Your timber floor will last a lifetime if its cared and maintained well. One of the best things about having a beautiful timber floor in your home is that they are very easy to care for.
How should I maintain my new floor? Regularly sweep your floor with anti-static mop to prevent the build-up of grit. We do not recommend vacuum cleaners their cleaning heads and bristles could scratch the floor.
Scratches and dents from high heel shoes are some of the most common occurrence on a timber floor, together with claws from your pets, we encourage regular trimming of their nails. We recommend placing protective mats, rugs in common walkway areas. We also recommend felt pads for bottoms of legs of any furniture.
Clean your timber floor at least once a week to prevent any build-up of dirt and grit. For areas of higher traffic, we recommend cleaning more regularly.
If you spill any liquids on the timber floor this should be removed immediately with spotting with a clean or very damp soft cloth. Never use excess water on your floor as this can cause damage to your timber.
We recommend a similar mop that is pictured here, we can provide you with a static mop for a small charge, we often will run specials and supply you with one too. We recommend a particular cleaner from our supplier (Polycure) which is especially formulated for timber floors to keep their condition pristine. We can also supply this to you at a minimal cost. To keep your timber floor in excellent condition we recommend lightly sanding and recoating the timber floor every 4-5 years, depending on the condition.
After your floor has been coated, be sure to follow the guidelines to minimise the risk of scratching and scuffing. Walking on the floor with socks or stockings, replacing furniture about 3 days after to allow the coating to be dry in pristine condition.
In some cases, if your floor has slight scratches it may require a fine sand and recoat, which will minimise the cost, in some cases if there are board repairs from heavy damage such as dents etc it may need a sand right back to the raw timber and coated.
We do not recommend you wash your new timber floor or place coverings on top of you newly polished timber floors until they are 100% dry and cured, this normally can take up to 28 days for maximum cure.
Proper maintenance is often the most overlooked aspect of timber floor projects.
Preventative maintenance includes:
- Install adequate mats at all entrances and high traffic areas. Place floor mats after 28 days in the high traffic areas eg. External doorways and work in through areas such as kitchen sink areas.
- Felt protectors on furniture legs to prevent scratching.
- On-going maintenance includes proper cleaning methods and use of protective products.
- Regular inspection for signs of wear and re-coating before wear through of the finish occurs.
- Remembering never to wet mop a timber floor!!
- A daily sweep with an electro static mop or a soft broom over all the traffic areas is advisable.
- We recommend you vacuum about once a month with a soft brush head or a felt tip brush head, this will reduce any chance of scratching your new timber floor.
- Wash your timber floor with a recommend floor wash NOT a silicone-based floor wash.
- Any roller wheel chairs should always a non-abrasive mat or protective mat/sheet over the floor before placing the chair on the floor.
