How to Protect Your Wood Floor from Damages Over Time

Real wood flooring is not something you take for granted, because hardwood floors are usually a serious investment and you want to enjoy them for as long as possible and get value for your money. Real wood floors are designed to be used for a century and still be in good condition. This is only when the floor is properly and regularly maintained and cared for. A big part of the proper maintenance routine is preventing damages and issues from happening. Proper protection is fundamental for keeping the floor in good condition and appearance. Some many issues and problems can be easily avoided with a few precautions taken on time. A good cleaning routine, as well as thorough protection, is what will help you enjoy your floor for many decades and how you can explore the full potential of hardwood flooring to be extra durable, long-lasting, and hard-wearing. Proper and in-depth protection does not even require too much of your time, energy, money, or elbow grease.

Most of the common wood floor issues are a simple result of day-to-day use and traffic. It does not take a lot to damage a wooden floor, even though this type of flooring is still one of the most durable and stress-resistant available on the market. However, everyday accidents such as dropping something heavy on the floor, not wiping off a spill immediately, or dragging a heavy chair around the room can leave some issues that are not only causing imperfections that affect the appearance of the floor but also can have an impact on its condition and hide some risks for the structural durability of the floor in future. While there is not much you can do to prevent the normal level of wear and tear, sometimes even moisture and humidity issues, in many cases you can avoid a long list of potential issues. Here are five of the most common tips for protecting your hardwood floor from damages over time.

Never Drag/Push Furniture and Heavy Objects

Heavy furniture pieces and other heavy objects, when dragged or pushed can easily leave scratches, dents, marks, and gauges on the surface of the floor. Unfortunately, such scratches and dents are often deeper and penetrate the finish of the floor, causing imperfections on the bare wood underneath, especially if the finish has not recently been renewed and updated. In such cases, wood floor sanding and refinishing won’t be enough to deal with the problem and more in-depth, time-consuming, and expensive repair may be needed. You don’t want to deal with such intensive wood floor repairs and renovation services. Therefore, make sure you are not dragging furniture around the room and when you need to relocate just a heavy item, simply lift it and remove/relocate. If the piece is too heavy to lift and relocate, ask someone to help you with lifting while placing a plastic sheet underneath, then drag the piece to the new location, but always make sure there is a plastic sheet underneath it while moving it.

Place Furniture Pads 

Well, dragging furniture pieces is not the only way heavy and bulky furniture can cause imperfections and issues to your floor. Simply by standing at their given location, heavy objects and items can cause dents and marks on the surface of the floor. Therefore, you are always recommended to ensure felt furniture pads are placed on the legs of furniture pieces such as tables and chairs or the bottom of furniture such as sofas, etc.

Such furniture pads are available made out of different materials, felt is one of the most common types you will find on the market or you can simply DIY. Furniture pads work as protective barriers that cushion the weight of the furniture piece so it won’t affect the floor’s finish and surface.

The layer of protection furniture pads also helps for when you are using more movable pieces such as chairs, for example, that require some movement when they are used. Even when dragging or pushing a chair, when pads are placed on its legs, it won’t leave scratches and gauges.

Use Area Rugs and Mats

Wood floors are beautiful and you want to enjoy their beauty, not cover them with rugs and mats. However, often a rug or two are required placed strategically in busier and high traffic areas of the floor to protect from wear and tear, scratches, other issues. It is a smart idea to placemats at the entrances of the house to catch the majority of the dust and dirt and prevent it from slipping in and spreading around the house. Since dust and dirt can work as an abrasive product and leave micro scratches on the finish along with dirt build-ups, allergens, germs, and bacteria, an entrance mat will help a lot. Also, make sure to keep the floors clean at all times if you want to maintain their durability and good look. It is also recommended to try and not wear shoes inside the house to prevent the spreading of dirt.

Sand Old and Rugged Furniture Legs 

The floor is not the only wooden thing in the house worth sanding. And if you want to avoid wood floor sanding for as long as possible and prevent the floor from getting scratched and distressed, you are recommended to take care of those rugged legs of older wooden furniture pieces. Worn wooden furniture legs can easily cause scratches, dents, and gouges on the surface of the floor even if you are not dragging or pushing the furniture pieces. So if you notice rugged, uneven, and worn furniture legs, make sure to take care of them and sand, then place protective felt pads.

Consider Furniture with Rubber Wheels

In case your furniture is too old and you want to replace it, instead of purchasing additional felt pads for the new pieces, you can consider buying furniture with rubber wheels. Rubber wheels are the safest for wooden floors and normally won’t leave scratches, dents, and marks when used on a day-to-day basis. If you purchase furniture with rubber wheels, make sure to clean the wheels regularly to remove dust and dirt that may cause slight markings and micro scratches.