Maintenance Tips After Refinishing
Refinishing is a labor-intensive process requiring sanding and a new protective coating. It’s essential to re-coat wood floors as needed but consult with professionals to assess whether refinishing is required.
In addition to following professional advice, taking preventive steps will help preserve and extend the lifespan of hardwood floors after refinishing. For professional help, contact Hardwood Floor Refinishing Bergen County NJ now!
If you’re undergoing a refinishing project, it’s essential that your family and guests understand how to keep the new finish clean. This helps to protect the floors from scratches and other damage and extends their life.
It is important to vacuum and sweep the floors regularly with an indoor vacuum cleaner or broom. This removes dust and debris that can scratch the surface of hardwood floors. It is also a good idea to use a wood floor cleaner or natural cleaner that’s safe for wood to help keep the floors looking and feeling their best.
When possible, encourage your family and friends to wear soft shoes or bare feet in the house. High heels and other sharp footwear can cause scratches and other damage to hardwood floors that can detract from their beauty and durability. If you have rugs in the house, make sure that they’re removed for the first 14 to 18 days after refinishing so that the floors can fully cure.
You can use a large fan or air conditioner to keep the humidity in your home low, which will reduce the amount of moisture that settles on the floors. Moisture can cause warping and other problems that can be difficult to repair.
While it’s a good idea to vacuum and sweep the floors regularly, you should avoid using a mop until the floors have fully cured. This is because water can dilute the finish and interfere with its ability to harden and bond with the wood.
In the meantime, you should use an air purifier to remove any lingering fumes from the polyurethane and other chemicals used during the refinishing process. It’s also a good idea to keep doors and windows open as much as possible to allow for proper ventilation.
If you have pets, consider temporarily boarding them with a friend or putting them in a pet-friendly hotel room during the refinishing project. It’s not impossible to refinish your flooring while pets are in the house, but you should wait until the floors have fully cured before allowing them back into your home.
Vacuum Regularly
Even if your refinishing company advertises a “dustless” process, there is still going to be dust and debris left behind after the floors are done. For this reason, you will want to vacuum and sweep as frequently as possible. Depending on the amount of traffic in your facility, this may be once or twice per week.
Vacuuming can help you get rid of most of the dust and dirt that has settled on the floor since refinishing. To maximize the effectiveness of your vacuum cleaner, you should be sure to vacuum in overlapping rows to ensure you get every area of the room. This will help prevent dust from being pushed around the floor when you vacuum.
It is also important to maintain your vacuum cleaner regularly to extend its lifespan and ensure it works at peak efficiency. This includes cleaning or replacing filters, removing clogs, and inspecting the brush roller for tangled hair and other debris. You should also follow the manufacturer’s maintenance recommendations for your specific model. Doing so will keep it running smoothly for a long time.
Mop or Sweep Regularly
Once your hardwood floors have been completely refinished, you can do some simple things to help them last longer. Sweep or vacuum on a daily basis to keep the dust and dirt that gets kicked up when you walk on your floors from grounding into the new finish. Use the “hard floor” setting on your vacuum or a broom designed for wood floors to avoid scratching.
Clean up spills right away. The longer they sit, the more likely your floor is to stain or damage. Use floor mats in entryways to prevent dirt from being tracked in. Place felt furniture protectors under heavy furniture to avoid scratches and dents on your wood floors. Rotate rugs regularly to prevent uneven wear on your hardwood floors.
Taking good care of your floors will extend the life of the new finish and allow you to avoid costly refinishing in the future. You can only sand your wood floors so many times before you need to replace the entire surface, and there are few things more expensive than having your hardwood floors refinished.
Cover High Traffic Areas
If your hardwood floors experience heavy traffic, it’s important to cover the area with a breathable rug that will prevent scuffing and other damage. This will also help protect your investment in the refinishing process by ensuring that you don’t have to re-sand and refinish those high traffic areas every few years due to abrasion.
A breathable rug will also help to trap grit that is brought in from the outside, which can cause abrasion on the wood floor and lead to scratches. Placing a throw rug in front of exterior doors, in high traffic areas and spots where furniture pivots (like at the base of stairs) can help reduce the amount of dirt that gets tracked onto your new hardwood floors.
Another way to reduce the likelihood of abrasion on your refinished floors is to use felt pads underneath any furniture legs that touch the floor. This will help prevent scratching and scuffing of the wood and protect your furniture from damaging the surface as well.
On average, wood flooring needs a new coat of finish or oil every seven to ten years to maintain its sheen and appearance. If you don’t keep up with this, your hardwood will look dull and may even need to be restained to brighten them again.
Keeping up with routine maintenance and following the proper steps for refinishing will make your hardwood floors last longer, extending their lifespan and keeping them beautiful. For best results, work with a professional who has a good track record and can provide references from satisfied customers. They will have the experience to know what steps are necessary, and the appropriate equipment to ensure a successful outcome.