Solid hardwood flooring, the traditional form of making wood floors, will provide years of value to your home if you take good care of it. Unfortunately, the lifespan can be cut short if a few precautionary measures are not taken. Here are some tips for maintenance:
Maintenance Tips
- Placemats or rugs at each entryway to collect dirt and grit. Dirt and grit act as sandpaper on your finish and will cause the finish to become dull. If worn completely though, it will no longer serve as protection from moisture.
- Buy a high-quality wood floor safe vacuum or broom to sweep your wood floors regularly to pick up grains of dirt, dust, and other particles.
- Use the right cleaning and maintenance supplies for your hardwood floors. Using the wrong cleaners can cause the finish to look hazy and reduce the amount of time before you need to refinish your hardwood floors
- Avoid using a wet mop or excessive water to clean your wood floor. Excessive water exposure will cause your wood floor to crack or splinter. Mops should be wrung out well before applying over your hardwood floors.
- Maintain relative humidity in your home between 35-55% to prevent excessive gapping or warping. Please keep in mind some season gapping is normal, however, excessive gapping may never close back up and is caused by extreme dryness.
- Covering furniture legs that can scratch or dent your wood floor. Chair legs which are often moved back and forth should be the top priority for applying sticky felt pads.
- Follow manufacturer installation instructions when laying the floors. Each manufacturer may have slightly different recommendations and following them will ensure the flooring performs under the right conditions.
Solid hardwood flooring is one of the oldest forms of flooring and this style of hardwood can last over half a century if well protected. Buying solid hardwood is truly a lifetime investment.