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Hardwood floor
care and maintenance is just as important as
what you may have finally chosen for a floor
after
 months of decision wrangling. Over the
years we've seen our share of floors that were
maintained beautifully and it shows. Never the
less we've also seen those that were abused and
no attention to preservation was considered.
Not
only does cleaning play an important role to the
longevity of your investment, but attention to
damage prevention as well. Listed below are
several items that should be given priority
after your new floor has been installed.
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Place bristle
type mats at all exterior door entries.
These will collect larger pieces of grit or
small stones that may damage your new floor.
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Place area rugs
at all entry points inside the home.
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Protectors are a
great idea for placing under furniture legs,
but keeping them free of grit is just as
important. Each time the floor is swept
or cleaned check for any grit that may collect
under a chair or furniture leg.
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Place area rugs
at all water areas. Kitchens are most
important in this case. One may not be enough
and we suggest others in front of the
referigerator/ice maker, dishwasher, and
kitchen sink area.
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Speaking of
appliances:
Any time they are moved please
use some kind of protection to prevent
scratches and gouges. Appliance delivery
guys are notorious for not taking the
necessary precautions. Our suggestion is
to use 1/8" masonite board making sure
the surface and the floor is very clean
when any appliances are moved. One small
piece of grit will make any efforts worthless.
Having New Work Done
Hopefully many
that have found this page have done so before
any new hardwood floors were installed. Keep an
eye on that installer or whomever walks through
the work area when your floors are being
installed; specifically with prefinished floors.
The amount of damage to new wood floors prior to
the owner getting the full enjoyment out of them
would surprise many.
A
few suggestions when having work done are sweep
frequently, pick up tools that may be scattered
about. Cover with a thick type of underlayment
such as 1/8" masonite board in high traffic
areas. Each piece is a cheap piece of insurance
running about six to seven dollars per 4' x 8'
sheet. Masonite can be found in practically any
home improvement center. |
