How to Protect Engineered Hardwood Floors?
Request a Call Back
Engineered hardwood flooring is a well-known floor covering for homeowners looking for an ideal, durable solution. Sturdy hardwood floors require proper maintenance to maintain their appearance. Being the perfect alternative to solid wood, engineered hardwood floors offer unique benefits for both commercial and residential use.
Most homeowner’s value engineered hardwood flooring due to its easy installation, durability, and the elegance it adds to the room. With time, these floors show signs of scratches, dirt, and more, and they require professional cleaning to keep them looking their best.
This blog will discuss how to protect engineered hardwood floors from damage and ensure they give your home timeless appeal. To achieve the best outcome, follow the guide to protecting hardwood engineered floors and providing maintenance and care.
Engineered wood flooring includes a hardwood top layer attached to a base layer of plywood or OSB (Oriented Strand Board). Based on its design, these floors look the same as traditional hardwood. Engineered wood flooring is mainly known for its durable construction and high-performance qualities.
It is made with multiple layers of wood, each positioned differently. This prevents engineered hardwood from warping and bowing, which might happen in moist areas. The hardwood floors enable installation in most of the home’s grade levels, including the ground, with a protective moisture barrier.
Engineered hardwood flooring’s construction of engineered wood adds stability and helps reduce expansion and contraction due to weather changes. It is a versatile and visually appealing solution with enhanced stability.
Like traditional hardwood, engineered floors require thorough maintenance and special cleaning care. Protecting engineered hardwood floors retains the elegance and sophistication of your space. Hardwood flooring portrays advancement in flooring patterns, combining beauty and longevity.
Although the top layer of natural wood veneer is considered durable, it can be susceptible to wear, scratches, and damage if not maintained properly. Engineered hardwood flooring protection ensures that your flooring maintains aesthetic appeal and structural integrity.
This flooring represents a significant investment in your home. Additionally, clean engineered hardwood floors increase your home’s resale value, making them attractive features. Regular maintenance preserves their aesthetic appeal and enhances their lifespan, ensuring the homeowners get the most out of their investment.
Well-maintained floors are easy to clean and harbor fewer allergens, dust, and other particles affecting indoor air quality. With authentic protection methods for hardwood floors, you can avoid the development of scratches and gauges that can potentially trap dirt and bacteria.
Engineered hardwood flooring is a popular choice for homeowners looking for an elegant appearance with improved sturdiness. Implementing comprehensive protection methods for your engineered hardwood floors involves different stages. Thus, safeguarding your engineered wood flooring is necessary for a lasting enhancement in your home.
Regular cleaning and maintenance are simple but highly effective protection methods for hardwood floors. Particles like dust, dirt, and grit can function like sandpaper, gradually causing the finish to deteriorate.
To sweep your floors, you can use a gentle broom with soft bristles or a microfiber mop. To achieve a thorough clean, you can opt for a cleaner specially created for engineered hardwood flooring. Avoid water or steam mops, as too much dampness can harm the wood.
Furniture generally causes scratches and dents on engineered wood floors. Place felt pads underneath the legs of chairs, tables, and sofas to protect your floors. When relocating furniture, lift it instead of dragging it on the floor.
Variations in moisture and humidity affect engineered wood floors. It is important to keep indoor humidity stable to avoid warping or buckling.
You can use a dehumidifier in months with high humidity; during dry weather, a humidifier can assist in maintaining balance. It is essential to clean up any spills and accidents promptly to avoid water damage.
Area rugs and mats are essential for safeguarding engineered hardwood floors. Place them in high-traffic spots, such as entrances and corridors, to reduce damage. Ensure the carpets have a breathable, non-slip underlay to avoid trapping moisture and slipping.
Excessive exposure to sunlight can cause your engineered wood floors to lose color and fade. You can use blinds, curtains, or UV-blocking window films to reduce exposure to direct sunlight. Periodically rotating your rugs and furniture can also help preserve the floor as it ages.
Every floor gets dirty and messy with time, and engineered hardwood floors display dust and dirt more prominently than other types of flooring. Without any ridges or strands for the dirt to get trapped, it is easy to notice the dirt and grime on the floors. It makes it easy to determine when the floors need to be cleaned.
