Home Flooring Guide

You have a right to be proud of that new hardwood floor.  The elegance and warmth that of hardwood floors to can transform your rooms in character and personality.   That hardwood floor brings up the value of your home as it enhances the quality of life for your family as it makes your home more inviting and more impressive to guests whenever you entertain.

So it makes sense that you should do all  you can to take very good care of that hardwood floor.  That installation was not cheap and that high quality wood should be cared for just as much as your fine furniture or kitchenware.  The floor is more than just something to walk on.  It has real value to you and your family and it should be treated as a valued piece of furniture itself.

A Starting Place for Hardwood Flooring Health.

Like anything new, its always good to learn as much as you can from the supplier and the installer.  That installer will be in your home for a day or so while the wood flooring is being put in place.  He is an expert in wood flooring so take some time while he is on break and "pick his brain" about the best ways to keep your hardwood floor in tip top shape for years to come.

While installation of a floor isn't like buying an appliance and you will not necessarily get an owners manual, you can get plenty of information about the type of sealant and the hardwood floor finishes that were used on the flooring and general maintenance tips and guidelines.  These professionals want you to enjoy your purchase and for that wood floor to shine with quality for all to see.  That is good advertising for them so take advantage of their desire to be of service and learn from the experts how to take care of your new floor.

Your Floor's Mortal Enemies

The two elements that will naturally gravitate to your floor are moisture and dust and dirt.  Yet these are the two elements that you should be most on guard against to keep your floor in mint condition for many years.  Water is the natural enemy of a hardwood floor because standing water can warp the wood which can ruin the flooring entirely.  Even small amounts of dust or dirt that stay on the floor can become trapped on feet and scratch the beautiful finish of the wood.

It is not being obsessive to have your family and guests leave their shoes in the entry hall to reduce the potential for dirt getting on your hardwood floors.  You should plan to routinely dust and sweep the floor so that you are catching any additional dirt that may have settled on the floor naturally.  A weekly vacuuming of the floor combined with regular care of the wood with a swifter mop is a nice routine because you are getting the dirt up without using any moisture.

Wash and Wax

Like any quality surface and especially one that gets as much traffic as your floor, a regular washing and waxing is in order as well.  Be very careful what kind of detergents you use and follow the guidelines you learned about the finish on your hardwood floor to use just the right cleansing agent that will not cause more damage.  Never use ammonia or other harsh cleansers on your hardwood floor.  And take special care that you get the floor perfectly dry after a cleaning so you are not leaving fluids on the surface of the wood to do damage.

About once a year you should plan to apply a new coat of wax to your floor.  There are specific waxes for each kind of wood and for the kind of finish and sealant that was used on your floor.  This is why recording those details along with any specific waxing instructions when the floor is new is important.  This is not something you should guess about or go with something that "might work".  If you don't know what kind of wax to use or how to go about waxing your wood floor, get in touch with your installer and have him come out and do it or at least give you a short course in taking care of your floor.

If you are careful and on top of your weekly, monthly and annual care and maintenance of your hardwood floor, it will give you years of good service.  And when you can keep that floor looking beautiful and elegant for entire time you live in that house, that will be a pay back that will make the care you took with that floor worth the effort.