a deeper clean, there isn’t a hard-and-fast rule. Different finishes require different treatments, so all three experts suggest listening to the product recommendation of your flooring or finish manufacturer.
However, it is safe to say there are products to always avoid. “I don’t recommend any kind of harsh chemical to clean any hardwood floor,” Tommy says. “Chemicals applied to the finish will create hazing. This can really build up over a period of six months to a year and doesn’t look very good.” According to Brett, “You don’t want to use anything that says it’s going to polish or shine or rejuvenate or revitalize the wood floor. That’s basically telling you that you’re laying out something that’s a supplemental product. It’s putting something on that surface that’ll make it pretty for a short period of time, but it’s not designed to wear.”
Keep Them (Pretty) Dry
Once you’ve found the right cleaning product, use it on the floors with a damp mop. “You don’t want to bring out a wet bucket and start soaking the floors because that’ll cause the wood to swell,” says Perry. He also advises against using steam, which cleans well but allows vapor to enter small spaces and damage the floors.
Know the Warning Signs
Wood reacts dramatically to temperature and humidity, so it’s important to understand the environment that surrounds your floor. Sometimes, though, elements are out of your control, so being aware of red flags can save your wood floors. “The nice thing about wood is that it’s a natural product, so it’ll tell you if it’s not happy,” Perry explains.
Protection, Maintenance and Care:
Wood is subject to fading when exposed to direct sunlight. Whenever possible, use drapes or other systems to protect your floor from excessive light. Wood expands/contacts in response to fluctuations in temperature / humidity. Maintaining the recommended temperature (60-70ºF (15-21ºC)) and relative humidity (35-55%) will minimize the visible effects of normal expansion/contraction. In very dry climates, a humidifier may be necessary. Wood is photosensitive & will change color as they are or are exposed to UV light. This natural occurring phenomenon is NOT considered a material defect and is excluded from coverage under the provisions of Bayshore Wood Floors Wood Products.
While specific-finish types may require different maintenance, some guidelines apply to the care of all wood floors.
- Sweep or vacuum regularly to keep your floor free of dust and eliminate abrasives that can scratch the finish. Beater bars and dirty wheels on your vacuum can mar your floor.
- Quickly wipe up any spills from the floor to protect wood from excess liquids.
- Use mats outside and inside entrances so sand and other rough particles cannot build up on the floor. Avoid mats with rubber or other dense backings that will block airflow beneath rugs or might retain abrasives and humidity.
- Use mats near sinks, dishwasher and workstations to protect your floor from cooking tools, water, soaps, oils, and other kitchen mishaps.
- Stick felt pads under all furniture or chair legs so they can easily slide and to avoid scratches. Always keep such pads clean. Check often for signs of wear, in which case replace promptly.
- Large soft polyurethane or rubber casters are much better than narrow hard plastic casters.
- Protect your floor when moving heavy furniture. One idea: Turn a mat over and then place a piece of plywood on it. Put furniture on this so it can slide smoothly over your floor. Make sure the mat’s surface is clean and free of sand, rocks, or other abrasive objects.
- Pointed objects such as spiked heels or sport shoes, can easily damage the finish of your floor especially if worn or damaged.
- Water and sand are the worst enemies of hardwood floors. Next are spiked heeled shoes. This is true for all floor surfaces, even concrete flooring.
- Keep the relative humidity level between 35-55% for your health as well as for your wood floors and wood furnishings. Wood is a natural material that absorbs and releases moisture depending on the relative humidity. With high humidity, wood absorbs the excess humidity and expands, which can cause buckling in the flooring. Keep the humidity level down by using a dehumidifier or dehumidifying air conditioning system or with a heating system and good ventilation. During dry periods (periods of low relative humidity), wood releases moisture and will contract and shrink which can cause gaps between strips and even cupping.
- If the relative humidity is low, use a humidifier to reduce shrinking of the wood. The multilayer construction of Essex’s engineered flooring is not as prone to movement as traditional solid wood flooring, but it is still subject to the physical laws of nature and can shrink or expand in very dry or extremely humid environments.
- Pet claws should be trimmed regularly to avoid scratching floors.
- Your floor should be protected from sunlight and intense artificial lighting to reduce discoloration. Wood naturally changes color over time and with exposure to light. This is a natural phenomenon with all wood surfaces. Different kinds of wood will change color to varying degrees. This is not a defect. You can minimize this color change by moving around furniture and carpets and reducing strong light sources. These changes in wood color result from the natural process of the wood aging. It is not due to the yellowing of the finish.