Without proper care, your hardwood flooring will look faded and worn over time. Fortunately, we’re here to offer our tips on how to protect engineered and real wood flooring so it looks beautiful for years to come.
As a flooring wholesaler specializing in hardwood flooring, we want to ensure your new flooring lasts as long as possible and adds value to your home. Here are our tips for protecting your hardwood floors.
Clean Spills Immediately
Hardwood flooring isn’t waterproof like vinyl or tile, so you’ll need to clean up spills immediately. Gently blot the spill from the surface of your wood flooring and wipe clean with a fresh towel. If you plan on installing hardwood flooring in your living room, it is a good idea to place mats near the front door to catch dirt and moisture.
Move Furniture to Avoid Faded Color
UV rays can fade the color of your wood flooring over time. Fortunately, there are ways to keep your hardwood flooring from looking too faded. For example, if you get a lot of natural light in a room, you may want to install awnings over your windows or curtains to block direct sunlight.
A certain amount of sun exposure is unavoidable, so rearranging furniture from time to time is a good idea. Otherwise, you’ll notice a clear outline of your couch when you decide to rearrange furniture 5 years from now.
Reduce High Humidity
Since hardwood is a natural material, it expands and contracts with humidity. When the humidity is at its highest, typically in the summer, you may notice wood boards cupping. Cupping occurs when the wood fibers absorb water vapor in the air. The wood boards don’t have anywhere to go as they expand, which is why you might notice the edges of the boards being higher than the middle.
The best way to protect your wood flooring from humidity is to rely on your heating and cooling system, as your air conditioner also lowers humidity the longer it runs.
Avoid Low Humidity
Low humidity draws moisture out of your hardwood flooring, causing it to contract over time and resulting in gaps between boards. Fortunately, it’s relatively easy to monitor your home’s humidity with a dedicated humidity meter. Some thermostats even show humidity. It is recommended to keep the humidity in your home between 35% and 55% year-round. Your solid hardwood flooring will thank you.
Choose Quality Hardwood Flooring
The best way to avoid problems with your hardwood flooring down the road is to invest in high-quality flooring. Indiana Floor offers running line items in solid hardwood flooring and has a complete collection of solid, prefinished, and unfinished hardwood flooring in stock. We are here to help you design your dream floor at a price that works for you. We can offer low costs without sacrificing quality by working directly with our customers. Contact us today to get started!
Indiana Floor, Inc.: Your One-Stop Shop for Quality Flooring Products
Since 1993, Indiana Floor has been the leading choice of contractor supply to the hardwood flooring trades. We offer a vast inventory of finished, unfinished, engineered flooring, sundries, and tools to meet customers’ needs. With 5 locations in the MD and VA areas, we are dedicated to providing quality flooring products to our clients. Contact us today at (703) 550-0020 or fill out the contact form on our website!