Caring For Your Wooden Floors: Everything You Need to Know
Known for a luxurious finish and durable qualities, hardwood floorboards are quickly becoming one of the most coveted interior design features in homes today. When they’re properly looked after, hardwood floorboards can remain in great condition for decades. So how can you maintain the appearance of your floorboards for the years to come?
Caring For Your Wooden Floors: Everything You Need to Know
Choosing the perfect floor for your home
The first thing to consider when it comes to caring for your floors is whereabouts they are in your home. Wooden floors can make a beautiful impact wherever they are, though the latest trends make use of both light and darker grains in kitchens, living rooms and hallways. Different rooms go through different wear and tear. If you’ve opted for durable hardwood floors to brighten your kitchen, you’ll need to be prepared for any food or drinks spillages, while hallways take the hit of constant steps going in and out.
Whichever rooms you choose to refresh with new flooring, there are multiple floorboard designs, patterns and grains available for you to put your own unique stamp on your home. With the right care and attention, your floorboards will retain their appearance and quality no matter whereabouts in your home they’re placed.
Tips for caring for your floors on a daily basis
- Sweep often and carefully
Daily care really makes a difference to the overall appearance of your flooring. Getting into the habit of sweeping regularly with a soft brush will keep any dust and debris from gathering on the surface of your floorboards. As well as making sure your floors continue to look shiny and clean, sweeping stops tiny particles of dirt and dust from scratching your floor. While this might not be noticeable straight away, marks on your floorboards will eventually turn into deeper grooves and these will need to be sanded away with the help of a professional.
- Make sure to keep liquids away from your floors
You might have noticed that if you spill something on your hardwood floors, the liquid seems to soak in. While hardwood floorboards will last for decades if they’re looked after properly, any spillages need to be dealt with immediately to stop your boards from bloating or buckling.
If you’re searching for a more appropriate flooring option for your kitchen or bathroom that doesn’t compromise on quality, you could consider vinyl floorboards. With the same luxurious appearance as hardwood, vinyl floorboards are finished with a resistant coating that makes them more able to withstand water damage.
Long term care to make your floors a real investment
- Sand and polish your floorboards when needed
Although your wooden floors will last for decades if they’re looked after, the wear and tear of everyday life mean they’ll need a little more TLC every few years. Over time, dirt, heeled shoes and even pet claws can cause scuffs and scratches on the surface of your floorboards. To renew your flooring and return it to its original state, you’ll need to carefully restore your boards with professional sanding. If you need expert advice on restoring your floorboards, Quicksand Flooring is there to help, with experience in turning even the most scuffed floors into smooth, beautiful floorboards for you to enjoy.
- Consider staining your floors for an interiors refresh
Finally, if your interiors are in need of a more permanent refresh, you could consider staining your floorboards. As your wooden floors age, they might begin to change colour, depending on the foot traffic and sunlight they’re getting. To make sure they stay as bright and warm as possible, oil-based stains restore the wood to a natural finish, as well as sealing it to protect from any damage. This gives your floorboards a whole new lease of life and will help transform your interiors with what feels like an entirely refreshed floor.