If you are wondering how to protect engineered hardwood floors, follow these essential tips to reduce allergens and irritants that impact overall health. After mastering these steps, you can maintain the shine of your floors and make them look as good as new.
Essential maintenance tips for protecting hardwood floors are:
Excess water or liquid damages hardwood flooring, so cleaning up any spills immediately is necessary. You can use a dry mop to remove the spill and avoid excess damage over time.
Homeowners can track all dirt, dust, and abrasive particles daily. Thus, one of the best ways to protect hardwood floors is to sweep them out daily. It keeps the area clean and reduces the need for mopping.
Make sure to vacuum the hardwood flooring area with a soft tool. For example, using the beater bars causes scratches; thus, you must vacuum it gently. Establish a schedule to maintain the floors and vacuum with a soft-bristle attachment to remove dirt, dust, and debris and prevent scratches or abrasions that can make the surface look dull.
You should be careful about your shoe type while walking across these floors. High-heeled shoes or sports shoes with spikes can cause significant damage to the top layer of the hardwood floor.
Heavy moisture can cause the layers of the engineered hardwood to swell and deform. Always use a damp mop instead of soaking the overall floor while cleaning. Additionally, you can place these mats at entrances to capture dirt before reaching the floors.
Avoid using abrasive cleaning tools, harsh chemical solutions, or steam mops. These can lead to stripping off the floor’s finish and cause permanent damage or discoloration.
Deep cleaning is an essential part of hardwood floor protection. At times, professionals use steam cleaning into the cracks and crevices of the floor, reaching temperatures to sanitize the surface.
However, steam cleaning affects the overall condition of the floor, and experts recommend sweeping and deep cleaning with a safe floor cleaner once a month. It keeps the floors clean and the family healthy.
Accidents are inevitable, but it’s crucial to act swiftly when dealing with spills, scratches, or dents. Scratch concealer, for example, can mask scratches and seal the flaw to prevent further damage.
In cases where the wood veneer is thick enough, buffing out shallow scratches is also an option. Addressing damage promptly is essential to avoid additional issues and maintain the beauty of your floors with their timeless appeal.
It is vital to follow specific steps to prevent it from scratches or dents to carry out hardwood floor protection.
To prevent damage, apply polish to maintain the original seal of your floor, making it more resistant to stains and dirt. The professionals start from the corner of the room, spraying the polish and working it in with a microfiber mop pad. The polish can be applied feasibly, as it doesn’t show.
Once it dries up, it must be buffed gently with a clean microfiber cloth or buffing machine for larger areas. Polishing engineered hardwood floors helps to uphold their appeal and increases their sturdiness.
Thorough cleaning is essential to prevent hardwood floor scratches. Dirt and grit can deteriorate the pristine nature of hardwood flooring and penetrate the corners. When moving furniture, try to lift and carry it instead of dragging it. For heavy pieces, you can use sliders to prevent scratches.
You can place felt, rubber, or self-adhesive pads under the furniture legs to prevent scratches and dents. Felt pads are one of the best ways to protect hardwood floors from scratches. They act as a barrier, preventing direct contact between the furniture legs and the floor.
You can opt for thick pads to provide sufficient cushioning for the furniture’s weight. Regularly inspect and replace worn-out pads to maintain continuous protection for your floors.
Consider your pets’ impact on the floor, as they contribute to multiple scratches on the hardwood floor. If they have sharp nails and claws, consider adding rugs and beds to minimize contact with the hardwood floor. Engineered wood flooring is also widely recognized as the best hardwood flooring for homes with dogs.
You must rotate and move your furniture periodically to prevent permanent scratches or stains in specific spots resulting from prolonged weight in a particular area.
Rugs and mats must be kept in high-foot-traffic areas and underneath furniture to offer an extra layer of protection. These rugs work like buffers and reduce direct contact between heavy furniture and the floor.
You can choose wider, rubberized casters if your furniture has casters or wheels. This helps distribute weight evenly and reduces the possibility of leaving marks or dents on the floor.
While installing or reorganizing furniture, it’s crucial to avoid dropping heavy objects or tools directly onto the floor to prevent immediate damage.
