The care and maintenance of your hardwood flooring can affect the lifespan of your floors greatly. Hardwood flooring may be something you consider fragile but it is shockingly resilient.
Proper maintenance can help your floor to look beautiful for years between refinishes. There are a few methods of prevention you can use to keep your floor looking good without much effort. Hardwood flooring is a great flooring type because of its ability to be refinished and brought back to life. Refinishing can take care of common wear and tear but if done too frequently can cut the lifespan of your floor.
Humidity is a big factor to consider when maintaining your floor. Hardwood is a natural substance and the humidity in your home affects the wood a great deal. Drastic changes in the humidity in your home can cause adverse side effects like buckling or cupping. The changes of the seasons can really stress your floor. A whole house humidifier set to keep the relative humidity of your home consistent throughout the seasons can keep gaping and cupping to a minimum and is a great way to care for your floor. Wood that is extremely dry can splinter and split as well.
Keeping the floor free of debris is another good way to protect your floor. Taking shoes off in the house, putting mats at doorways and high traffic spots and sweeping regularly are all ways to keep the floor clear of debris.
Clean the floor with the right materials. Avoid harsh chemicals that can wear through your floor finish faster than normal. Use only non abrasive cleaning pads to protect the finish coat. A dry swiffer is a great floor tool for between cleanings. Never use a mop and bucket on hardwood flooring.
Install hardwood flooring in rooms of the house that are a good fit. The laundry room, bathrooms and basement are all examples of places that may not be suitable for hardwood. Hardwood can work in these spaces but the right precautions and techniques should be used.
Keeping your hardwood flooring beautiful requires some daily steps, preventive measures and routine maintenance.