Hardwood floors are a great option that will add value to your home. It is a product that can last a lifetime and is the most popular flooring surface in new home construction. Wood flooring is easy to maintain and calls for simple sweeping and vacuuming for routine maintenance. A proper hardwood floor cleaner is also recommended for routine maintenance. Harwood flooring is also great for the environment and comes from a sustainable natural resource. It is also a healthy choice as hardwood floors do not harbor dust mites or molds and other health threats that are common in other floor coverings. There are a wide variety of styles, sizes, colors, finishes and species of hardwood floors. This variety provides a large selection to best suite your home, office, or retail space.
Do's and Don'ts
Do:
Place pads on ALL of your furniture legs to prevent scratches and gouges.
Place mats or area rugs in high traffic areas.
Make sure wood floors are kept dry and clean.
Perform routine maintenance such as sweeping, vacuuming, and dusting.
Keep pets nails trimmed.
Don’t:
Don’t use a WET mop.
Don’t use ammonia.
Don’t track dirt.
Don’t use cleaning products that are not specifically made for hardwood floors.
Don’t wax a urethane finish.
Types of Finishes
Hardwood floors get a lot of their beauty from the finished that are on them. By properly finishing your wood floor you can ensure a long life. Choosing the right finish will also help keep it clean and protect it from water, stains, and scratches. There are a variety of finishes with different qualities.
Penetrating sealers are made of tung and linseed oil and are applied with a thick application. Penetrating sealers are popular because of its protective qualities and comes in a variety of colors.
Moisture-Cured Urethanes are very durable and strong moisture-resistant finish. Due to the fact that it is a water-based urethane it will not yellow the wood after time unlike a oil-based polyurethane.
Oil-Modified Urethanes are petroleum based and is moisture resistant and very hard upon drying. This a very popular finish and also comes in a variety of colors and glosses. Oil-modified urethanes are known to create an amber color tint as it ages.
Water-Based Urethanes contain many synthetic resins along with many other durable ingredients. Due to the fact that it is water-based it will not yellow your floors over time.
Paste-Wax finishes are the oldest way to treat hardwood floors and can be used in combination with a penetrating sealer.
Varnishes are strong but are not as durable as urethanes and are made from vegetable oils.
Lacquers are highly flammable and are not recommended by most flooring manufacturers