Blog | Wood Floor Maintenance

It would be a shame to neglect your hardwood flooring

When you have invested in such a beautiful wooden floor made from ash, cherry, oak or maple, it is never good to see it lose its appeal. Even if you have not done anything to scratch or damage its surface, over time it will lose its shine if maintenance is not carried out on it.

Wood flooring is a covering that needs to be cared for if it is to wow all your house visitors and continue to remain at its best. These floors have been made to high standards of workmanship, so make sure you ensure its longevity by getting it renovated and refinished.

There are services available that can return your classic floor back to how it was when you first had it installed. The natural beauty of the wood can be brought out again and when you go to a specialist wood flooring company to undertake this work, you can put your trust in their many years of experience.

They will be able to put in the effort and care required to make the floor look attractive once again, while providing you with floor sanding and maintenance tips to ensure it is kept looking this way going forward.

How to care for wood floors with different finishes

When it comes to the latest hard surface floors, there is usually a greater range of finishes that are possible these days.

How you go about maintaining the floor can depend on the finish as well as such things like the place where it has been fitted and so it is necessary to think carefully about the floor care product you use on the surface.

The first thing you need to do is find out whether your floor has been finished in water-based lacquer, wax or hardwax oil. This is because the recommended care will vary between each of these types of hard floor finishes.

If you are unsure of the finish, you need to speak to the wood flooring specialists who installed the wood floor in the first place or contact the manufacturers of the flooring solution.

Should you be unable to get hold of this information then there are some general guidelines you can still follow in caring for the floor.

For surface finishes, which includes water-based lacquers, it is important to wipe up any spills as soon as possible using a dry or slightly damp cloth. Make sure you keep any grit from the floor.

As well as vacuuming on a regular basis, you can also use a recommended hardwood floor cleaner for the general cleaning of the floor.

How to go about re-oiling your hardwood floor

If you have had hardwax oil applied to your wood flooring, it is highly recommended that you get it re-oiled every one or two years. In the meantime you can apply maintenance oil to keep it looking at its best.

The re-oiling process needs to be carried out in the right way, so be sure to read up on the approved methods. We will now go through some of the stages involved with this work.

Firstly, if the floor needs to be thoroughly cleaned, use a recommended product like Osmo or Fiddes Wash and Care. This cleaning concentrate is very economical to use and you just need to add water to it.

Once this has been done, the next step in the maintenance procedure is to buff it using 150-grade sandpaper.

A thin coat of oil should then be applied to the surface. This can either be achieved by hand or by using a buffing machine, brush or soft cloth. After it has been allowed to dry, usually taking a 6 to 10 hours, it can then be buffed if required, using the methods previously mentioned until you get the perfect sheen.

If you feel you do not want to risk the condition of your floor by performing this maintenance yourself, you could always turn to the wooden flooring experts who can carry out this work for you to an exceptionally high standard.

The use of hardwax oil on your wood floor

If you are looking to provide a traditional finish for your wooden floor, giving it a stunning natural sheen that will mellow over time, then you might wish to consider hardwax oil.

This is one solution that will provide the soft finish you require, while it can help to almost erase any scratches in the surface. The product can be rubbed into the scratch or scuffed area of the floor and protect it against any further signs of general wear and tear.

Many people decide on this oiled finish, so they need to be careful when performing day-to-day maintenance on their wood flooring. This is because oiled floors are more porous by their very nature than lacquer and so only the minimum amount of water should be used to clean them.

This does not mean that you should refrain from occasionally using a damp cloth or lightly-watered mop on particularly dirty areas, but you need to ensure that an excessive amount of moisture is not allowed to come in contact with the floor. Therefore, a soft broom or a cylinder vacuum cleaner is more preferable for regular cleaning.

A coat of maintenance oil will also need to be applied every now and again, while the floor should be re-oiled every one to two years.

Care for your wood flooring to ensure its longevity

When you invest your money and energy into first selecting and then installing beautiful wood flooring, the last thing you would want is for it to fall into disrepair and lose its luster.

As we have already touched upon, there is going to be some natural ageing of the flooring, and this is not always a bad thing as over time its colour will mellow and in fact deepen.