Hardwood flooring is an elegant choice that adds warmth and character to any home. Before embarking on a hardwood floor installation, it is crucial to consider how weather conditions and environmental factors can impact your flooring choices and maintenance.
Temperature fluctuations, humidity levels, and seasonal changes can all significantly affect the performance and appearance of hardwood floors. Controlling environmental conditions is crucial for maintaining engineered hardwood floors.
Thus, it is essential to be mindful of these factors when making informed decisions.
Here’s how different environmental conditions can influence your hardwood flooring:
Humidity significantly impacts hardwood flooring due to its hygroscopic nature, leading to expansion in high and contraction in low humidity.
These fluctuations can result in various issues, including:
• Expansion and Contraction: In high-humidity areas, hardwood floors may swell and potentially buckle if not adequately installed. On the other hand, low humidity can cause the wood to shrink, resulting in gaps between the boards.
Using humidifiers or dehumidifiers is essential to maintaining average humidity levels between 35% and 55%. They can help regulate indoor moisture levels, preventing significant changes in the dimensions of wood.
Extreme temperature conditions, whether hot or cold, can impact hardwood flooring. For hardwood floor protection, keeping the temperature relatively stable is essential.
To reduce damage, you should restrict direct sunlight or significant heat sources.
Wood has the potential to expand with heat and contract with cold, leading to a range of issues such as:
• Cracking and Splitting: In places with a range of temperature changes, hardwood can become weak and prone to breaking.
• Finish Damage: High temperatures can even soften the finish of hardwood floors, making them susceptible to scratches and dents.
Seasonal changes lead to significant shifts in temperature and humidity, which can significantly affect hardwood floors.
• Gapping: During the dry winter, gaps between boards become more noticeable.
• Cupping: High humidity during summer leads to cupping if the floors absorb too much moisture.
Protection for hardwood floors prevents them from wear and tear in daily life. Preventing them from spills and stains is essential to maintaining a pristine appearance and value. These can lead to long-term damage if not addressed quickly.
By understanding the best practices for safeguarding the floors, you can retain their beauty and minimize the risks. It enhances the overall appeal of the home for an extended period.
Let’s take a look into the essential steps to follow to protect your hardwood floors from spills and stains:
• Immediate Spill Cleanup: You need to instantly clean the spills or messes. You can wipe them with a dry or damp cloth and prevent liquid from getting into the floor and causing damage to the surface.
• Use a pH-neutral cleaner: For harsh and stubborn stains, dampen a soft cloth or mop with a pH-neutral hardwood floor cleaner or a mild detergent mixer with water. Ensure the cloth is wrung well to prevent excess moisture from reaching the floor.
• Spot cleaning: You can put the damp cloth directly on the stained area and wipe it in a circular motion. Experts work from the outer edges towards the center of the stained area. Avoid using excess water to damage the wood.
• Dry thoroughly: After removing the stain, you can instantly dry the area with a clean cloth to prevent moisture from penetrating the wood.
• Consider specialized cleaners: For specific stains like ink, oil-based spills, and pet stains, use specialized hardwood floor cleaners recommended by professionals.
• Avoid harsh chemicals or abrasives: Avoid using abrasive scrubbers, harsh chemicals, ammonia-based cleaners, or steam cleaners. These can damage the finish or penetrate the wood, causing swelling or discoloration. It is essential to first test any cleaning solution or method in an unnoticeable area to ensure it will not damage or discolor the flooring.
• Regular maintenance: It is essential to maintain prevention to reduce stains and establish a routine for timely spill cleaning to keep the floor’s overall condition.
Following the steps mentioned above or hiring professionals can safeguard your engineered wood flooring from damage. Consistent upkeep and preventive measures will save you expensive repair hardwood floors and maintain the appearance of your floors.
Even though engineered hardwood flooring is considered attractive, the underlayment, often overlooked, must be maintained. If you are wondering how to protect engineered hardwood floors, the right protective action ensures your flooring investment lasts long. Well-maintained floors will provide you with protection, insulation, and increased comfort.
European Flooring offers a diverse range of engineered wood flooring options. Contact us and book a consultation with our team to discuss your flooring choices and requirements. Our experts can assist you in selecting the ideal product and suggest ways to protect your floors for the long term.
Enjoy aesthetic brilliance and seamless flooring!