Floorcare

Wood Floor Maintenance

Dust Mop -  Use untreated mop with dust pad on your floor regularly.  This will keep the sand and grit off of your floor that may cause premature wear.  Throw rugs that are cleaned on a regular basis are recommended in front of your kitchen sink and at each outside door.  

Cleaning – Wipe up food and other spills immediately using a dampened (not soaking wet) Cleaning pad on your microfiber mop.  Regular cleaning should be done with Woodwise floor cleaner or Bona floor cleaner found at QFC and Lowes and Home Depot.  Follow directions for best results. 

No Waxing! -  Swedish and Waterborne finishes should never be waxed.  Do not use oils or waxes, or cleaners that have these properties, on your new floors.  If wax or other treatments are applied, recoating may not be possible. 

Recoat – As your floor begins to show wear and does not clean easily with the above cleaners, recoating is recommended.  Just give us a call when recoating in necessary to set up a time. 

Know Your Floor – Know what products were used to finish and clean your wood floor.  Keep track of the dates that the floor was installed, finished, refinished and/or repaired.  Remember the company name of the installer and finisher.  When moving, leave the above information in the home for the next homeowner. 

Preventive Maintenance  

·         Place walk off mats in entry ways and near sink areas to minimize the amount of dirt and water that comes in contact with your floor.   

·         Check your chair legs and other pieces of furniture and attach felt pads.   

·         Keep high heel shoes in good repair.  Heels that have lost their protective cap can cause little indentations in any floor surface.   

·         Keep pet claws trimmed.   

Post Application Tips 

A minimum of 24 hours is recommended before returning to the residence.  Providing good ventilation will minimize the odor and help the floor finish cure faster.  You can generally walk on the floor after 24 hours.  However, you should use your floors with care for the first two weeks after application.   

Furniture – Allow two to three days before placing furniture on the floor.  Do not slide the furniture into place. 

Carpets -  Allow two weeks before putting carpets of rugs on the floor. 

Cleaning -  Do not use water or any cleaning substances on the floor for the first two to three weeks. 

Give your floor a chance to mature.

All floors have a tendency to leave behind minor imperfections, many Temporary in nature.

Contractors and manufacturers are accustomed to these small quirks, but we realize they may be a bit startling when seeing your floor for the first time. 

With this in mind, we’ve created the following list of temporary outcomes after a finish application. 

1.    Blemishes & Debris – Settling resins can exaggerate the appearance of blemishes in the early stages of a floor’s life.  Any small debris, such as tiny airborne particles in your house, can refract light more during this time.  However, almost all blemishes disappear completely as finish sets.   

Length of time before concern. 60-90 days. 

2.    Discoloration – Many types of wood are susceptible to slight discolorations with other types of finish.  However, the vast majority of wood types will receive a color enhancement by Swedish and Waterborne finishes.  As the finish sets, you may see very slight color differentiations in your wood floor.  These differentiations are normal and will most likely even out.    

Length of time before concern. 60-90 days. 

3.    Uneven Sheen – Many factors can contribute to uneven sheen.  Dramatic factors such as humidity, temperature, and varying wood species’ composition can make the application process tricky, leading to possible uneven application.  As with color differentiation, sheen variance should even out over time.   

Length of time before concern.  120 days. 

4.    Screen Marks, Brush Strokes & Abrasions – Minor screen or brush marks may remain slightly visible during the initial drying phases.  Likewise, small underlying abrasions may seem almost painfully obvious at first.  Be assured that as the finish sets, resins tighten across the wood, and many of these marks will seem to disappear during the process. 

Length of time before concern. 60-90 days. 

Overall, you will save yourself quite a bit of stress and grief if you remember it’s not uncommon to have some minor defects in a finished floor.  Small, temporary side-effects will almost always disappear during the curing and maturation process.   

Please understand this process is normal.  If, however, these side-effects are still obvious after the abovementioned time allotments, it may be time to give us a call.