But apart from the oxidation, bringing these wood and finish changes, there is still a correct and an incorrect way to look after your floors.

This means that you need to take a few preventative measures if you want to care for your floors and ensure they remain as beautiful as ever for a long time to come.

To lengthen the life of your wooden flooring, you need to get into a regular cleaning routine, which doesn’t need to be too complicated. By recoating, refinishing and reoiling the floor occasionally, you can postpone the need to do any costly renovation work.

Your main issue is going to be the everyday kind of dirt and dust which collects on the floor, making it look grubby. If you sweep or vacuum the floor on a regular basis, this is the best way to keep it looking as attractive as it was when it was first installed.
 

Restoring your floors to how they once were (Part 2)

In the last article we explained how there are ways you can bring your dull wooden floors back to life again, and with a bit of care and attention go even further and make them look as good as new.

Once you have had your floors professionally sanded and renovated, you can keep them in this excellent condition by considering the following maintenance points.

Before you go about cleaning the floors, be sure to vacuum or sweep the surface to remove the dust and dirt present.

As well as not using household dust treatment products on these wood floors, it is imperative that you do not wipe food or spillages from the surface with anything other than the recommended cleaner and a soft cloth.

Make sure that the floor has room to breathe and so avoid placing potted plants directly onto the wood surface. The same goes for rugs which do not allow for ventilation.

If you have any furniture placed over the wood flooring, it is advisable to use felt protective pads to ensure the finish is not scratched or dented in any way.

By staying on top of these things, you can continue to take pride in your beautiful wood flooring.

Restoring your floors to how they once were (Part 1)

If your beautiful wooden floors are no longer as attractive as they were when they were first fitted, you can choose to get them restored or refinished by the flooring specialists. There are also steps you can take yourself to keep them in this beautiful state.

At the outset it is important to note that if you do plan to carry out maintenance yourself then be sure to only use cleaning products which have been recommended by the manufacturer. Such things as furniture polish can dull the finish and make it slippery too.

By cleaning the floors regularly, you can ensure that now it has been restored to its former glory, it remains that way. However, you need to bear in mind that wood and water are not good companions. What we mean by this is that too much water can result in swelling of the surface, so only use a slightly damp mop to clean this hardwood floor.

This may have put you off using water-based cleaning products, so if you do decide to use a vacuum instead, then make sure the beater bar is turned off - or only use the attachment with a softer nozzle for these floors. Otherwise, the surface could be damaged by the vacuum cleaner.
 

Give your wood flooring time to adapt to its environment

Despite the fact that the newly-installed wood flooring in your home is no longer part of a growing tree, it is still a living material which will respond to its environment. Therefore, when you have just had a new wooden floor fitted, there are a few things you really need to bear in mind relating to its care.

No matter what species of wood flooring you have had installed in your living room or other area of your home, it is necessary to maintain it to ensure it is kept looking beautiful and at its best.

It is important to remember that the wood will respond to many things, including temperature, humidity and light, as well as general wear. The key point not to forget is that a genuine wooden floor can take at least four seasons before it is fully settled.

So it is not unusual for the floor to take time to adapt to this setting. During this period you can expect to notice some floorboard movement, with gaps opening up. This is due to the changing of seasons at different times of the year as well as heating usage within the home.

If you notice colour changes as well, there is certainly no need to worry as this is all part of the natural process where the wood reacts to oxygen and light.
 

How to go about restoring your old floorboards

When it comes to redecorating a room, there are times when you really should think carefully about starting again as it may be more trouble to try and save some of the fittings and fixtures already in place. On these occasions it will probably cost you a lot more to restore what is already there.

However, there are also times when your existing décor is not too bad and your floor is certainly far from being beyond repair, so you may wish to have this once-stunning floor brought back to how it was when you first got it.

This can now be achieved by considering an expert service where your hardwood flooring is sanded and renovated for you. By opting to have the floorboards maintained in this way, you can ensure they will be restored to their former glory and will surely last for a long time to come.

No longer will they be viewed as drab and dull, as it will look like you have just fitted a new floor in the room instead. And if you really do decide you need to have a state of the art floor fitted instead of restoring the old one, these specialists can provide a variety of suitable flooring options for your home.