- Home
- Floor Care & Maintenance Instructions
FLOORCARE AND MAINTENANCE INSTRUCTIONS
Congratulations on choosing hardwood flooring. As long as you follow our tips for care and maintenance your hardwood flooring will continue to look fantastic and will wear well for many years to come.
MAINTENANCE
Dirt and grit are hardwood flooring’s worst enemy. Not only does it hide the gleam of polished floorboards, its abrasiveness actually harms floorboards too. Use dirt trapping breathable (such as woven fabric) mats without solid rubber or vinyl backing (to prevent moisture entrapment), internally and externally, at each entrance to help prevent sand, dust and grit from being trodden inside. Small rugs or carpet squares, just inside the door can also help to remove extra dirt from shoes. Dust daily, if possible, with an electrostatic broom. Wipe up any accidental spills on your hardwood flooring immediately before they get sticky or dry. Strong light, particularly direct sunlight can cause a chemical reaction in wood causing it to change colour (ageing or weathering). Move the rugs occasionally and use curtains or blinds to protect the floor from direct sunlight. High heel shoes, especially worn ones, will dent any hard floor surface,even concrete! Encourage your visitors to take off their high heels on arrival in order to save your wooden floors. With furniture it is not so much their weight but movement that damages hardwood flooring. Fit protective pads to the legs of tables and chairs so that they can be moved easily without the risk of scuffing the floor. Pets with long claws can scratch and dull the floor finish, requiring extra maintenance or premature recoating. Keep pet nails trimmed. Maintain a reasonable stable indoor temperature humidity range. Average Relative Humidity should be maintained between 40-70% and the average temperature should be between 18-25 C. The temperature inside the dwelling should not exceed 35 C. Do not put hardwood flooring outside, or in uncontrolled environment where extreme temperatures or humidity levels are experienced. In case of any damage on the lacquer surface, e.g. – by furniture movements,etc, get advice from a qualified layer or tradesman who understands hardwood flooring. If you prefer DIY repairs, smooth the affected areas with 120-150 grit sandpaper followed by touch lacquering the damaged area. It is advised to test the lacquer material used on some hidden surface or corner of the floor beforehand to judge the expected results first. Any area with solid wooden flooring needs to have some air circulation at all times. Any windows in north facing rooms are required to have UV protection film applied to lessen the direct heat that the hardwood flooring receives.