7 Ways To Protect, Maintain And Repair Your Timber Floor

Timber floors are a beautiful addition to any home, providing a sense of luxury and style alongside delivery a powerful visual punch. However, gorgeous wooden floors don’t come without their share of responsibility and maintenance requirements! In order to keep your timber flooring looking its best for as long as possible, check out these 7 great ways to protect, maintain, and repair it when needed.

1. Stop dirt and gravel at the door

Keeping dirt and debris outside is an excellent way to reduce the risk of unsightly scratches or a finish that dulls over time. Encourage family members and guests to brush their feet on an outside doormat and then remove their shoes upon crossing the threshold.

Not only can shoes track in dirt that will dull your floors, but they might bring along more damaging materials such as gravel or even broken glass. Chunks of debris from outside can prove hazardous to both bare feet and your flooring finish.

2. Refresh the polyurethane coating every few years

The polyurethane coating on your timber floor serves to protect the wooden planks from scratches, stains, and other forms of damage. However, no matter how well it does its job, it’s sure to wear down over time.

In order to keep your floors from needing a full refinishing or restoration, you can get them sanded and re-sealed with a fresh polyurethane coating every few years.

3. Don’t use cleaners that will dull or etch the finish

These include ammonia, baking soda, and other abrasive or highly acidic cleaners. Your best bet is to avoid improvising as much as possible when it comes to timber floor cleaners and simply use commercial cleaners that are specifically recommended for use on the type of flooring you have.

If you have any doubts about whether a certain cleaner will work for your floor, then spot-test a small patch of it in an inconspicuous location in your home before applying it to a wide area.

4. Avoid excess moisture

If you accidentally spill something on your wooden floor, use a towel to mop it up right away. Be sure to avoid any excess water when cleaning, too. As a general rule, anything you clean a timber floor with should just be damp, never wet enough to leave beads of liquid behind on the surface.

In the unfortunate event of something more extreme, such as a plumbing incident, bring in some fans to encourage quicker drying and contact a professional if you see signs of deeper water damage.

5. Vacuum or sweep very regularly

A regular sweeping or vacuuming routine keeps any dirt or gravel that made its way past your doormats from waiting around to scratch the finish and prevents food crumbs from piling up and causing a mess as well. Food crumbs are especially important to clean up right away since they often carry moisture and encourage mold growth.

6. Avoid other common causes of unsightly floor scratches

Common culprits when it comes to scratching timber floors include the base corners of furniture, untrimmed pet claws, and shoes with stiletto heels. Instead of wearing heels across the house when leaving for a fancy event, you’ll be better off putting them on right by the door.

Additionally, if you have dogs then you’ll want to have them groomed regularly to avoid untrimmed claws scratching the timber finish. For extra good measure, put felt padding on all the feet of your furniture–even if you don’t move the furniture around often.

7. Hire a professional for any necessary repairs

Some mishaps, such as food spills or dirty streaks, can be mopped up or buffed out easily at home. However, for larger repairs and maintenance tasks such as periodically refreshing the polyurethane coating, it’s probably in your best interest to hire a professional.

Brisbane Timber floor Repairer can assist with a wide variety of maintenance tasks such as professional floor sanding, protective floor coating, and buffing, as well as restoration and repairs when needed.

To Recap

Prevention is key when it comes to keeping your timber floors from getting scratched or dulled, so exercise proactive measures such as removing shoes at the door, padding the feet of your furniture, and keeping any pets’ claws trimmed.

Additionally, make sure you only used cleaners approved for timber floors and avoid any unnecessary exposure to moisture. If you see any evidence of water damage, contact a professional right away. It’s also highly beneficial to schedule a professional polyurethane refresh or polish every few years for added protection.