Hardwood floors may not require a lot of maintenance, but summer is when you should consider focusing on them. The hotter months of the year can be harder on your floors than you might anticipate, so prepping for summer is a good idea.
Now is the perfect time to refinish your hardwood floor. With the warmer weather, you’ll probably be out of the house more than usual, which means having the floors sanded down and refinished won’t be a problem.
A newly finished hardwood floor will also hold up to heavier foot traffic as you have friends and family visiting. If people are coming and going frequently, you’ll be glad of the extra protection.
You should keep the sunlight off your floors as much as possible. If you’re out for the day, close the blinds or curtains and this will prevent sun damage. You can also consider installing low e-glass windows that limit the amount of damaging sunlight reaching the floor. Even small things like preventing the sun from hitting the wood during the days you’re out will help prolong the life of your hardwood floor.
With people coming in and out of your home, there’s bound to be more dirt than usual. It also means that there is likely to be extra sand from the beach or grit from playing outdoors. Ash and food from cookouts can also be an issue.
If not taken care of, the excess grit and dirt can be ground into your floors, ruining the finish and causing scratches and damage to the wood. The simplest way to prevent this is to regularly vacuum the floor. This sucks up the grit before it can be a problem and eliminates the all too common issue of dirt being stuck in between the boards.
The humidity levels may rise in the summer and this can be hazardous to hardwood floors. You should test the humidity in your home and if it gets over 55%, you’ll need to consider a dehumidifier. This will keep the levels between 35-55% and protect your flooring throughout the summer months.
You don’t need to do a lot to keep your hardwood floors safe, but these steps will give it a longer life and reduce the amount of repairs or heavy duty maintenance needed.
Ready to install your own beautiful hardwood floors? Contact Just Wood for a quote on your space.