The beauty, elegance, and touch of class you will begin to notice after having hardwood flooring fitted in your home is second to none. With proper care, attention, and maintenance, your floor will last a lifetime, adding significant value to your home.

After deciding to invest in beautiful hardwood flooring, you will want to do everything in your power to ensure it retains its original appeal. Over time, however, it is completely natural that your floor will undergo every day wear and tear and may suffer from small chips or scratches. While these chips and scratches may only be small, and will most likely not be noticed by visitors, your flooring is an investment, and even small imperfections can play on your mind.

Unfortunately, unless you leave whatever room your hardwood flooring is in completely empty and don’t allow people inside, there is no way to guarantee that your floor will never chip. There are, however, a few simple preventative measures you can take to reduce this risk.

In two earlier posts we discussed the importance of properly maintaining your hardwood floor, and some of these tips directly relate to reducing the chance of chipping or scratching your floor.

Dirt, grit and sand are some of the most common causes of chips and scratches in hardwood flooring. If any dirt isn’t swiftly removed, it can act like sandpaper under your feet, damaging your floor. Try to regularly clean your floor using a soft broom if possible.

If you are going to vacuum your floor, refrain from using a vacuum with a beater bar, as these can damage the finish of your floor – instead try to use a different attachment, such as a soft upholstery brush.

Make sure any high heels in your home are kept in good repair, but if possible encourage people to remove their shoes before entering any rooms with hardwood flooring. If you have any pets, it is important to keep their nails trimmed, as these can have the same negative effect as high heels.

Utilise felt pads on the feet or legs of any furniture that will be in direct contact with the floor, and try not to move the furniture. If you do need to move your furniture though, make sure it is lifted, rather than pulled or dragged across the floor.

By following these simple tips, you can greatly reduce the chance of scratching or chipping your hardwood flooring. If your flooring does get scratched or chipped though, there are some easy ways to repair these blemishes. Keep checking back for future posts, where we will discuss some ways you can repair any damage your floor may receive.