Hardwood Floors December 2017/January 2018

AT THE SITE

By Brett Miller

EDUCATING YOUR CUSTOMER ABOUT MAINTENANCE

As a professional in this trade, it is our responsibility to educate the end-user on how to maintain their wood oors to keep them looking as good as the day we deliver the nal product to them. Most wood oors can be cared for with minimal e ort, and in many cases, a li le preventive maintenance will help maintain and enhance the natural patina an aged oor acquires year a er year. One of the biggest misnomers our trade deals with is the idea that, as the oor ages, changes color, and even changes dimensions, this is somehow a negative thing. e reality is, the most beautiful, and o en-imitated oors being sold today, are those doing their best to replicate what age naturally does to a wood oor. Even wood oors that are more traditional, sanded at with lm-forming nishes, will grow in beauty with age and wear. However, age and normal wear should not be confused with a poorly maintained wood oor. Regardless of what kind of wood oor, or which type of nish is used, all wood oors need to be cleaned regularly. Wood flooring is one of the only floor coverings that, when properly maintained, will last for the lifetime of the home.

Photo by Nabila Fauzia

PROPER CLEANING e challenge we consistently ba le surrounds what our customers use to clean their oors. With all of the options on the shelves at the grocery store and big-box stores, and touted on the late-night infomercials, it’s no wonder the end-user gets misled with their cleaning product purchases. We o en ba le the preconceived notion that regular use of steam (vapor water), or a product that is marketed to rejuvenate or add luster, or polish, or restore the wood oor, is all that is needed to retain the beauty of the oor. e most straightforward and safest advice for the end-user is to follow these steps to ensure their oor will perform as it was intended: • Wipe up all spills immediately. • Only use vacuum cleaners that have a setting for hard-surfaces. Turn off the beater bars/brushes on the vacuum cleaner when present.

• Do not wet-mop a wood floor. Standing water will result in cracks, splits, cupping, warping, degradation of the finish, and leave a discoloring residue. • Do not use steam cleaners on wood floors. Water in a vapor form will penetrate the wood fibers and cause irreversible damage to the wood flooring and the finish. • Use breathable throw rugs both inside and outside the doorways to prevent grit, salt, chemicals, sand, moisture and other debris from being tracked onto the wood floors. • For wood flooring installed in the kitchen, place a breathable area rug in front of the kitchen sink and stove. • Rugs should be shaken out, cleaned, and thoroughly dried when they get wet. • Check with the finish manufacturer for when rugs can be placed on the newly finished floor. In general, they should not be placed on a newly finished floor for a minimum of seven days after the final coat of finish has been applied.

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