4 Easy Ways To Protect Your New Hardwood Floors
Whether you've previously put new hardwood floors into your home or you're planning on having the installation done sometime soon, it is never too late to start thinking about how you will keep them protected from wear and tear throughout the years. Hardwood flooring that's well taken care of can last for decades – here are a few easy ways to protect your new hardwood floors so you can get the most out of them:
Install Window Insulation Film
Quality window insulation film blocks up to 99 percent of ultra violet rays from entering your home and fading your flooring. Not only will installing insulation film help protect your nice new hardwood flooring, but it can save you some money on energy costs and even reduce visible light transmission to ensure less glare on the television and mirrors. Window insulation film comes in a variety of shades, colors, and styles to complement your current home's décor.
Maintain a Protective Finish
In addition to cleaning your hardwood floors with a dust mop or broom, it's important to regularly perform maintenance tasks on your flooring depending on the type of finish it has. This will keep your floors looking new, minimize discoloration, and reduce nicks and scratches in high traffic areas. Here's what you need to know:
- Polyurethane finishes provide a waterproof protective shield on hardwoods – you can get away with using generic hardwood cleaner from the store, but stay away from wax and petroleum based products.
- Wax finishes soak into hardwood to seal and protect it – touch the floors up with buffing paste or a solvent-based wax a few times a year.
- Acrylic finishes are injected into hardwood to create a solid hard and durable surface – you'll need to use a spray and buff system that the manufacturer specifies to keep your floors in tip top shape.
It's always a good idea to get care instruction booklets from your hardwood flooring provider to ensure the right cleaning products are used for your specific flooring.
Make Use of Throw Rugs
Throw rugs used on both sides of doors leading to the exterior will greatly minimize the chance of small rocks and debris making their way into your home and scratching the hardwood flooring. You'll find that using area rugs in hallways and in the middle of rooms where people spend the most time in reduces fading and scratching as well.
You might be surprised to know that throw rugs are excellent insulators that can save you some money on your energy bills throughout the year. It's a good idea to use flooring mats underneath your rugs to prevent moisture buildup and floor discoloration. Your flooring provider should have a variety of options available to you.
Use Some Ceiling Fans
Even a small amount of moisture buildup can warp and discolor your flooring, and in winter months it can be downright impossible to catch inconspicuous moisture retention that might be behind a piece of furniture or in a discreet corner. A great way to keep the air flowing in your home so moisture in the air doesn't have time to settle is to use ceiling fans throughout your home.
Running ceiling fans during winter months may seem counterintuitive when it comes to maintaining indoor temperatures, but programming them to run in a clockwise position on low will keep the warm air circulating in the room so you don't have to turn the heat up. Keep furniture away from the walls and use spacers under seating and tables for optimal air circulation.
These tips and tricks are easy to implement and can potentially save you thousands of dollars in maintenance, repairs, and upgrades throughout the years. See this site for more tips on maintaining your hardwood flooring.
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