Care

Care & Maintenance
 

Living with Natural Hardwood Floors
 
Hardwood floors repay a little care with a lifetime of value. When you first
glimpse a hardwood floor, you sense richness, warmth and natural beauty.
Gradually, you get to know its distinct personality — visual harmonies, the
traces of history in the forest and in your home.
 
Take a closer look — appreciate the color and pattern of the floor’s strips,
planks or parquetry. Read the grain: Is it bold-textured oak? Subdued maple
or cherry? Nature’s diversity lets you create dramatic looks with unique
textures, colors, patterns and styles of solid hardwood flooring. Protect your
solid investment.
 
Check the condition of the underlying wood and the finish that protects
it. Are there signs of neglect to erase (it’s not difficult), or do you see a
well-tended surface that needs just a light touch to maintain it? Solid
hardwood floors are among the easiest to keep clean. Protect their warmth and
character with simple, everyday cleaning techniques.
 

Tips for protecting your finish:

 
• After the final coat, an oil based finish will be dry enough to walk on
in about 24 hours, but remember that it takes about 30 days for a finish to
fully cure.
 
• We recommend waiting 72 hours before replacing furniture. All furniture
should have felt protective “feet” placed on the bottoms to protect your
finish from being scratched. These can be purchased at any home
improvement store or major retailer like Target.
 
• Avoid sliding furniture whenever possible.
 
• Wait 30 days before replacing area rugs. If you use rugs, place a
protective rubber non-slip pad underneath them. This protects the finish
from being abraded by the rug backing.
 
• Wood floors can be dented by walking on them in high heels.
 
• If you have a dog, trim its nails weekly. Even a small dog’s claws can
scratch wood floors under the wrong circumstances.
 
• Any type of wood floor can be damaged by water or other spills.
If liquid gets on your floor, wipe it up as soon as possible to avoid warping
or spotting.
 
• Dirt, grit and sand act like sandpaper on the finish, causing scratches,
dents and dulling. Sweep regularly to prevent damage.
 
• We recommend regular cleaning with a “Swiffer” style mop and a no
wax hardwood floor cleaner. For spot cleaning, dampen a rag lightly with
floor cleaner and wipe the spot.
 
• We do NOT recommend using water or vinegar and water solutions
to clean your floor under any circumstance. Do NOT wet mop your floor.
 
• A “screen and coat” can be performed once every year or two to
maintain your finish and extend time between sanding and refinishing.