Over time, your beautiful new timber flooring can easily become damaged and lose its shine. Keeping timber floors in top condition requires regular protective maintenance, as well as some simple protective strategies.
Of course, just as different species of timber vary in hardness and colour, so do the recommended cleaning and maintenance processes. Once you have completed a timber flooring installation project with Know-How, we will take you through the specifics of what your particular flooring type demands.
In this article we’ll provide some general advice that goes across all types of flooring to help keep the timber flooring in great condition, and preserve the value of your property.
Protecting newly finished timber floors
Your timber flooring is more susceptible to scuffs and scratches immediately after it has been finished. It sometimes take several weeks for the coating system to harden, depending on its finish and the weather conditions at the time of application. Just because it’s dry enough to walk on doesn’t mean that it is ready for the rigors that furniture and other objects can put it through. Which means you’ll need to take the following precautions.
Rugs
A rug helps to protect your floor from scratches caused by over-energetic pets and children. However, if you’ve just had your floor finished, rugs should not be laid until the finish has fully hardened. Which, as mentioned above, can take weeks. If you have a rug with rubber backings, you might want to consider getting rid of it or use a second underlay. Over a long period of time, rubber backing can often stain and affect the coating of the flooring.
If you’re unsure, show the rug to your Know-How consultant and they’ll let you know if it’s ok, or how to use a second underlay to protect your floors from it.
Light furniture can be placed on the floor but felt pad protectors should be attached to the feet of tables and chairs. Also take care not to slide chairs across the floor.
If you have a chair with castors, be very careful. They can indent soft timbers and prematurely wear the finish. Consider having a smaller rug to sit under the area where this chair is being used (often a desk).
Heavy items like fridges should always be carefully moved into position and never dragged over newly finished, or even fully chardened, timber floors.
You should avoid walking on your wooden floors with high heels, cleats or sports shoes as this kind of impact will indent almost any floor surface. This is good advice even for when your floor has completely hardened.
Ensure those entering the house remove their shoes first, which will also minimise the amount of dirt and grit that can damage your floors.
There are some timber flooring products that are exceptionally hard and are used in dance floors and other locations that can be exposed to heavy wear. But they are expensive and rarely used in domestic housing applications. It’s a better idea to make a habit of walking around your house in socks.
General protection for timber flooring
Regular maintenance can keep timber floors looking their best. A range of issues affect how often this needs to be done. The degree of grit or dirt present, the types of interior and exterior matting used, and the level of foot traffic, for example.
Spills and stains
Obviously, spills and leaks should attended to immediately to prevent water damage. Itis especially important if floors are laid over sheet flooring or glued directly to a concrete slab.
Stubborn stains and scuff marks can be often be removed by gently rubbing floor cleaner into the area. Talk to your Know-How consultant to find out which products would work best for your specific type of timber flooring.
Mopping
Antistatic mops are an effective way to collect grit and dirt from your new timber floors. Floors can also be vacuumed, but make sure the brushes on your vacuum head haven’t worn thin. If the metal of the vacuum head is exposed, it’s likely to scratch your floors.
Timber floors can also benefit from an occasional slightly damp mopping (as long as the floor finish is in good condition). Use a neutral pH wood floor cleaner. Avoid abrasive cleaners and harsh detergents should be avoided.
A final once-over with a dry mop can be used to remove excess moisture.
What will damage your hardwood flooring
Grit and dirt
Small particles of grit or sand that make their way into your house act like sandpaper and can result in scratches. Place mats inside and outside exterior doors, and rugs and carpet runners in high-wear areas to minimize the impacts.
Direct sunlight
Wherever possible, minimise the amount of direct, intense sunlight reaching your floors. It can cause to gapping and the ‘cupping’ of individual timber planks (when the edge of the board edges higher than its center).
Curtains, blinds, and patio awnings can be an effective means of filtering out sunlight.
Steam mops
Unless your timber floor or finish manufacturer approves it, avoid steam mops. In some cases, they can make the finish on your timber floor peel, or even cloud the floor’s surface.
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Your local timber flooring experts
At Know-How Timber flooring, we do much more than just provide wooden floors. We offer unbeatable customer service, unrivalled passion for sourcing the highest quality solid timbers, to create a seamlessly smooth finish on your floors. We have everything you need to make your floors look stunning.
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Wherever you are in Sydney, our experts will bring your timber flooring project to life. We’d love to come and have an informal chat about your needs, whatever stage of planning you are at.