7 TIPS TO PREVENT SCRATCHES IN YOUR HARDWOOD FLOORS ALL hardwood dent and scratch. Anyone that tells you the hardwood flooring wont scratch, isnt telling the truth. Its just a matter of time. Yes, some woods are harder than others and yes, some have a bit more scratch protection than others, and some woods show the scratches more than others. So given that all hardwoods scratch, here are 7 tips to MINIMIZE the scratches and prolong the life of your hardwood floors. Overview: By far, the #1 culprit of scratches is dirt/grit, so do whatever you can to minimize this. 1. Take off your shoes! This makes the biggest impact on how long the finish on your hardwood floors will last - even more so than pets (and kids!). Its easy thing to change, and it doesnt cost anything. Im amazed at how much longer the floors last in homes where my customer remove their shoes. To make life simpler, add a plastic or rubber bin by the door to make it convenient for you and your guests to place their shoes. 2. Clean regularly to remove the dirt. Swiffers or similar products are ideal. This will go a long way to preserving the life of your floors, plus of course, your house will be cleaner, so a win win. 3. Add entry mats at all of the doorways. Water (as well as snow/salt) can be hardwoods worst nightmare. The doorways tend to wear down the fastest because of this and if you add area rugs, it will reduce the impact. Get entrance mats - one for outside and one for inside the door. 4. Avoid chairs with rollers. These chairs really scratch up floors as dirt and grit tends to get caught in the wheels. Either avoid them, or get mats for under these areas as they will destroy your hardwood floors. You can use area rugs or vinyl or plastic mats. 5. Add felt pads to the furniture, and get extras. Felt pads can make a big difference and they are especially important for chairs that move the most (e.g. chairs around the dinner table or dining room, or family room). I advise my customers to buy extra felt pads as they tend to fall off often especially on chair that are moved frequently. I would check them at least every 6 months, and ideally sooner. If you are buying new furniture, you may want to ask the furniture store if they have recommendations on types that work better with hardwood floors. 6. Add area rugs in spaces where chairs are moved often. These can be especially handy for dining rooms or other areas where chairs are frequently moved. Area rugs will also reduce the noise and they can be a wonderful decorative element. 7. If you have a dog, consider doggie socks! I recognize that not all dogs like these, but some do, and it may be worth a shot, especially if its cold outside. Clipping their nails will also help. You can research types of hardwood floors that are good for dogs. Does adding an extra coat of polyurethane help prevent scratches? Well this depends. If your hardwood is pre-finished, then, no this will actually make your floor more susceptible to scratches (as it will sand off some of the aluminum oxide) and it will void your manufacturer warranty. If however, you have hardwood that has been finished on site (i.e. it was sanded in the home), then, an extra coat can help reduce scratching. But, going beyond 3 coats of poly will have virtually no impact and doing more can cause the floors to yellow and they will take much longer to cure.
Posted on: Mon, 12 May 2014 19:15:13 +0000
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