Hardwood flooring is known for its strength, durability and, of course, its hardness. These qualities enable it to withstand most of the everyday wear and tear it is likely to encounter.

In order to ensure that your wood floor remains in pristine condition for as long as possible, however, there are a few main things you need to protect it from. These are:

1. Shoes. Footwear presents two hazards to your wood floors. The first is the risk that stilettos and shoes with abrasive soles will dent your floors, whilst the second involves the abrasive and floor-scratching dirt and grit that footwear may bring in from outdoors. Neutralise these risks by implementing a no-shoes policy in the house and investing in some doormats.

2. Pets.  If you have pets, you need to keep their claws well-trimmed to prevent scratching of your wood floors. You also need to be on-hand to mop up ‘accidents’ before they can stain your floors.

3. Spills. If you spill anything on your floor, wipe it up immediately before it can sink into your wood floors.

4. Sunlight. Excessive exposure to sunlight can discolour areas of your floor. Prevent this by closing curtains when rooms aren’t in use and moving rugs and floor mats around regularly to ensure the floor colour matures evenly.

5. Colour change. You can get a clear film for the windows, which can block out 99.9% of the damaging U.V light. They use this film on stately homes to protect the antiques inside.

6. Furniture. Protective pads should be fitted to all furniture to stop it denting and or scratching the floors, Justwood can supply all the pads you need.

7. Cleaning. Keep the floors clear and clean of all dust and grit as this can be ground into the floor and cause damage.