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5 Tips for Your Timber Floors

5 Tips for Your Timber Floors

Tips on how you can make your timber floors last a lifetime.

The beauty and durability of timber floors make them one of the most desired choices for homeowners looking to make a long-term investment on their flooring. With the extra cost involved in the initial purchase, it’s important to take care of your timber floor so it stays in great condition for years to come. The longevity of your floor is heavily dependent on how you maintain it and even the most hard-wearing timber floor can become damaged if care isn’t taken to protect the wood.

Despite all the upkeep required, timber floors are the ideal choice to add warmth, elegance, and style to your home. Modern Floor Sanding and Polishing’s experts want to share some handy tips on how to look after your timber flooring to ensure it maintains its natural beauty through the decades.

Prevent scratches and dents

1. Prevent scratches and dents

If you want your timber floor to look beautiful for years to come you should protect it from scratches or dents. Small marks are inevitable, but you can prevent deeper, larger indents by following a few basic guidelines.

Damage from shoes

You should always remove your footwear before walking on your timber floor. Your shoes are likely to have dirt on the soles that can mark your floor as you step on it.  If you find any debris on your timber floor, you should remove it straight away.

Damage from furniture

To prevent heavy objects such as furniture from causing damage to your timber floor, you should always lift the items when moving them rather than dragging them across the floor.  Protective pads can be placed on the bottom of heavy items to act as an effective safety barrier for your timber floor.

Damage from pets nails

Scratches from your pet’s toenails won’t cause extensive damage to your timber floor but over time they will become noticeable and need to be sanded out. By keeping your pet’s nails clipped so they do not make a clicking noise when they walk on the floor you can save yourself money in the long-term.

Clean liquid spills immediately

2. Clean liquid spills immediately

Water is particularly damaging to timber floors and can cause it to bend, twist, and bow out of shape.

To maintain the beauty of your timber floor and to protect it from unwanted damage, you should wipe away any spills immediately to prevent them from seeping into the surface.  Lacquer or oil will only protect your floor to a certain extent and if the liquid soaks into the wood it can cause permanent damage.

You should clean your floor with a damp mop and leave the windows open to let it dry out. Remember to go with the grain of the wood and give it a buff with a soft cloth when the floor is completely dry.

Deal with stains immediately

3. Deal with stains immediately

Pet mess, water spots, ink, wine, oil, and food spills are the leading causes of stains on timber floors. When they happen, a quick wipe with a cleaning solution is usually all it takes to clean it up.

However, if the stain has gone through the finish and soaked into the timber, it can be difficult to remove and may require sanding and refinishing. Before resorting to sanding, however, you should try to remove the stain using standard hydrogen peroxide which is available at most pharmacies.

To remove the stain using hydrogen peroxide you should:

  1. Soak a cloth in hydrogen peroxide.
  2. Place the cloth on the stain and allow it to soak in the wood overnight.
  3. Remove the cloth and wipe up any excess hydrogen peroxide.
  4. Allow the floor to dry.
  5. Repeat for longer if the stain is resistant.
Choose the right floor cleaning products

4. Choose the right floor cleaning products

Cleaning hardwood floors can be tricky to get right, but luckily for you, there are many great floor cleaning products on the market.

You may have been advised to use some old-fashioned remedies involving vinegar, baking soda, or dish detergent but they can’t achieve the same results as multi-functioning cleaning solutions and can actually damage your timber floor.

Remember, you should never use undiluted ammonia, alkaline products, or abrasive cleaners.

Timber floor sanding and refinishing

5. Timber floor sanding and refinishing

All timber floors eventually become scratched, scuffed and dull. When a timber floor loses its lustre, having your floor sanded and refinished is the best solution to get rid of unsightly marks.

Modern Floor Sanding and Polishing is a family-owned business, serving the Hunter, Newcastle, and surrounding areas. We have many years of expertise and knowledge regarding all aspects of timber floor sanding and refinishing so when your timber floor needs a facelift, speak to our timber floor sanding specialists by calling 0467 029 131.