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Foor Care and Maintenance

How do I care for my new floor?

• Walk-off mats. Keep dirt and water off the floor by placing outside mats in front of oil entrances to your home.
• Moving large appliances. Always place a ¼" masonite panel (smooth side down) over the floor before moving heavy objects across any floor.
• Spills. Wipe up immediately with a damp cloth.
• Furniture protection. Apply felt pads or minimum 1 "-wide soft vinyl or rubber rollers to the legs of furniture.
• Area rugs. Recommended in high-wear positions.

• General Maintenance lmmediately blot up spills or spots with a damp cloth.
• Biweekly-Vacuum or sweep your floor.
• Monthly-Damp mop floor with hardwood cleaner. Apply the cleaner to a clean, dampened sponge as directed and wipe the surface of your floor. Follow up with a clean, dry terry cloth towel to dry the surface. Never pour cleaner directly onto the floor.

What can damage a wood floor?

• Water-Wet mopping or excessive water causes wood grain to raise and the wood to expand, crack, splinter and possibly, in extreme cases, to discolor or mildew.
• Oil Soaps-Do not use commercial cleaners made for vinly, ceramic etc. or other waxes/polishes. Such products will harm the long-term performance of your floor, and may affect its recoatability later.
• Ammonia Cleaners-Do not use ammonia cleaners or non-recommended cleaners because they will dull or damage your hardwood floor. Never use window cleaners with amonia.
• High Heel Shoes-Heels that have lost their protective caps or shoes with any sharp exposed nail or stone will exert up to 8,000 lb per square inch of pressure on a floor. That's enough to damage any type of floor covering.
• Sunlight-Exposure to the sun and its UV rays can cause wood floors to fade, change color, or experience surface checking, and even cause color changes in its protective polyurethane finish. To avoid these problems we recommend using draperies or shades to help block out the sun's harmful rays.

What about humidity and health?
Lack of moisture or humidity in the air inside our homes causes all objects to dry out and shrink. That's not good for furniture, and it's especially not good for our bodies. In fact, low moisture in the air actually weakens our respiratory defense system. Low air moisture allows air molecules to become more dense, sus-pending dust and microorganisms in the air.
And, just as our skin tends to dry out and crack when it's dry, so will all natural products, including wood floors. Dry conditions will cause some hairline fractures called checks in wood floors. Dry conditions will accelerate aging of all natural surfaces and the only real solution to this problem is to install a humidifier, preferably a whole house system with accurate controls.
Since the manufacturers of wood floors cannot control the air moisture within your home, they cannot be responsible for occasional surface checks. The Architectural Wood Institute recommends the following conditions for interior wood.